Crisp tender brussels sprouts baked in a rich and creamy cheese sauce, and topped with crispy smoky bacon. This is the perfect holiday side dish recipe!
Thisย Brussels Sprouts Gratin recipe is one of those recipes we have with so many of our family dinners and for holidays like Easter.ย We also love easy Easter recipes like myย Copycat HoneyBaked Hamย andย Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese.ย This is one of myย Side Dishesย recipes I know youโll want to keep on hand!
BRUSSELS SPROUTS GRATIN RECIPE
Growing up, I was definitely not a fan of brussels sprouts.ย Probably sounds familiar right?ย Sadly, they’re the outcasts of the vegetable world.
As an adult, I’ve been trying new things, and once I tried them roasted on a sheet pan, I realized, I’d been totally missing out. ย Sprouts are fantastic!!
But once I tried them this way, sautรฉed with shallots and garlic, drizzled with cream, smothered in gooey cheese and topped with crispy bacon… I officially fell in LOVE!!
I can’t tell you that these converted my sprout-hating children… although it did convince my daughter to try one, which is a victory in and of itself.
But for any adults… I think these would absolutely convert them to a sprout lover!!
HOW TO MAKE BRUSSELS SPROUTS GRATIN
- Preheat oven and saute sprouts and shallots.ย A lot of gratin recipes don’t call for any sautรฉing to be done, but I like the added flavor it adds, plus is cuts down on the oven time.ย Go ahead and add your seasonings here, so the flavor really develops.
- Turn off the heat, add cream.ย The reason we remove the pan from the heat before adding the cream is so it doesn’t get heated too much.ย Too much heat, too quickly, could potentially curdle the cream – and no one wants that.
- Sprinkle with cheeses and bacon and bake.ย No need to stir the cheeses in, just sprinkle them evenly over the top.ย Bake about 12 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
ADDITIONAL COOKING TIPS
The part that takes the longest here is prepping your brussels sprouts… sometimes those little buggers can be tedious to prepare. ย Especially for this recipe, when you’re going to want about 32 oz of sprouts (2 lbs).
HOW TO TRIM BRUSSELS SPROUTS
When looking at fresh brussels sprouts, you’ll see a hard little bit of stem at the base.ย Take a sharp kitchen knife and carefully trim off that bottom stem.
Remove any loose outer leaves, and slice in half from top to bottom.ย Don’t worry if a few other leave fall off during the cooking process.ย If the sprouts are giant, go ahead and quarter them.
VARIATIONS OF THIS RECIPE
- CASSEROLE – if you’d rather not saute the sprouts with the shallots, you can add everything to a casserole dish (9×13 works well).ย Bake at 400ยฐF degrees for about 25-30 minutes, until bubbly and hot.
- BREADCRUMB TOPPING – for a more traditional gratin dish, top these brussels sprouts with 1 cup of panko breadcrumbs that’s mixed with a tablespoon or so of melted butter.
- CHEESES – if you prefer a different blend of cheeses, feel free to substitute with your favorites.ย Parmesan or Swiss are great alternatives.
MAKING BRUSSELS SPROUTS GRATIN AHEAD OF TIME
I love that this recipe can be made ahead of time, which is perfect for the holidays!
To reheat, bake in a 350ยฐF oven, uncovered, until warm throughout, 12-15 minutes.
STORAGE
Leftovers should be refrigerated in an airtight container and consumed within 3 days for best flavor.
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT FOR THIS RECIPE
- Cast Iron Skilletย โ I use my cast iron pan for SO many things, you love it!
- Enameled Skillet – Also cast iron, but with the added benefit of easy cleanup!
I really hope you all give these Cheesy Brussels sprouts with Bacon a try… you definitely won’t regret it!!
BE SURE TO SCROLL DOWN TO CHECK OUT OTHER READERSโ COMMENTS FOR TIPS AND REVIEWS.
AND DONโT FORGET, IF YOUโVE MADE THIS RECIPE, LEAVE A COMMENT AND PLEASE GIVE IT A STAR RATING LETTING ME KNOW HOW YOU ENJOYED IT!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup sliced shallots (this was about 2 shallots for me)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 32 oz bag of fresh Brussels sprouts, cored and halved (or equivalent amount of smaller containers)
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- pinch black pepper
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 3/4 cup heavy cream (might be labeled as heavy whipping cream)
- 3/4 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese (freshly grated is best)
- 1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese (freshly grated is best)
- 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled (or about 1/2 cup bacon bits)
- minced fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Add butter to a large oven safe pan or skillet, and heat over MED heat. Add Brussels sprouts, shallots and garlic, seasoning with kosher salt, black pepper and paprika. Saute, stirring occasionally, about 5-8 minutes.
