Cheesy Brussels Sprouts Gratin
If I were to confess some of my guilty pleasures in life, then these brussels sprouts gratin photographs would convey much of what I’m already about to say. Warm melted cheese, gooey-salty-decadent-calorie-laden cheese on top of perfectly fresh and healthy vegetables should be illegal. I think of this often when a gorgeous bowl of green veggies gaze back at me with fresh, vibrant eyes. Instead of reaching for the steamer and ideas of a raw salad, I reach for the rind of parmesan cheese, cream and block of butter.
A Family Favorite Brussels Sprouts Gratin Recipe
Over 98.6572% of the time I prepare my vegetables very simply in a light saute or raw, crunchy salad. This is how I appreciate my vegetables the most and sums up the way I ate as a vegetarian for almost twenty years. But when the air begins to crisp up to cooler embrace, I sense that Fall is near. That’s when I’m guilty of killing my vegetables in a casserole pool of cheese and cream. Knowing when to stop eating is something I’m still lacking at. My mind tells me that if the food is delicious, eat another plate before it goes to waste.
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A Cheesy Brussels Sprouts Treat for the Holidays
Balance is something I’ve always been thoughtful of and with all the travel we’ve been on, I realize that I’ve ignored the gym more than I should. Perhaps it’s the lack of fitness and exercise that makes eating two portions of food laden with guilt. I’m putting exercise back on my priority list before the holiday season feasting begins.Thankfully I don’t eat my vegetables like this every day, but when I do, I really appreciate every bite of dreamy, rich decadence. And then I always try to remember that there’s vegetable hidden somewhere in all this cheesy mess.
My goal for the next few months is to get back on cardio track again so that I can enjoy more of these warm, cheesy casseroles. This recipe for Brussels sprouts gratin is one of my favorite Brussels sprouts dishes for the fall because there’s comfort in every bite. Guaranteed this will be at on our Thanksgiving menu because it’s so simple, wonderful and a pleasure to eat.
-diane
Note on cooking times: Brussels sprouts can very tremendously in size, ranging from the size of a large egg to as small as a 5-cent coin. Make sure to adjust your cooking times depending on the size that you end up cooking. Also, try to select all the same sizes for consistent cooking.
More of our Favorite Brussels Sprouts Recipes: and More here.
This recipe was originally published in 2012 and re-published in 2020.
Cheesy Brussels Sprouts Gratin
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (910g) Brussels sprouts (approximately) , halved
- 2 Tablespoons (30g) butter
- 2 Tablespoons (15g) flour
- 1-1/4 cups (300ml) milk
- 1 cup (100g) grated parmesan cheese , extra for topping if you like
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup (60ml) mayonnaise
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350° F.
- Clean, trim stems of Brussels sprouts. Cut in half and keep all of loose leaves. Fill medium stock pot half way with water, bring to boil. Add Brussels sprouts, stirring in hot water and blanch quickly for about 2 minutes or until they turn bright green. Immediate drain. Do not cook Brussels sprouts and make them soft!
- In large pan melt butter, then add flour and quickly stir with whisk to combine and remove clumps. Turn off heat.Add milk, salt, cheese, mayo and black pepper. Stir until cheese is melted.
- Add Brussels sprouts and combine with cheese mixture. Pour into baking dish and bake for about 40-50 minutes or until Brussels sprouts are tender. For extra cheese crust, top with grated parmesan cheese before baking.
It turned out great! I made a couple of changes that others may also enjoy:
– I used 1/2 and 1/2 instead of milk
– I added 6 slices of cooked, crumbled bacon
– I grated 1/2 tsp nutmeg into the sauce
– I topped the gratin with a crunchy panko/butter/parm combo before baking
Delicious, even my kids liked it! And it worked out great to make ahead, following your instructions below. Thank you!
I know this is an old recipe, so I’m not even sure if you’re checking comments. Just wondering your thoughts on assembling this ahead (today) to bake tomorrow? Can’t wait to make it!
Hi Rebecca! Yes you ca totally assemble today and bake tomorrow. If you take it out of the fridge, it’ll be extra cold and firm so we suggest letting it sit out for at least an hour to come to room temperature before baking. That way it cooks evenly, all the way through.
A friend of mine made this for thanksgiving and I’ve never been a fan of brussel sprouts, but omg!! So flipping delicious! Try using heavy cream & add extra bacon too…
Love the addition of the extra bacon! And so glad you all enjoyed it.
Do you think it would be okay to omit the flour or is there something that can be used in it’s place like coconut flour or xantham gum?
Hi Alana, we’ve never used xantham gum enough to give a reliable answer. Hopefully a reader will know and chime in. Thank!
we use almond flour as a great substitute ????
If using frozen, Im assuming you let them thaw first? I know….stupid question but I’m a beginner cook 🙂 also can you provide calorie info?
Hi Kim, yes you should thaw first and drain any excess water. Enjoy!
Listen up….I made these for Thanksgiving and Everyone wanted the recipe. These were sooooo good. If you like heat, add a little red pepper flakes. YUM, YUM. YUMMY….
I’ve made this recipe a few times, including last night’s Thanksgiving dinner. Thanks for the delicious recipe!
Fantastic recipe! We did this and finished cooking it in our wood fired pizza oven, heaven.
Finally getting around to trying out my food pins, and I made this with my Christmas dinner (yes I’m behind). This was really good and I will make this again. My mother and I really enjoyed them. We normally like brussel sprouts to begin with, but this cheesey concoction just perfected them. Thanks for a great recipe!!
Can you use frozen brussell sprouts or should they be fresh?
We’ve only made it with fresh brussels sprouts. I would think it would come out fine with frozen, but don’t know for sure. Good luck.
I am always looking for new brussel sprouts recipes and this one looks absolutely delicious! I cannot wait to make it!
I love brussel sprouts! This is something I have to try!! By the way, your fotos are fabulous!
/Emma
Well, I just recently made my son his first brussels sprouts (used your roasted sprout recipe) and he devoured them. I was so happy because I absolutely love brussels sprouts. I’m thinking with these cheesy sprouts he’ll be asking for thirds!!
Yummy, what’s not to like about this?! As much as I like creamy, cheesy recipes, my veggies usually just get steamed or sauteed because I love them on their own. My own blog is rather lacking in the veggie recipe department simply because I usually just steam them or put them in a salad and ya don’t need a recipe for that! Anyway, I will definitely need to try this. Looks like it would be perfect for a holiday dinner.
Call me dense or recipe challenged, but what does this mean “Cut in half and keep all of loose leaves that.”? That what? Thank you for the clarification. I bought a stalk of sprouts at TJ’s and can’t wait to make this.
Christine- hi, the extra word at the end is a typo. We’ve corrected the sentence.
I, like you, have a problem with portion control when the food is rich and dreamy as your brussel sprouts recipe appears to be. You won’t like my solution, but I’ve found that when I drink wine with my meal, I lose all control over portions. However with iced tea or ice water, I maintain my self control (a little).