Holiday Brussels Sprouts with Garlic Yogurt, Bacon, and Pine Nuts

These holiday Brussels sprouts are part salad, part side dish, and completely irresistible. The Brussels sprouts are pan-seared until caramelized and tossed in a maple dressing with a touch of heat, then layered over creamy garlic yogurt and topped with crispy bacon, pine nuts, and fried sage. It’s a showstopping festive vegetable side that will quickly become a favorite on both Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner tables.

This recipe walks that perfect line between a salad and a side dish — it’s warm, hearty, and packed with texture. It starts with quartered Brussels sprouts seared in a pan until tender with plenty of those dark, crispy edges. A little chopped kale gets stirred in for color and depth, and everything is tossed in a maple dressing that’s equal parts sweet, savory, and a little spicy — think savory sweet brussels sprouts with a cozy, holiday twist.

The real magic, though, is in the toppings. Bacon and pine nuts are toasted together in the same pan, then crispy sage leaves join the mix. Half of that golden, salty crumble gets stirred into the Brussels sprouts, and the rest is saved for the top. A swipe of garlicky yogurt sauce anchors the dish, the Brussels pile high on top, and the final sprinkle of bacon, pine nuts, sage, and pomegranate seeds makes it sparkle. It’s festive, layered with flavor, and so beautiful on a Christmas or Thanksgiving table that it always steals the show.

Make-Ahead + Time-Saving Tips

A big part of what makes this warm Brussels sprouts salad special is all the little details — but that doesn’t mean it needs to be stressful to pull together. Many of the components can be made ahead, so assembling it on the day feels relaxed and easy. It’s an easy holiday side dish you can pull off with very little last-minute work.

What you can prep ahead:

• Garlic yogurt sauce: Make it up to 3 days ahead and keep it in a sealed container in the fridge. Give it a quick stir, then spread it onto your serving plate.
• Bacon & pine nuts, and crispy sage: You can cook these up to 2 days ahead and store them in two separate airtight containers in your fridge. Warm them briefly before serving.
• Pomegranate seeds: Seed your pomegranate a day or two in advance and store the seeds in a covered container in the fridge.
• Brussels sprouts: They’re best cooked fresh for the crispiest edges, but they actually reheat well. If you’d like to make them ahead, cook them the day before and then gently rewarm them in a pan over medium heat just before assembling.

Shortcuts for ease: Quartering Brussels sprouts takes the most time in this recipe, so if you want to simplify, grab a bag of pre-shredded Brussels sprouts instead — they’ll still caramelize beautifully in the pan. And those pre-packaged cups of pomegranate seeds are a lifesaver when you’re short on time. They make this already simple dish feel even more effortless, especially when you’re juggling several special occasion vegetables for the holiday spread.

Holiday Brussels Sprouts with Garlic Yogurt, Bacon, and Pine Nuts

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 10 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

These holiday Brussels sprouts are a holiday showstopper that’s part salad, part side dish, and completely delicious. Pan-seared Brussels sprouts and kale are tossed in a maple dressing, then layered over garlic yogurt and topped with crispy bacon, pine nuts, sage, and pomegranate seeds. It’s festive, flavorful, and surprisingly easy to make ahead.

Instructions 

• Yogurt Sauce: In a small bowl, mix the yogurt, sour cream, lemon juice, garlic, and salt.

  ½ cup EACH: Greek yogurt and sour cream, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 clove garlic, ¼ teaspoon sea salt

• Maple Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk the apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, and sriracha until it is creamy.

  2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 teaspoon sriracha, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard

• Bacon Pine Nut Topping: Heat a large, preferably cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the bacon and cook until it’s almost crispy and the fat has rendered, about 5 minutes. Add the pine nuts and toast them for 1-2 minutes, until they are golden. Remove them from the pan using a slotted spoon and place them into a bowl.

  3 strips bacon, ½ cup pine nuts

• Crisp Sage: Add the sage to the pan and cook until it’s crispy, turning once, about 2-3 minutes. Place it in the bowl with the bacon.

  20 medium sage leaves

• Brussels Sprouts: Increase the heat to medium-high, add the brussels, and spread them out in the pan. Cook without stirring for 2-3 minutes, until they have browned on one side. Stir and then let them brown again two more times, reducing the heat if needed. When they are crisp-tender, add the kale and let it wilt. Add ½ cup of water to the pan and stir, steaming the brussels. If you’d like them a little softer, you can steam them again by adding another ½ cup of water – it evaporates very quickly.

  1 ½ lb brussels sprouts, 1 cup chopped lactino kale

• Mix Brussels: Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the maple dressing. Add a little more than half of the bacon, pine nut, crispy sage mixture, mix well, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

• Serve: Spread the yogurt sauce onto a serving dish and then pile the brussels sprouts on top. Finish with the remaining bacon, pine nut, crispy sage topping, and pomegranate arils.

  ½ cup pomegranate arils

Notes

Brussels: I like to quarter the brussels as it makes this dish feel somewhere between a salad and a brussels sprouts side, but prepping the brussels is the most time-consuming part of this recipe. If you’d rather, save yourself some work and pick up a bag of pre-shredded brussels sprouts and use that instead. 
Pine nuts: These little guys are pricey, so I only buy them occasionally. This recipe also tastes wonderful with pecans, walnuts, and hazelnuts. 
Sriracha: The amount of sriracha in this recipe doesn’t make it spicy; it just adds a tiny tingle. If you’d like more of a punch, add extra. 
Serving size: This salad serves 4 as a large side dish. If it’s part of a larger holiday feast, count on it serving 8 people. 
Inspiration: A big thank you to Ottolenghi for inspiring this recipe. 🫶

Nutrition

Serving: 1 = ¼ of this recipe, Calories: 428kcal (21%), Carbohydrates: 45g (15%), Protein: 14g (28%), Fat: 25g (38%), Saturated Fat: 6g (38%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 29mg (10%), Sodium: 334mg (15%), Potassium: 966mg (28%), Fiber: 8g (33%), Sugar: 29g (32%), Vitamin A: 1999IU (40%), Vitamin C: 152mg (184%), Calcium: 158mg (16%), Iron: 4mg (22%)