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Simple Bacon Brussels Sprouts – Keto Low Carb Recipe

Brussels sprouts are keto friendly, coming in at 38 calories and 4.6 net carbs per cup. Simple Keto Bacon Brussels Sprouts are even more keto friendly since they have a dose of saturated fat, given by keto’s darling “superfood,” BACON.

Should I Eat Cruciferous Vegetables?

Brussels sprouts are also a cruciferous vegetable, known for creating lower cancer rates with high consumption in observational studies and lowering inflammation. On the flip side, cruciferous vegetables contain goitrogens, which may affect the uptake of iodine and thus the thyroid.

For most people, the benefits of cruciferous vegetables outweigh any concerns over goitrogens affecting the thyroid, However, depending on your goals, you may want to research eating this type of vegetable on a regular basis. If you have a particularly bad thyroid problem, goitrogens may warrant more research if these are foods you like to regularly include in your diet.

Keto Bacon Brussels Sprouts in a Cast Iron Pan

Keto Bacon Brussels Sprouts

This Keto Bacon Brussels Sprouts recipe was developed to serve only two people since our littles have no interest in anything green. Believe me, we’ve tried to make dishes as kid-friendly as possible, but perhaps their palates have been ruined by too much refined sugar? Sigh. I wish we could change the availability of processed foods in their lives.

Jamie Oliver says his school lunch campaign failed because eating healthy is still seen as a privilege of the middle class. The state of our food supply overall is a sad and frustrating situation, but that is a discussion for another day!

Anyway, these Simple Bacon Brussels Sprouts are easy to make more of if you have people that will actually eat them. They also reheat well since the brussels sprouts tend to stay firm even after refrigeration.

Pairing Suggestions

This side can be served with a number of things, but it’s particularly good with a steak or the Creamy Lemon Chicken I made them with while developing the recipe.

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P.S. In case you don’t already have one, consider this awesome little Lodge cast iron pan. I use it all the time, even for omelettes now that it’s well seasoned!

 

Bacon in a cast iron pan for Keto Bacon Brussels Sprouts

Simple Keto Bacon Brussels Sprouts

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 2 people
This simple recipe for Keto Bacon Brussels Sprouts is one of the most simple and delicious sides you can create to go with any keto meal. It requires just five ingredients and is ready in about 25 minutes including prep.

Ingredients 
 

  • 3 slices bacon, reserve grease
  • 10 large brussels sprouts, quartered
  • 1 tsp salt, or to taste
  • 1 tsp pepper, or to taste
  • 1 tbsp bacon grease, or to taste

Instructions

  • Cook 3 slices of bacon over medium heat in large pan until crisp. Remove bacon from pan and retain rendered bacon fat. Remove pan from heat.
  • Wash and drain brussels sprouts.
  • Trim bottom of sprouts and remove any bad leaves. Cut into quarters lengthwise.
  • Dry sprouts and add to pan with the bacon fat. Note that any excess moisture could cause the fat to splatter so use caution when adding brussels sprouts to pan. Turn heat back to medium on the sprouts.
  • Toss sprouts in the bacon fat and add salt and pepper. Add additional bacon fat or other fat if desired. 
  • Allow spouts to brown and caramelize, stirring infrequently. Cook until sprouts are tender, inserting a fork easily.
  • Chop cooled bacon into bits and add back into pan. Toss bacon with brussels sprouts and then serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 2peopleCalories: 205kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 4gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 1393mgPotassium: 84mgFiber: 0gSugar: 0gIron: 0.2mg

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Author

  • Cheryl McColgan

    Cheryl McColgan is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Heal Nourish Grow, where she has published evidence-based health and nutrition content since 2018.

    With over 30 years of experience in fitness, nutrition, and healthy living, and nearly 20 years of professional editorial and journalism experience, she brings both subject-matter depth and trained editorial judgment to everything on the site.

    Cheryl holds a degree in Psychology with a minor in Addictions Studies, completed graduate training in Clinical Psychology, and is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and E-RYT Certified Yoga Instructor and trained in Yoga Therapy.

    She is the author of 21 Day Fat Loss Kickstart, Make Keto Easy, Take Diet Breaks and Still Lose Weight, The Grain Free Cookbook for Beginners, and Easy Weeknight Keto.

    Read more about Cheryl and the journey that created Heal Nourish Grow on the about page.

    Cheryl McColgan is the founder of Heal Nourish Grow, where she writes about protein, body composition, healthy aging, and evidence-based nutrition and wellness along with the everyday habits that actually make those things work in real life.

    With a background in psychology and graduate training in clinical psychology, plus nearly 20 years of experience in editorial and publishing, Cheryl approaches health from both a research and real-world perspective. She’s also been immersed in fitness and nutrition for more than 25 years, which gives her a practical lens most purely academic content tends to miss.

    Her work today focuses heavily on protein intake (especially for women), muscle retention, metabolic health, and sustainable fat loss, along with topics like sleep, wellness, recovery, and wearable health tech. You’ll also find a mix of high-protein, low-carb recipes designed to make hitting those goals easier without overcomplicating things.

    Cheryl’s interest in health and nutrition became more personal after navigating her own health challenges, which pushed her to dig deeper into how lifestyle, diet and daily habits impact long-term health. That experience continues to shape how she approaches everything on this site: practical, realistic, and focused on what actually works over time.

    What Cheryl Covers

    Most of the content here falls into a few core areas:

    Protein & Muscle Health: how much you actually need, especially for women and how to use protein to support strength, body composition, and aging
    Fat Loss & Metabolic Health: sustainable approaches that prioritize muscle retention and long-term results
    Healthy Habits & Lifestyle: sleep, movement, strength training, consistency, and the small things that compound over time
    Wearables & Recovery: real-world testing and comparisons of tools like Oura, Whoop and others
    High-Protein & Low-Carb Recipes: simple, realistic meals that support your goals without feeling restrictive
    Travel & Lifestyle: wellness-focused travel, outdoor experiences, and a slightly more elevated take on healthy living

    If you're new, here are a few good places to begin:

    30 Day Healthy Habits Challenge

    Protein Foundations

    High Protein Recipes

    About Cheryl & Heal Nourish Grow

    Coaching and Programs