Brussels Sprouts Gratin
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by America’s Dairy Farm Families and Importers, in partnership with the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. As always, I only partner with brands that I love and truly believe in, allowing me to create more quick and easy recipes to get us through the week without breaking the bank. All opinions expressed are my own.
These brussels sprouts are absolutely to die for!!! So amazingly crisp-tender and baked perfectly in the BEST cream sauce ever!!!
Remember my quick 1-day trip to Merced, CA a few weeks back?
Well, I was able to experience firsthand what life on the dairy farm is really like.
For both the farmers and the cows.
I learned just how much the dairy community truly cares about their animals in every way possible – from their diet to the steps they take around the farm!
I was so surprised to learn that the farmers on the farm I visited meet with the nutritionist every 2 weeks to ensure the cows’ diet is well-balanced, and provides them the nutrients they need to maintain their health and ultimately, produce tasty, nutritious milk.
They check their weight, overall activity, milk production and adjust nutrition based on pregnancy or changes in milk production.
There is just so much care and research that goes into the cow’s food preparation to deliver proper nutrition including developing meals made of a mix of grains, alfalfa, hay and more.
Our farmer even told us that they found if corn kernels are left whole, the cows wouldn’t receive all the nutritional benefits of the corn. So at this farm, they crack the kernels one more time so it can be broken down properly when ingested!
We also visited the Hilmar Cheese Company, which uses the milk from the farm we visited to make cheese.
And what’s great is how there is a constant chain of care and efficiency, and this is true at Hilmar.
They work to use everything they can so no resources go wasted during the cheese-making process. So once the curd is separated from the whey, a lot of water is leftover, since 85% of milk is water. Yet Hilmar recycles the remaining water, using it to clean their own facility!
Talk about 100% efficiency.
So, after a dairy farm visit and cheese visit, I couldn’t help but make something that includes both.
A brussels sprouts gratin, with plenty of milk, cheesy goodness, and crumbled bacon
And just in time for the holidays.
But let’s be real.
You know we’ll be having this in the middle of summer next year.
Brussels Sprouts Gratin
Ingredients
- 2 pounds brussels sprouts
- 4 slices bacon, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup diced shallots
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 ¼ cups shredded Gruyere cheese, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, blanch brussels sprouts until crisp-tender, about 3-5 minutes. Drain well and cool in a bowl of ice water. Drain well and set aside.
- Heat a large oven-proof skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat, reserving 1 tablespoon in the skillet. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Add garlic and shallots to the skillet, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, heavy cream, thyme and nutmeg. Cook, whisking constantly, until incorporated and slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add more milk as needed; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Stir in brussels sprouts, bacon and 1 cup cheese until the cheese has melted, about 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.
- Place into oven and bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 20-25 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Did you make this recipe?
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Can I replace the all purpose flour with coconut flour or tapioca starch?
Wondering if this can be made ahead of time?
Looks delish and am wondering it I can prepare it in the morning of T-day and bake later OR if it can be made a day ahead then baked the day??
Thanks for your great recipes:)
Kathy
Excellent recipe! The photo for this recipe shows the brussel sprouts halved, so I halved mine to increase surface area to allow more of the delish and amazing sauce to stick to each bite. After the bake I finished the pan off under the broiler for a few minutes to carmelize and brown the little gems. Thanks for an easy and tasty way to enjoy the baby cabbages!!!
Looks great. Can you roast the Brussels sprouts first instead of boiling them? I’m not a fan of boiled Brussels sprouts but really want to try this recipe. I love all your recipes that I’ve tried so far! Thanks!
Has anyone tried this NOT boiling first? Like roasting etc before adding to cream? I have no idea how boiling them will make them crisp tender. Boiling makes them soft. The rest of this sound amazing but not a fan of boiled Brussels sprouts. I’m thinking I may sauté them first instead.
Only Chungah can take a veggie I can take or leave and make me LOVE IT! These brussels sprouts are so delicious, I could eat them forever and that’s really saying something because my mother loves plain, boiled brussels sprouts and served them a lot when I was a kid. Not very appetizing so it really took some courage for me to try them as an adult. Fortunately Chungah did not let me down.
