
This post was originally posted in December of last year, but I wanted to update this recipe with more detail and additional pictures (my recipe testing and photography has gotten better too, thank God). So please enjoy this new and improved post for Red Wine Brussels Sprouts!
Although brussels sprouts are great on their own, let’s be honest, most things are better with booze— and brussels sprouts are no exception. These sprouts are simmered in red wine and include red onion, (optional) turkey bacon and apples.
You can also omit the bacon (or use pork bacon—I’m not here to tell you how to live your life) and make these into an actually flavorful vegan side.
Why Should I Make Red Wine Brussels Sprouts?
- They’re delicious: These brussels are the perfect balance of sweet and savory thanks to the apples, bacon and seasoning.
- They’re unique: You ever seen a recipe for red wine brussels sprouts before this? Yeah me neither, but I promise, this recipe will have your family and friends hooked on these tiny little cabbages.
- They scream Fall: Apples, brussels sprouts, shallots, warm red wine. Have a Boozy Pumpkin Cream Puff afterward and you will be the champion of fall foods.
- Wine: That’s it. That’s the reason. Plus leftovers for drinking…Need I say more?

What Ingredients Do I Need to Make Red Wine Brussels Sprouts?
My other favorite thing about this recipe is that it only has 5 main ingredients (not including seasonings and olive oil) meaning it’s incredibly simple to prep and cook.
- Olive oil
- Shallot or Red Onion
- Bacon (or you can omit)
- Brussels sprouts
- Apples
- Salt
- Saltless seasoning mix—or salt, pepper and garlic powder (more on that below)
- Red Wine

What Equipment Do I Need to Make Red Wine Brussels Sprouts?
You need:
- A cutting board
- A sharp knife
- A large pan (preferably nonstick) with a lid
- A measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
How Do I Make Red Wine Brussels Sprouts?
- Rinse dry and chop all produce and bacon.
- Add olive oil to a large pan over medium heat. If you are cooking with pork bacon, omit the olive oil, add bacon to the pan and proceed to cook.
- If you’re cooking with turkey bacon, add turkey bacon and onions to the pan and cook until the turkey bacon is crispy and onions are softened.
- Once the onions are soft and bacon is crispy, add brussels sprouts, apples and seasoning and increase heat to medium-high to brown. Stir all ingredients with a wooden spoon so that the bacon and onions aren’t all at the bottom of the pan. Cover and continue to cook, stirring periodically until brussels sprouts and apples begin to brown (about 5-6 mins).
- Pour in red wine and gently stir all ingredients to incorporate. Cook for about 10 minutes covered. Taste brussels sprouts and apples together and adjust seasoning as needed. Cook for another 10 minutes uncovered until wine has mostly evaporated (you are looking for a thick reduction at the bottom of the pan), and Brussels sprouts have begun to soften and caramelize.
- Remove from the heat and serve warm.
What Kinds of Apples Can I Use to Make Red Wine Brussels Sprouts?
You can use most red or pink apples you would use to make a pie to make red wine brussels sprouts. The biggest criteria for a good apple in this recipe is that they they are sweet and can hold their structure when cooked. My favorites to use are:
- Gala
- Fuji
- Pink Lady
Some apples that may not be great for this recipe are any that can’t hold their structure and can get mushy when cooked on a stove top. Some that come to mind include:
- Macintosh—they get too mushy when cooked and you will end up with red wine apple sauce once everything is cooked
- Red Delicious—they can get mushy when cooked, their waxy thick skins can become incredibly chewy when cooked—not to mention they’re bitter. So, yeah, definitely steer clear of these.

How Can I Make These Vegan?
Yes! If you leave out the bacon, these brussels sprouts automatically become a flavorful vegan side! *Ina Garten Voice* How easy is that??!
What Is the Best Type of Wine to Use to Make Red Wine Brussels Sprouts?
The most important thing to know about picking a wine for this recipe is that it’s best to use a wine you would actually drink (aka don’t use cooking wine). The other important thing is to pay attention to tannin content, especially if you’re modifying this recipe to not use bacon, or plan to add bacon after cooking.
This is because when the wine is cooked and reduces, the tannins become even more concentrated and will create a super weird dry mouth feel that will quickly sour your meal (no pun intended).
If you are making the recipe as-is with bacon, you can get away with using more tannic wines because the bacon provides protein for the tannins to bind to in the pan to prevent that dry mouth feeling. But, wines with medium to lower tannins will still be the best to use. My favorite wines to use in this recipe with bacon are:
- Pinot Noir (lighter tannins)
- Merlot (lighter tannins)
- Malbec (medium tannins)
- Cabernet Sauvignon (medium tannins—this one adds a more savory dimension to the final product)
If you are making this recipe vegan (without bacon) OR if you plan to add your bacon after the brussels sprouts have cooked, you should stick to wines with lower tannin content like:
- Pinot Noir
- Merlot
To read more about the chemistry and things to know when cooking with wine, read this post by the Culinary Institute of America, and here’s a chart visualizing the relative tannin content of various wines for reference.
Across the board, some wines to avoid using due to their high tannic content are:
- Shiraz
- Rhône North
- Syrah

