Grilled Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic and Bacon

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Grilled Brussels Sprouts bathed in a quick and easy balsamic marinade before cooking on a hot grill for flavor and sear. This is the perfect side dish recipe for your grill! It’s also our favorite way to prepare Brussels Sprouts.

Grilled Brussels Sprouts with bacon and balsamic in a serving dish

Recipe Highlights

  • Blanch or boil the Brussels sprouts first to create a better texture when grilling.
  • Marinate after blanching to allow the flavors to meld with the sprouts.
  • Grill the Brussels sprouts using a metal skewer or a grill basket depending on how much grill space you have versus a foil packet, which will steam and not grill.

Grilled Brussels Sprouts are are a unicorn recipe for my family — as in a family full of boys who all hate vegetables (I’m talking to you, Hubby!). The kids, ok, I’ll cut them some slack (we’re working on them). But the adult man in his 40’s? Yeah, he should be more vegetable flexible in my book. But he’s not! It’s my mission to change that.

Enter Brussels Sprouts. He loves them. We all do! Especially cooked like this.

Ingredients

  • Brussels Sprouts – Buy fresh Brussels sprouts in bulk or a bag. Alternatively you can buy them as a stalk and remove each sprout (but that is more work).
  • Extra virgin olive oil to help emulsify the marinade.
  • Regular balsamic vinegar (versus aged balsamic) and fresh garlic for savory flavors.
  • Honey to add sweetness to the marinade.
  • Freshly squeezed lemon juice and Dijon mustard for acidity.
  • Good savory vegetable seasoning.
  • Crispy Bacon.
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
  • Optional – if you like heat add a touch of red pepper flakes at the end and a touch of kosher salt or finishing salt.

Preparation for Grilled Brussels Sprouts

Unlike some veggies, ya can’t just throw raw Brussels sprouts directly on the grill because the texture of the Brussels sprouts will be too hard and the outside will burn yielding bitter flavor.

This recipe requires softening them first by blanching or steaming them. This softens the entire Brussels sprout, and gets them ready to go on the grill for a crispy texture.

Trim the rough ends, or stems, off the Brussels, and steam them whole for 5 minutes, then put them in an ice bath (to stop the cooking briefly). If you don’t have a steamer then blanch them by placing them in boiling water for 4 minutes and then immediately placing in the ice bath. Remove from ice bath after 4 minutes and then cut the Brussels sprouts in half.

Marinate

After the ice bath place the marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix together to combine and then add the Brussels sprout halves with marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours. After marinating remove Brussels and prepare the grill. Reserve the marinade. If you don’t have much time you can marinate for as little as 15-20 minutes to capture some of the flavor.

Skewer versus Grill Basket?

I like to skewer Brussels sprouts because we have a lot of grill space. While it may seem like a lot of work up front, it’s easier once they’re on the grill to get the perfect sear on them if they’re skewered. This is also why I like to cut them in half first too. Grill one side, get a nice sear, turn again, get a nice sear. Boom, you’re done! Time to eat those delicious morsels of vegetable deliciousness.

Grilled Brussels Sprouts on skewers

A note on wooden or bamboo skewers – We prefer to buy sturdy metal skewers and reuse them. If you only have wooden be sure they are soaked in water for at least 30 minutes before skewering and grilling with them to prevent them from going up in flame.

Alternatively if you have smaller grill space or trying to cook other things at the same time use a good grill basket and long tongs.

After the Brussels sprouts have been skewered – coat them with the seasoning.

How to Grill Brussels Sprouts

  1. Prep Grill: Prepare grill for two-zone cooking method, or medium-high heat. Target 450 degrees in the cooking chamber.
  2. Cook Bacon: Place bacon on indirect side in a single layer on the grill grate. Bacon has lots of fat, and it will potentially cause flare ups if cooked over direct heat. Cook the bacon on indirect for up to 12 minutes or until crispy. Remove from grill and dice.
  3. Grill Brussels Sprouts: As bacon grills, place Brussels sprout skewers over direct heat. Rotate sprouts over direct heat every few minutes until nicely charred on all sides with grill marks (about 4-5 minutes minutes total time). Exact time will vary based upon size of flame. 
  4. Finish: Remove sprouts from the skewers, place in a large bowl, and drizzle one more time with remaining balsamic marinade. Top with bacon and the parmesan and serve.

If you don’t have a grill simply prepare them using a cast iron or grill pan over a medium high heat until they are crispy. Use a lot of olive oil to encourage crisping.

Brussels sprouts cooking on the grill on skewers with bacon

Grilled Bacon

I’m not a huge fan of wrapping bacon around the Brussels because it doesn’t get as crispy as I like it (and I prefer crispy bacon).

Instead, I cook the bacon on its own, over indirect heat, until it’s crispy to my liking. Once it’s crispy, remove it, let it cool enough to handle, and then crumble it up to top over the Brussels sprouts when it’s time to serve them.

