Brussels Sprouts Pasta With Bacon and Vinegar

By Dawn Perry

Published April 15, 2020

Brussels Sprouts Pasta With Bacon and Vinegar
Andrew Purcell for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Carrie Purcell.
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(1,056)
Comments
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This recipe is endlessly adaptable: You can use pancetta or even sliced salami in place of the bacon, and chopped cabbage or torn escarole work well if you don't have sprouts. No shallots? A small red onion will do. Keep in mind different types of bacon (or other cured pork) will render different amounts of fat. When you add the brussels sprouts, if the skillet starts to look a little dry, add a tablespoon of oil to keep things moving. To achieve a nice mix of crisp leaves and tender cores, tear off some of the loose outer leaves from your brussels sprouts; they will wilt and blister while the more tightly bundled cores will soften and steam. This recipe is designed for a half pound of pasta; though you may be tempted to add extra pasta, the dish will be plenty filling with a whole pound of brussels sprouts.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 8thin slices of bacon
  • 8ounces cavatappi or other short pasta
  • 1pound brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved and outer leaves separated
  • 2shallots, thinly sliced
  • 1tablespoon olive oil (optional)
  • ¼cup cider vinegar or red wine vinegar 
  • 2tablespoons whole-grain or Dijon mustard
  • Shaved Parmesan, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

439 calories; 16 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 59 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 17 grams protein; 597 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Using tongs, transfer to a plate.

  2. Step 2

    Drop pasta into the boiling water and cook according to package instructions until al dente.

  3. Step 3

    Meanwhile, heat the remaining bacon drippings in the skillet over medium-high. Add brussels sprouts and shallots, season with salt and pepper and cook, tossing occasionally and adding olive oil if the skillet looks dry, until the sprouts are dark brown in spots and beginning to be close to tender, 3 or 4 minutes. Add vinegar and mustard and toss to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan.

  4. Step 4

    Using a slotted spoon, transfer pasta to skillet, then stir in 1 cup pasta water. Cook, tossing often, until liquid reduces and coats the pasta, 2 to 3 minutes. Crumble bacon over top and serve with Parmesan.

Ratings

4 out of 5
1,056 user ratings
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Comments

Randy

If brussels sprouts are triggering for you, perhaps it'd be best to avoid clicking on brussels sprouts recipes, because this is helpful to no one.

Julie

Cabbage works perfectly. Actually I’ve been sautéing cabbage and sliced onions in butter and olive oil until they’re soft and sweet and tossing that with pasta.

Chantal

I soaked the onions in the vinegar instead of adding the vinegar straight to the sauce. The tangy onions worked really well without overpowering the dish. Note: tempeh bacon works really well here.

Linda

Big nope. Too much pasta. Too much vinegar, and I even used half. Adding the shallots at the same time as the Brussels sprouts would yield burnt shallots. The only thing that maybe saved it was the cheese at the end. I wasted my Brussels sprouts and bacon for this. And for the record, I usually love the recipes on this site.

Kathleen

I was a little skeptical when people were commenting about a “funk” to this dish. I chose to try it anyway bc I love everything in it and I figured people weren’t used the mustard vinaigrette that is often on a lentil salad used for pasta. I stuck pretty much to the recipe except I roasted the Brussels and added a bunch of baby kale. Turned out great. Don’t hesitate to try this.

Rebecca

made this last night. Used Turkey bacon, so needed to use a bit more olive oil. I'm sure it would have been even better with regular bacon, but it was still delicious. I didn't have any small pasta in the cupboard, so I broke up the bucatini into smaller pieces. Otherwise, I followed the recipe. This is a keeper!

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