- Remove pan from heat, pour in heavy cream. Sprinkle shredded cheddar and gruyere cheese all over the Brussels sprouts. Top with crumbled bacon and bake about 12 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Sprinkle with additional black pepper and minced parsley if desired.
Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!
Chef Tips
- If you desire a more browned cheesy top, broil on high for a minute or so after baking.
- For a deeper bacon flavor, dice uncooked bacon slices and cook in oven safe pan or skillet until browned and crispy. ย Remove with a slotted spoon, add 1 Tbsp butter, and saute Brussels sprouts and shallots as directed. ย Continue with recipe. - this adds flavor, but also adds more time to cook
Video
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Recipe closely adapted from Delish
S. Seger says
Can you tell me how much this recipe yields, I’d like to make if for around 12 people. Thanks. ๐
April says
This recipe was so easy! The finished product looked close to the photo, they were so good!! Tgey will definitely be on rotation at my house!
Carmen says
Let me just say, this’ll is the first time I have ever had or made Brussels sprouts & these we’re so yummy! It’s so easy to make & I never changed a thing, made exactly as the recipe was written.will make again and again. The sauce will go good on anything!
Bethany says
Hi I wanted to ask if you knew how many carbs are in this dish?
Ty
The Chunky Chef says
My online nutritional calculator says 12.3g
Kendra says
Hi there, Iโm making this dish for Christmas tomorrow, and I was wondering if I could transfer the spouts to a casserole dish after sautรฉing them in my skillet, and before adding the cream and cheese ??
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Kendra ๐ If your skillet isn’t oven safe, then yes, go ahead and transfer them to a casserole dish and add the cream and cheese.
Christine says
Made this for thanksgiving dinner and it was a hit. I had to substitute Asiago cheese for the gruyere since it was what I had. Definitely a keeper.
Erin says
Would frozen brussel sprouts work?
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Erin ๐ I’ve never tried using frozen, so I can’t say for sure. If you try it, I’d defrost them first.
Caroline Winger says
I still dont see the whole label for the nutritional value if this meal.
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Caroline. I don’t provide the entire nutrition label, as I’m not a nutritionist and don’t want to give anyone false information. You can easily copy the ingredients into your favorite online nutritional calculator for the full results.
Sophia Helen says
Thanks! Recipes great!
Cheryl Springer says
The video uses green onions, not shallots. Google what a shallot is.
I made something almost identical to this for Thanksgiving last year. It was a huge hit!
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Cheryl ๐ Yeah, I know exactly what a shallot is, thanks though. There was a miscommunication between myself and the video production company that made the video. The recipe works either way… so there’s no need to be rude. Glad your version was a hit!
Joanie says
I was gonna say it looked like scallions and not shallots… if both work ok, Which would be preferred. It looks fantastic! Hubs loves his brussels sprouts. Me – I like bacon and cheese – so it’s a compromise os sorts!
The Chunky Chef says
Thanks Joanie ๐ Yeah the video production company is located in Australia, and over there, shallots are basically green onions. Shallots are what I prefer… sounds like a great win-win for you and your husband!
Bev says
This looks deelish! Garlic is listed on the ingredients, but no mention of it after that?
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Bev ๐ Oh no, thanks for the heads up! I edited the recipe recently and it looks like it didn’t save. I’ve fixed it now though ๐
Mae L. says
How do you think this would do,cooking it and eating it at a covered dish lunch a couple hours later ? I woul keep it heated.
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Mae ๐ I’ve never done it before, but I think as long as you kept it heated, it should be okay.
Eva Swain says
Once again, I’ve felt in love with your recipe. All of the ingredients match perfectly. I’m looking for some recipes so that I can add more veggie in my little boy’s daily meals. So, thank you so so much!
P/s: Your photos are always gorgeous!
Vicky Cristina says
For the parents who struggle to make their kids eat Brussels sprouts… THIS IS PERFECT!๏ปฟ
Sharon @What The Fork says
My kids (and husband!) would definitely be more likely to have brussels sprouts especially with this recipe! What a great combination of flavors you have going on!
Jessica | The Novice Chef says
This is exactly how I want my brussels sprouts! Delicious!
Lora @savoringitaly says
I don’t think I became a fan of Brussels sprouts until I was on my own and cooking in my own kitchen!! Yes, bรฉchamel sauce is not that hard to put together, but this idea you have for them is quite delectable and so tempting!!
Jen says
My husband loves brussels sprouts and has been trying to get me to like them too. I’ll definitely be making these because adding cheese and bacon sounds like a perfect way to convert me to loving them!
Laura at I Heart Naptime says
This looks so incredible!
Growing up, my dad was never one for much vegetables outside canned green beans and corn, so I thought salad was a fancy, special treat – ha! But there’s something so magical about roasting veggies that make them really shine – and the cheese and bacon?! Oh yes, please.
Stephanie says
How could anyone not like brussels sprouts when they look like this?! Holy yum!