What If I Want to Use Pork Bacon Instead of Turkey Bacon In This Recipe?
You can! You just may want to omit using olive oil as pork bacon has much more fat than turkey and the fat will turn liquid when you cook pork bacon. You can cook your brussels sprouts in the bacon fat to add more bacon flavor to the dish.
I See You Have the Option to Use Shallot or Red Onion. Which One Is Better?
Red onions have a stronger onion flavor than shallots do. I use shallots to keep the flavor on the lighter side (and because onions give me migraines), but if you’re an onion lover, definitely feel free to use red or even white onions.
What is the Best Seasoning to Use in Red Wine Brussels Sprouts?
My favorite seasoning to use is 21 Seasoning Salute from Trader Joe’s which contains dried onions, celery seed, black pepper, dried herbs, and cayenne pepper, among others. But the most important components of a seasoning mix are dried aromatics (like dried onion or garlic).
If you choose to using a seasoning blend with salt, be sure to adjust the salt levels in the recipe to account for the salt in your seasoning blend.
If you don’t feel like getting fancy with the seasonings (I get it) you can combine 1 tablespoon of fresh ground pepper and 1 tablespoon of garlic powder combined.
What Equipment Do I Need to Make Red Wine Brussels Sprouts?
You need:
- A cutting board
- A sharp knife
- A large pan (preferably nonstick)
- A measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
Red Wine Brussels Sprouts

The ultimate Fall side—brussels sprouts cooked with apples, and (optional) bacon in red wine. Because wine makes everything better…
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 small red onion, rinsed and chopped
- 4 slabs of bacon, chopped into 1 inch by ½ inch pieces
- 1 pound of brussels sprouts, rinsed and halved
- 2 apples (you can use any firm red or pink apple—I like Gala), rinsed and chopped
- 1-2 tablespoons salt (to taste)
- Saltless everyday seasoning mix, my favorite is 21 seasoning salute from Trader Joe’s (or 1 tablespoon of fresh ground pepper and 1 tablespoon of garlic powder combined)
- About 1 ¼ cups of red wine
Instructions
- Prep ingredients. Rinse dry and chop all produce and bacon.
- Cook bacon. Add olive oil to a large pan over medium heat. If you are cooking with pork bacon, omit the olive oil, add bacon to the pan and proceed to cook.
- Cook onions. If you’re cooking with turkey bacon, add turkey bacon and onions to the pan and cook until the turkey bacon is crispy and onions are softened.
- Cook brussels sprouts. Once the onions are soft and bacon is crispy, add brussels sprouts, apples and seasoning and increase heat to medium-high to brown. Stir all ingredients with a wooden spoon so that the bacon and onions aren’t all at the bottom of the pan. Cover and continue to cook, stirring periodically until brussels sprouts and apples begin to brown (about 5-6 mins).
- Add wine and continue to cook. Pour in red wine and gently stir all ingredients to incorporate. Cook for about 10 minutes covered. Taste brussels sprouts and apples together and adjust seasoning as needed. Cook for another 10 minutes uncovered until wine has mostly evaporated (you are looking for a thick reduction at the bottom of the pan), and Brussels sprouts have begun to soften and caramelize.
- Serve. Remove from the heat and serve warm.
Notes
If you are using a stainless steel pan you may need 1 ½ cups of wine, as content will evaporate faster than on a nonstick pan.
If you are omitting bacon, be sure to use a wine with a low tannin content.
If you prefer to keep your bacon crispy, remove it from the pan and add it in at the end, if using this method, use wine with lower tannin content.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
7Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 157Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 3134mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 3gSugar: 7gProtein: 4g
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