I plan to add this dish to my holiday table, it’s that good. Brilliant combination of bacon, thyme and nutmeg!
Hi! Sorry if this is a dumb question , I prwfer the brussel sprouts halved, would I do that before or after blanching? Excited to make this and your corn spoon bread tomorrow!!! Ur the best chungah!!!
Before! 🙂
Thank u so miuch! Happy thanksgiving :)!!
I made this earlier today, but with Parmesan instead of Gruyere. I blanch the sprouts whole and cool them, and then halve them. End results is the same.
My recipe has only 1 pound of sprouts. I think I’m going to double it next time. Everyone likes them so much, there’s never enough!
I haven’t made the recipe yet, but I’m going to make it this thanksgiving based solely on the fact that the first thing I read as I scrolled through was the mention of your trip to my hometown of Merced, CA. What are the odds?
Let us know how this turns out for you! Happy Thanksgiving!
This looks really good…i was wondering if there is any other cheese i could use instead of grueyere?
You can try to substitute swiss or jarlsberg but as always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications.
Haven’t made these yet but I give 5 stars because of the ingredients. Question: Can this be made in a slow cooker or can you just transfer everything once baked into a slow cooker so it’ll all stay warm. When you go to families home for the holidays & bring a dish you need something that doesn’t have to be put into their ovens.
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications.
New fan here. One of the best recipe website ever. I am a fan of honestly yum but your talent goes hand to hand with them. You are amazing, thank you.
I’m anxious to put my hands on food to start doing your dishes.
All the best to you,
Pedro
Hello,
I was hoping if you could tell me how many carbs are in this recipe?
Nutritional information is provided only for select and new recipes at this time. However, if it is not available for a specific recipe, I recommend using free online resources at your discretion (you can Google “nutritional calculator”) to obtain such information. Hope that helps, Monica!
I think for half and half could be used in place of the cream here too. We usually fry brussel sprouts in garlic and oil til brown. They taste great that way too. But I will try this recipe in the near future; it sounds good.
Going to make this for Christmas dinner! LOVE this blog! Your sausage spinach potato soup recipe is a staple in my house, as well as the bacon, egg and brussel sprout bake! That honey and balsamic vinegar glaze is AMAZING.
I don’t have shallots tonight but am going to make recipe. I don’t get the wining about calories or the fat. Live in moderation and experience what you can. When someone keeps questioning you , “do you know how much fat or calories is in your recipe? I say, move on, and don’t make it, as if YOU don’t have a clue about food. I love eating delicious food #1. #2.) I want it to eat healthy plant based with mostly all the heathy components. 3.) I want to taste the most incredible food I can make. You can make your own multiple modifications. But, please don’t make my CHUNAGH to change her ART.
Really great recipe. Everyone loved it! Very easy.
I am making the veggies for Thanksgiving at my parents house which is about 25 minutes away. Do you think I could blanch the brussel sprouts the day before or morning of and pop them in the fridge until we head over? Then do all the oven work at my mom’s. Wondering if the sauce could be made ahead as well?
Yes, I would recommend morning of!
I am not waiting for the holidays! This is on my menu for tomorrow! It looks damn delicious! (). I couldn’t resist! Can’t resist most of your recipes!
Recipe looks good and as always can be adapted to suit individual needs/taste. Will try soon. But I am concered about the pictures from e farm. Are hose veal for crates? Sure looks like it and are those cows heads being held in the metal bars? Don’the like the look of it. What’s the explanation?
Glad you liked the recipe, Laurie! To get to your questions, on most farms, for the first three months, calves live in individual hutches like the ones in the photo above. The hutches allow calves to move around freely and receive specialized care while protecting them from other members of the herd as well as bad weather. As for the cows, they are pictured there in what’s called a “freestall barn.” They are allowed to move about the barn whenever they like and get their fresh feed right through those bars!
Wow never really enjoyed brussel sprouts but these look super tasty! (:
Brussels sprouts are hands down my all time favorite veggie, totally making these next week!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Chungah can this Brussel Sprout Gratin be converted to be made in a Casserole Slow Cooker. If so have you ever done this & what are amounts of liquid needed etc.
