Another easy side dish recipe for this holiday season is my roasted brussels sprouts with crispy turkey bacon and Real California cotija cheese. As much as I love the taste of pork bacon, I like that the turkey bacon has less fat. Inspired by my recent trip to Mexico, I wanted to include one of my new favorite Mexican-style cheeses: cotija. It is a nice complement to many savory warm dishes or cold salads that need a bit of salty flavor. I also like that this cheese crumbles like feta and can be a great substitute for your Greek salad.

Did you know California is the country’s leading producer of Hispanic-style cheeses? The state produces more than 25 varieties and styles of Hispanic-style cheeses bearing the Real California Milk seal. If you are curious to know where to buy Hispanic-style cheeses, check out this LINK for the product locator.

Enjoy!

Check out this easy recipe:

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Holiday Side Dish

Ingredients

1.5 lbs. brussels sprouts (cut in halves)
3 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
6 oz. of turkey bacon – 8-10 pieces
3 oz. of Real California Milk cotija cheese (crumbled)
1-2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425F
Lightly toss together olive oil, salt, and black pepper with the brussels sprouts on a non-stick pan
Bake for 30-40 min until the sprouts are tender and dark green or a toasted brown in appearance
For the turkey bacon, lightly coat your skillet with cooking spray and turn the stove to medium heat.
Place strips in skillet for 4 min on each side until fully cooked; longer if you want it more crispy
Transfer the strips onto a paper towel and let cool
Cut the bacon strips in 1/2 inch pieces
Mix the bacon and balsamic vinegar together with the brussels sprouts
Sprinkle the cotija cheese on top of the dish