How to Serve Grilled Brussels Sprouts

You can serve them direct from the skewer, but I prefer to remove them from the skewers and place into a serving bowl. Then, toss in the crispy bacon, some shaved parmesan, add some of the marinade (about two tablespoons) toss. Add a touch of finishing salt and then serve with your favorite main dish like smoked turkey or a smoked prime rib.

Grilled Brussels Sprouts in a serving bowl

Frequently Asked Questions

Should you boil Brussels sprouts before grilling?

Yes, you should par boil (or steam) Brussels sprouts prior to grilling so that the dense sprouts have a softer texture and crisp up better on the grill.

Do I need to grill Brussels sprouts in a foil pouch?

No. We actually recommend not grilling sprouts in a foil pouch as they will steam versus actually grilling. To best grill them you should use skewers or use a vegetable grill basked.

How long does it take to grill Brussels sprouts?

With a grill set to 450 degrees Fahrenheit it should take 12 – 14 minutes to get crispy if they were boiled first.

Is it Brussels sprouts or Brussel sprouts?

Brussels sprouts were named for the capital city in Belgium, Brussels. This is where they became popular as early as the 16th century. So the proper pronunciation is Brussels sprouts, not Brussel sprouts for any recipe.

What To Serve With Grilled Brussels Sprouts

This is one of our favorite Thanksgiving recipes to make every year. It’s also an incredible fall recipe. You can also explore our Holiday recipe ideas on the grill and smoker. Here are a few of our favorite recipes to pair this with.

More Grilled Vegetable Dishes


About Vindulge

About Vindulge

Mary (a certified sommelier and recipe developer) and Sean (backyard pitmaster) are co-authors of the critically acclaimed cookbook, Fire + Wine, and have been creating content for the IACP nominated website Vindulge since 2009. They live in Oregon on a farm just outside Portland.

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“This book is a one-stop guide for anyone truly interested in elevating their BBQ experience into a culinary work of art.”
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This recipe was originally published in April of 2019, and updated in October 2023 with more recipe details and instructions. The original recipe remains the same.

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4.89 from 9 votes

Grilled Brussels Sprouts Recipe With Bacon and Balsamic

Grilled Brussels Sprouts are the ultimate vegetable side dish! When you add bacon and balsamic to your Brussels this grilled side dish is over-the-top. 
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 12 minutes
Total: 27 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound Brussels sprouts
  • 4 pieces thick cut bacon
  • ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Balsamic Marinade

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon chicken seasoning

Instructions 

  • Steam Brussels Sprouts: Trim off the rough stem from Brussels sprouts. Steam Brussels for 5 minutes, remove immediately and place into an ice bath to cool. 
  • Prep Marinade: In a medium size bowl combine olive oil, balsamic, honey, lemon juice, Dijon, garlic, and seasoning. Whisk to incorporate and add to a 1 gallon plastic baggie.  
  • Marinate: Remove Brussels sprouts from ice bath, cut the Brussels in half, lengthwise, and place into the marinade for 2 to 4 hours. Remove from marinade, and then skewer.
  • Pre-heat Grill: Prepare grill for two zone cooking method or medium-high heat. Target 450 degrees in the cooking chamber.
  • Grill Bacon: Place bacon on indirect side in a single layer on the grill grate. Bacon has lots of fat, and it will potentially cause flare ups over direct heat. Cook the bacon on indirect for up to 12 minutes or until crispy. Remove from grill and dice.
  • Grill Brussels Sprouts: As bacon grills, place Brussels skewers over direct heat. Rotate sprouts over direct heat every few minutes until nicely charred on all sides with grill marks (about 4-5 minutes minutes total time). Exact time will vary based upon size of flame. 
  • Serve: Remove sprouts from skewers and place in a large bowl. Drizzle one more time with two tablespoons of the marinade. Top with grilled bacon, Parmesan, a dusting of kosher salt or finishing salt, and serve.

Notes

Options: For more heat add a touch of red chili pepper flakes to the serving platter and Brussels.

Nutrition

Calories: 197kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 244mg | Potassium: 457mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 963IU | Vitamin C: 98mg | Calcium: 186mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, grilled, vegetable
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 197
Keyword: Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic, Grilled Brussels Sprouts, grilled brussels sprouts with bacon
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About Mary


I'm Mary, a wine/food/travel writer, Certified Sommelier, mom of twins, former vegetarian turned BBQ fanatic, runner, founder of Vindulge, and author of Fire + Wine cookbook. Thanks for stopping by!

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12 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    We love Brussels sprouts at my house! The mixture of honey and balsamic in this glaze sounds lovely!

  2. 5 stars
    Definitely going to have to try these too! I’m with Sean – Asparagus, Broccoli and Brussels are the few veggies that I really love.

  3. 5 stars
    These look amazing! I bet grilling them brings out so much flavor. I am a big fan of brussels sprouts but sadly am the only one in my family who will eat them. More for me! 🙂

  4. 5 stars
    I will make these for sure! We love brussels sprouts at my house , but haven’t tried them on the grill yet.