Hot Honey Brussels Sprouts are sweet, salty, smoky, just a little spicy, and ready in just 25 minutes. The sprouts get caramelized in a skillet with bacon grease, then finished with smoked paprika, hot honey, crispy bacon, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Ellen’s Notes
I have made every kind of Brussels sprout under the sun, but this skillet version is hands down my favorite. The sweet, salty, smoky, spicy combination tastes like something out of a steakhouse, but it’s really just one skillet and a handful of pantry staples.
The most important step is getting those sprouts cut-side down in the pan and leaving them alone for a few minutes. Searing them in a combination of rendered bacon fat and butter gives them that deep golden caramelization and crispy edges. Drizzle the hot honey on at the end, and watch this dish disappear off the table!
Key Ingredient Notes
- Bacon: Five strips of regular-cut bacon is the sweet spot! That’s enough to render plenty of fat for cooking and still leave you with crispy pieces to stir in at the end. Thick-cut works too, just chop it a little smaller so it crisps up quickly. Skip turkey bacon here; it doesn’t render enough fat to flavor the sprouts.
- Brussels Sprouts: Trim the dry ends and slice them in half lengthwise so each piece has a flat cut side for searing.
- Hot Honey: Adjust the heat to your taste. Homemade hot honey lets you control the spice level perfectly!
- Smoked Paprika: This adds a subtle smoky depth that ties the bacon and hot honey together. Regular paprika will work, but you’ll lose that little bit of warm smokiness that makes this dish special.
How To Make Hot Honey Brussel Sprouts
See the recipe card for full ingredient list and directions below.
Step 1: Cook The Bacon
Fry bacon until crispy, then remove it, leaving 2 to 3 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pan.
Step 2: Add The Brussels Sprouts
Sauté the garlic, scraping up any browned bits from the bacon. Then add the Brussels sprouts and smoked paprika.
Step 3: Cook The Brussels Sprouts
Cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Keep as many of the sprouts as you can cut-side down so they get a good sear. The browning on that flat side is the best part!
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Step 4: Finish Them Off
Stir the bacon back in, drizzle with hot honey, and finish with flaky sea salt and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Serve immediately.
📌 Ellen’s Recipe Tips
- Use a big enough skillet. A 12-inch skillet gives every sprout room to make contact with the pan. Crowding them is the fastest way to end up with steamed, soggy sprouts.
- Don’t stir for the first few minutes. Let the sprouts sit cut-side down without moving them for at least 3 to 4 minutes. Stirring too soon stops the caramelization before it really starts.
- Drizzle the hot honey off the heat. Adding the honey while the pan is still ripping hot can scorch the sugar. Pull it off the heat, then drizzle so the honey stays sticky and glossy.
- Add water at the end to deglaze, if needed. If you’re noticing browned bits sticking to the pan, splash in 2 tablespoons of water. It will lift all that flavor right onto the sprouts.
FAQ – Recipe Help
The most common culprits are overcrowding the pan, stirring too often, or not getting the sprouts cut-side down. Use a big enough skillet, let them sit undisturbed cut-side down for at least 3 minutes, and don’t drain all the bacon grease.
Fresh sprouts give you the best caramelization, but frozen will work in a pinch. Don’t thaw them! Add them straight to the skillet and expect a slightly softer texture and an extra few minutes of cook time.
Yes! Skip the bacon and use 3 tablespoons of butter or olive oil to cook the sprouts. You’ll lose that smoky depth, so add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika to make up for it.
You can prep all the components up to a day in advance: trim and halve the sprouts, chop the bacon, and measure out your seasonings. Cook it right before serving so the sprouts stay crispy and the hot honey stays glossy.
Yes! Crushed red pepper flakes sprinkled on top before serving is my go-to way to add a little extra spice. If you want a lot more heat, add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
How To Store Leftovers
Hot Honey Brussels Sprouts are at their absolute best right out of the skillet, when the bacon is crispy and the hot honey is still glossy. That said, leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To reheat, warm them in a skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes to bring back some of that crispiness. The microwave works too if you’re in a hurry, but the bacon and sprouts will be softer.
Hot Honey Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Ingredients
- 5 strips bacon, cut into pieces
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon olive oil, or extra bacon grease
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 pound brussels sprouts, ends removed and cut in half
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ cup hot honey
- flaky sea salt, to taste
- crushed red pepper flakes, optional
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Instructions
- In a large skillet, fry bacon until crispy. Using a slotted spoon, scoop out the bacon (leave about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the skillet) and transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels. Set aside.
- In the same skillet over medium heat, add the butter and olive oil into the bacon grease. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the skillet to loosen up all of the browned bits.
- Once the butter has melted, stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Then add the Brussels sprouts and smoked paprika, stirring until the sprouts are coated in the butter. Flip as many of the sprouts as you can cut-side down to get a good sear on the flat side.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8-10 minutes or until fork tender. At the end of cooking, if you need to, add 2 tablespoons of water to get the bits off the bottom and prevent the sprouts from sticking.
- Remove from the heat, crumble the bacon, and add it back into the skillet. Drizzle the hot honey over the sprouts and sprinkle a little sea salt and crushed red pepper flakes over the top if desired. Serve immediately!
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Notes
Nutrition
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