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
Chungah, I am SO happy you took the time to visit a dairy here in the Central Valley! Hilmar Cheese was an excellent choice too. So often in the media, dairies get a bad rap but most are generational family farms just trying to make a living like everyone else! Thank you for this delicious recipe. It’s going to be part of our Thanksgiving dinner!
Can I just use 1 cup whole milk instead of using any heavy cream? I use 1% milk in my homemade mac & cheese & soups all the time. No one can tell. Still tastes very creamy, but not heavy or filling at all. But I’ve never made a gratin before
Heavy cream is best, but milk should still work!
This sounds like a great side dish for Thanksgiving. However, if I left out the bacon for vegetarians would it taste just a good?
Yes, absolutely.
You could also use ‘bacos’ if you want that smoky flavor. They are made of soy and no meat, so they are vegetarian and vegan-friendly!
Holy Moly! This looks fantastic! I will be making this TONIGHT! Yum.
This looks amazing!!
Hi, I’d like to know if you have any Korean recipes maybe..? My family and I have recently discovered a few Korean dishes and we love them.
Yes, I have a few!
https://damndelicious.net/2017/10/08/korean-beef-zucchini-noodles/
https://damndelicious.net/2013/07/07/korean-beef-bowl/
https://damndelicious.net/2015/02/21/slow-cooker-korean-beef/
https://damndelicious.net/2017/03/02/korean-beef-lettuce-wraps/
We always weigh ingredients when possible due to the variability of volume measurement.
What is the weight of 1¼ Cups of shredded Gruyere cheese?
Hi Ross! You can actually use this food volume to weight conversion calculator. Hope that helps!
https://www.aqua-calc.com/calculate/food-volume-to-weight/substance/cheese-coma-and-blank-gruyere
Thanks for the useful URL. I will be sure to use it to make estimated conversions for recipes that do not specify weight.
The averaging should be pretty close. The weight of shredded cheese in a cup measure depends on the size of shred (coarse or fine holes in a box grater or food processor) and how tightly it is packed into a measuring cup.
You dice the bacon after it is cooked…
The bacon is diced BEFORE.
Megan, I’d say by the photo that it’s ‘cut’ to a dice and then cooked rather than crumbled. Here’s why I think that: if you look closely at the photo, the bacon is in little squares. Only cutting it and then cooking would make that so precise. “Crumbling” is cooking first and then breaking it up and that would never be so precise looking as this.
As for the recipe, ooooooo boy. This is going to be sooooo good! I love Chungah’s page and never miss it.
Sorry, but this is just too many calories! it does sound truly delicious, but this takes a vegetable that is good for you,and makes it heart-attack food!
That’s why this is meant for the holidays, not on a daily basis. Also, please note that moderation is key. Unless you’re having a kale salad for Thanksgiving. Then you’re fine. 🙂
A heart pumping aerobic exercise, low salt, low carbohydrate, vegan existence with careful attention to protein and minerals is known as an excellent way of life. There are plenty of healthy eating diet books at the health food store.
Most of us will forgo what is 100 percent best for us in favor of what we prefer – in this case eating good tasting food.
I missed the “low cal” tag on the page.
But it’s perfect for a Keto dieter! All those good fats are so great!! Thanks Chungah!!
I notice the Brussels sprouts shown in the photo are halved. Are only large sprouts cut in half or do you recommend that both large and small sprouts be halved? Nice photo, by the way.
You can do either/or!
“Before or After?”, I believe the bacon is intended to be diced before it is fried. The ingredient list usually contains measured and prepared items gathered before the instructions start.
Before.
Sorry if this is a dumb question , but do you dice the bacon before or after you cook it?
Yes, the bacon is diced BEFORE.
BEFORE or AFTER you cook it was the question. To Megan: Dice the bacon BEFORE you cook it.
The ingredient list calls for 4 slices bacon, diced. So it would be BEFORE cooking.
Dice the bacon before. At least that’s what I do 🙂
I dice bacon before I cook it. It cuts more evenly then than it does after it’s cooked.
Prior!!