Brussels Sprouts with Mushroom 'Bacon'

Brussels Sprouts with Mushroom 'Bacon'

Okay, we know what you're thinking. Brussels sprouts? Really? But trust us on this one, because this recipe genuinely converted a room full of sprout sceptics at our Christmas table. The mushroom 'bacon' is the real game changer here, smoky and sticky and a little bit crispy at the edges in a way that makes you want to eat it straight off the tray. Paired with tender, properly cooked sprouts, it's the kind of side dish that people ask about before they even sit down. Make this once and it'll be on your table every single year.

Cook: 30 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Preheat oven to 200°C
  • Large baking sheet lined with parchment paper
  • Large saucepan
  • Frying pan
  • Serving bowl

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp smoked salt
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 200g mixed mushrooms - you could use the caps from our King Oyster Mushroom "Scallops"
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • 500g Brussels sprouts
  • 2 eschallion shallots
  • 2 fresh bay leaves
  • 25g flaked almonds - toasted

Method

1

Prepare the mushroom "bacon"

  • Chop the mushrooms into ½ cm pieces and place them on a lined baking sheet
  • Drizzle over the olive oil and maple syrup and sprinkle with smoked salt, smoked paprika and pepper
  • Toss well to coat
  • Bake for 25 minutes, turning halfway through
2

Now, cook the sprouts

  • Remove any older outer leaves from the sprouts
  • Put a large saucepan on the stove, pour in the boiling water from the kettle, add a generous pinch of salt, pour in the sprouts and cook for 5-6 minutes
  • Drain the sprouts and set them to one side
3

Cook down the onions and bring everything together

  • Peel and finely slice the shallots. Put the frying pan on the stove over a medium heat and add the olive oil
  • Add the shallots to the pan with a pinch of salt and fry for 2-3 minutes until soft
  • Add the bay leaves, cooked sprouts and mushroom bacon lardons to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes
  • Take the pan off the stove, pour the contents into a bowl and sprinkle over the toasted nuts
  • Season and serve

Tips & Variations

  • Get the mushrooms small: Chopping them into ½ cm pieces is what helps them dry out and crisp up properly in the oven. Go bigger and they'll steam instead of going that lovely chewy-crispy texture we're after.
  • Don't skip the turning: Flipping the mushrooms halfway through baking makes a real difference. It's an extra 10 seconds of effort and it stops them sticking and makes sure every piece gets that caramelised edge.
  • Make extra mushroom bacon: Seriously, make double the amount. It disappears faster than you'd think and it's incredible on toast, in sandwiches, or just eaten standing over the baking tray. We speak from experience.

Why This Works

The trick is in the mushroom marinade. Smoked salt, smoked paprika and a little maple syrup together create this deep, savoury-sweet coating that crisps up beautifully in the oven and genuinely mimics that bacon flavour without any of the meat. We also find that not overcooking the sprouts is key, you want them tender but still with a little bite so they hold their own against all that smoky goodness.