Christmas Sprouts

A super easy Christmas Sprouts recipe – tender sprouts with smoky bacon and garlic butter. A foolproof Christmas side dish that’s tasty every time.

It just wouldn't be Christmas Dinner without the sprouts now would it?

And when cooked properly instead of boiled to a weird green grey mushy ball, Brussel sprouts can be one of the best Christmas side dishes!

I think the best way to cook sprouts for Christmas is to parboil them lightly and then sauté them in garlic butter with smoky bacon. I promise you they taste amazing!

Brussel sprouts with bacon is just a perfect match.

And to take the stress out of making and cooking a Christmas Dinner we've put together a really delicious range of Christmas Side Dishes that are super easy to prepare and cook.

And don’t worry, if you’re cooking for more than four or more people I’ve scaled up the ingredient quantities at the bottom to help out with making this easy vegetable side dish.

Christmas Sprouts Ingredients

You'll just need four ingredients to make this really tasty, easy Christmas Brussel sprouts recipe!

• 500g Brussel sprouts

• 30g butter

• 10 smoked bacon medallions - you can use ordinary slices of bacon, I just prefer these as there's no fat on it.

• 1 clove garlic

Equipment Needed

• Colander

• Chopping board

• Sharp vegetable knife

• Large frying pan or skillet

• Weighing scales (feel free to just estimate the butter quantity without weighing if you prefer)

• Kitchen scissors

• Grater

• Wooden spoon - or other spoon for cooking

How To Cook Christmas Sprouts

You'll love how simple this Christmas side dish is - super easy!

Step 1 - How to cook sprouts

• Peel and wash the sprouts - pull off any outer leaves and trim the stem and then slice into halves.

• Cook the sprouts in boiling salted water for around 5-7 minutes or until just tender. Then drain and set aside.

Step 2

• Chop the bacon into bitesized pieces using the kitchen scissors.

• Peel the garlic clove and grate on the fine side of a grater.

• Melt the butter in a large frying pan or skillet, add the bacon and grated garlic and fry gently until cooked - you can do this whilst the sprouts boil.

Step 3

• Tip the drained sprouts into the pan with the bacon and garlic butter, season with black pepper if you like and toss everything together so the sprouts are coated in the butter and bacon juices.

• Just cook the sprouts and bacon together for a few minutes until the sprouts are cooked through.

Step 4

To serve just tip the Christmas Brussel sprouts with bacon into a serving bowl and enjoy!

Christmas Sprouts Recipe Variations

Okay so we’ve given you a totally yummy way to serve your Christmas Brussel Sprouts, but you can make this easy Christmas side dish in your own way...

• Add in some chestnuts to your sprouts recipe - the little pouches from Merchant Gourmet are ideal for stirring through our Christmas Brussel sprouts recipe.

• Add a drizzle of maple syrup as you sauté the sprouts with the bacon. This will add sweetness and a lovely caramelised flavour.

Try Our Delicious Christmas Dinner Tray Bake Here

Sprouts Recipe Tips!

• Prepare ahead of time – you can prep the sprouts and boil them ahead of time. Once boiled, plunge into icy cold water, drain and then store in an air tight container in the fridge overnight, then reheat them whilst frying them with the bacon and garlic butter.

• Love your leftovers - any leftovers are delicious as part of bubble & squeak the next day.

Have you checked out our delicious Leftover Turkey Recipes?

Christmas Side Dishes

Get even more tasty Christmas vegetables and Christmas Dinner side dishes here. 

• Christmas Carrots

• Christmas Parsnips

• Christmas Red Cabbage

• Honey Roast Parsnips 

• Garlic and Herb Mashed Potatoes

• Pigs In Blankets In Air Fryer

• Mustard Mash

• Christmas Vegetable Tray Bake

Christmas Brussel Sprouts – Ingredients Quantities When Feeding A Crowd

If you’ve got guests for Christmas Dinner then here’s our easy scaled up sprout and bacon Christmas Recipe ingredients to feed 6, 8 and 12

Christmas Sprouts – To Feed 6

• 600g sprouts
• 40g butter
• 10 bacon medallions
• 1 clove garlic

Christmas Sprouts – To Feed 8

• 800g sprouts
• 50g butter
• 14 bacon medallions
• 2 cloves garlic

Christmas Sprouts - To Feed 12

• 1.2kg sprouts
• 80g butter
• 20 bacon medallions
• 2 cloves garlic

Cooks Note! – The cooking time should be around the same time, you'll just need bigger pans - or cook in batches.

Need Some Family Meal Ideas?

Check out our meal planning here – it’s filled with recipes, meal planning tips and pre-filled printable meal plans weekly or seasonally. We’ve got hundreds of the BEST family recipes and Family Tea Ideas your whole family will LOVE!

Get more delicious meal ideas and easy recipes here