Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Vegan Coconut ‘Bacon’
A plant-based twist on the classic dish of Brussels sprouts with bacon, this recipe from Angela Liddon is utterly delicious as part of a vegan Christmas spread.
From the book
Oh She Glows Every Day
Plant-based recipes to fall in love with
Inspiring vegan recipes
Vegan twists on family favourites
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Introduction
This dish is a fun, plant-based take on traditional bacon and Brussels sprouts, with all the smoky-sweet flavors of the original dish. The salty, fragrant, and slightly sweet coconut bacon doesn’t taste exactly like bacon (I’m not a miracle worker here!), but it’s delicious in its own right! To make the coconut bacon, you want to use large-flake unsweetened coconut (also known as ‘coconut chips’), not shredded coconut. In the rare event that you have leftovers, I recommend spreading them over a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and reheating them in the oven at 350°F (180°C) until warmed through.
Ingredients
| For the Brussels sprouts: | |
| 900g | Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved |
| 1 tbsp | extra-virgin olive oil |
| 1 tbsp | pure maple syrup |
| 2 | cloves garlic, minced or grated on a Microplane |
| fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper | |
| ⅛ tsp | cayenne pepper, or ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) |
| ⅛ to ¼ tsp | garlic granules or powder, to taste |
| For the coconut bacon: | |
| 40g | unsweetened large-flake coconut (not shredded coconut) |
| 1½ tsp | coconut aminos or low-sodium tamari |
| ½ tsp | pure maple syrup |
| ⅛ tsp | fine sea salt |
| ⅛ tsp | smoked paprika |
| pinch of cayenne pepper | |
| ⅛ tsp | liquid smoke (optional) |
| fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper | |
| ⅛ to ¼ tsp | garlic granules, to taste |
Method
1. Make the Brussels sprouts. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 2
2. Place the Brussels sprouts in a large bowl. Add the oil and maple syrup and toss to coat. Sprinkle on the garlic and toss again to coat. Season with salt, black pepper, cayenne (if using) and garlic granules. Spread the Brussels sprouts over the prepared baking sheet in an even layer.
3. Roast for 15 minutes, then gently stir/flip the Brussels sprouts and roast for 10 to 20 minutes more, until lightly charred in some spots and fork-tender. I prefer to char them for a better flavour, but watch closely so they don’t scorch.
4. Meanwhile, make the coconut bacon. In a bowl, stir together the large-flake coconut, coconut aminos, maple syrup, salt, paprika, cayenne, and liquid smoke (if using). Scoop the coconut mixture into a large skillet and toast the coconut over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 5 to 10 minutes. You may want to turn on the cooker’s fan and open a window while it cooks, as the smoked aroma is quite powerful! Immediately remove the coconut from the pan and place it on a parchment paper-lined plate so it doesn’t stick to the skillet as it dries.
5. Spoon the Brussels sprouts into a serving dish. Sprinkle the coconut bacon on top. Season with additional salt, pepper and garlic granules. Serve immediately.
Make it soya-free: Use coconut aminos instead of tamari.
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