I love a good Brussels Sprouts side dish, and apparently so do you, as a few of my recipes have gone viral!

But truly, what’s not to love? Brussels sprouts are often simple to cook and lend a mild, nutty and earthy flavor that pairs well with many other seasonal ingredients (nuts, bacon/pork, dried fruit, aged cheeses, sweeteners like honey and maple, herbs like thyme and sage, etc.) making them an ideal vegetable to incorporate into your holiday recipe roundup. 

Not only that, but Brussels sprouts offer an abundance of hormone health benefits, including a compound called Indole-3-Carbinol (I3C) that supports your liver in flushing out excess estrogen.

While there are a lot of great recipes out there, I’ve been super into my Hot Honey Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta, Pomegranate + Goat Cheese because it’s one of the easiest sides to whip up and pairs well with so many proteins (roast turkey or chicken, braised pork, etc.)

It’s also delicious and a crowd-pleaser everyone will love!

But I think my favorite part is having a nutrient-dense, fiber-rich side that will balance out all of the other indulgent holiday recipes and support my hormones and overall health!

You can snag all of the details and recipe below. 

HOT HONEY BRUSSELS SPROUTS INGREDIENTS

+ BRUSSELS SPROUTS

The star of the show also happens to be rich in fiber and hormone-healthy nutrients, specifically Indole-1-carbinol (13C) and 3,3-diindolylmethane (DIM), which help your body to effectively metabolize excess estrogen that could otherwise lead to PMS and other uncomfortable symptoms

+ POMEGRANATE SEEDS

These offer up so much bright, tangy flavor as well as polyphenols, which help protect cells from oxidative damage (crucial for developing a healthy egg/ovulation) as well as reducing inflammation and boosting your immune system. 

+ PANCETTA

Pancetta adds a good amount of salt + fat to this recipe (aka FLAVOR) as well as protein (10-18g per serving!) which helps to keep blood sugar stable. 

+ GOAT CHEESE

Creamy, delicious texture and flavor plus gut-healthy probiotics and an easier to digest alternative to cows’ cheeses — what’s not to love?

+ HOT HONEY

Hot honey adds a little bit of spice and a little bit of sweet, without any refined or processed sugar!

HOW TO MAKE HOT HONEY BRUSSELS SPROUTS

This side dish is about as simple as it gets! All you have to do is:

1) Fry your pancetta. Cook your pancetta (or bacon) in a large skillet over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pancetta (or tongs for the bacon) and place on a paper towel lined plate. Blot excess grease. Drain all but about 1 tablespoon of the grease, reserving it for cooking the Brussels (this will add loads of flavor). 

2) Sauté your Brussels. If needed, add the avocado oil to the skillet and turn the heat to medium high. Add in the Brussels sprouts and let sit for 2-3 minutes undisturbed, letting them get a little charred and crispy on the bottom. Reduce heat to medium and sauté, stirring occasionally, until Brussels are cooked through and tender, about 10 minutes. 

3) Drizzle with hot honey and add your toppings. Remove the skillet from heat and drizzle the hot honey evenly over the mixture. Add the crispy pancetta and optional goat cheese crumbles and pomegranate seeds. Finish it all off with some flaky sea salt and enjoy!

HOT HONEY BRUSSELS SPROUTS SWAPS/SUBSTITUTIONS 

+ Swap the Pancetta

…And use bacon instead! You still get that same salty, delicious flavor. Use 8 pieces of uncured bacon and cook per instructions. 

+ Swap The Hot Honey

If you’re not a fan of spice, you can swap the hot honey for regular honey and offer red chile flakes as an add-on option for those that are!

+ Swap The Pomegranate Seeds

While I adore pomegranate seeds in this dish, they can be difficult to find, in which case you can substitute for dried cranberries (or just leave out altogether). 

+ Swap the Goat Cheese

You can swap the goat cheese for another soft option like feta, or go more classic with shave parmesan or pecorino. OR leave off altogether if you or guests are dairy-free. 

TIPS FOR COOKING HOT HONEY BRUSSELS SPROUTS

+ USE UNCURED PANCETTA

If you use cured pancetta (or bacon) in this recipe, I advise lessening the salt. Otherwise it may be too salty!

+ HALVE YOUR BRUSSELS SPROUTS

This ensures they get extra tender and delicious! *Also if they’re super large I recommend quartering them.

+ DON’T TOSS ALL OF YOUR PANCETTA GREASE

You’ll want to reserve some to cook the Brussels sprouts in, as this adds loads of flavor to the dish!

+ USE A CAST-IRON SKILLET

My favorite vessel for stovetop cooking! A non-toxic way to add a nice char/crispiness as well as infuse hormone supportive minerals like iron into your food. 

MORE HORMONE HEALTHY HOLIDAY RECIPES

+ Dairy-Free Brussels Sprouts Au Gratin

+ Moroccan- Spiced Roasted Carrots with Whipped Ricotta, Dates + Pistachios

+ Vegan Sweet Potato Marshmallow Casserole 

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*Photography by Tanya Pilgram

Hot Honey Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta, Pomegranate + Goat Cheese

DF

GF

These healthy hot honey Brussels sprouts are SO delicious, super simple to cook & make a perfect holiday side dish everyone will love!

PREP TIME:	TOTAL TIME:
10 Mins	00:30 Mins

• Author: Lauren Chambers

• Servings: 4-6

• Recipe Type: side dish, holidays, thanksgiving side, holiday recipe, holiday side dish

• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

• 1 4-ounce container of uncured pancetta (or sub for 8 slices of uncured, nitrate-free bacon)
• Optional 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 1 pound Brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise (or quartered if extra large), ends trimmed 
• Sea salt + black pepper to taste
• 2-3 tablespoons of hot honey *I love this brand
• Optional ½ cup crumbled goat cheese
• Optional ¼ cup pomegranate seeds for topping 
• Flaky sea salt for topping

Instructions

1. Fry your pancetta. Cook your pancetta (or bacon) in a large skillet over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pancetta (or tongs for the bacon) and place on a paper towel lined plate. Blot excess grease. Drain all but about 1 tablespoon of the grease, reserving it for cooking the Brussels (this will add loads of flavor). 
2. Sauté your Brussels. If needed, add the avocado oil to the skillet and turn the heat to medium high. Add in the Brussels sprouts and let sit for 2-3 minutes undisturbed, letting them get a little charred and crispy on the bottom. Reduce heat to medium and sauté, stirring occasionally, until Brussels are cooked through and tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Drizzle with hot honey and add your toppings. Remove the skillet from heat and drizzle the hot honey evenly over the mixture. Add the crispy pancetta and optional goat cheese crumbles and pomegranate seeds. Finish it all off with some flaky sea salt and enjoy!

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