Recipes
Jump to Recipe
by Jessica November 12, 2018
The photos are not going to do this brussels sprouts gratin justice.
Oh no they aren’t.
But we’re going to flavor town today.
If you make these creamy, cheese brussels (that also have crunchy pancetta, OF COURSE), and then attempt to take a photo? You’re out of luck.
First, everyone is going to start eating it immediately because it will smell like pure heaven. Ridiculous. I mean, this smells SO delicious while it’s cooking.
And second, brussels sprouts in creamy cheese sauce do not one attractive photo make. You’ve been warned!
However, I’m hoping I can convince you otherwise.
The brussels sprouts gratin in my kitchen is now a permanent staple on Thanksgiving.
Oh yes. I love brussels sprouts roasted. I love them pan-crisped. I love them with balsamic vinegar and I love them shredded in salad. I don’t NEED them in a cheesy cream sauce.
I don’t need potatoes in a cheesy cream sauce either, but that’s never stopped me.
Look at this as just another fabulous way to eat this green vegetable that freaks everyone out but that really tastes GOOD.
And that’s the only way I can describe it! Good. Really freaking good. Mouth-watering good. It has so much flavor that you’re actually in shock as you’re eating it.
I used the base of this recipe and added mushrooms. For some reason, the thought of adding mushrooms sounded incredible to me. I knew they would add some meaty texture and make brussels gratin even more satisfying and flavorful. SO glad I was right.
EXCELLENT NEWS too.
You can make this ahead of time!
Honestly, you can bake the entire thing a few hours (or even the day before) and it will still taste fantastic. I personally wouldn’t go that far, since some of that crunch on the top will disappear when you do that. But! I would make everything up until the point where the brussels are in the baking dish and ready to go. You can even toss in the cheese and refrigerate it all. Before baking, whisk together your cream mixture and pour it over top.
Then… watch magic happen.
No really. This is a brussels sprouts gratin you do NOT want to miss.
The Most Insane Brussels Sprouts Gratin
Brussels Sprouts Gratin
Yield: 10
Total Time: 1 hour hr
This brussels sprouts gratin is heaven in a dish! It's super flavorful, delicious and comes together to create a fabulous side dish for Thanksgiving or the holidays. Pancetta and cheese turn this in to flavor town - you won't be able to stop eating it!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
5 from 35 votes
Leave a Review »
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pancetta chopped
- 2 shallots thinly sliced
- 2 pounds brussels sprouts stems removed and halved
- 12 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons freshly chopped thyme
- 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 3/4 cup pecans chopped
- 4 ounces gruyere cheese freshly grated
- 4 ounces parmesan cheese freshly grated
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat and add the pancetta. Cook until the fat is rendered and it is mostly crispy, then remove it with a slotted spoon. Place it on a paper towel to drain excess grease.
Remove half of the pancetta grease from the skillet and set it aside. Add the shallots and the brussels with a pinch of salt and pepper to the skillet and toss well, cooking until softened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the brussels to a bowl.
Add the remaining pancetta fat back to the skillet. Add the mushrooms and garlic and stir, cooking until softened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Season with the thyme and a pinch of salt and pepper. Transfer the mushrooms to the bowl with the brussels. Add most of the grated gruyere and parmesan to the brussels mixture. Toss in the pancetta. Place it all in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
In a large bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the cream, dijon and nutmeg. Pour the cream over the brussels and very gently toss. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbly and golden. Remove the gratin and sprinlkle the pecans on top. Bake for another 10 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
Notes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Did you make this recipe?
Be sure to follow @howsweeteats on instagram and tag #howsweeteats. You can also post a photo of your recipe to our facebook page.
I appreciate you so much!
It’s the most flavorful ugliness ever.
posted in: Fall, Holidays, Recipes, Side Dishes, Thanksgiving, Vegetarian, Video 38 comments
Order My New Book:
Everyday Dinners
Real-life recipes to set your family up for a week of success.
Order Now:Bookshop//Amazon//Target
Barnes & Noble//IndieBound//Apple Books
« Previous Post2018 Holiday Gift Guide: Stocking Stuffers Under $25.
Next Post »2018 Holiday Gift Guide: Kitchen Favorites!
Leave a Reply
-
Pingback: Brussels Sprouts Gratin Recipe – The Best Brussels Sprouts Gratin – Chow Hub
-
Liz S. — Reply
As a diehard brussels sprouts fan (I know, I’m odd), this DOES look amazingly appetizing to me. Hello, perfect comfort food featuring the beautiful brussels sprouts (and cheese, of course).
-
Jessica — Reply
I GET IT!! i’m also a die hard brussels fan. YUM
-
-
Julie — Reply
Not being a food blogger or photographer, I am much more likely to look at a dish like this and see how delicious it will be without giving a thought to food styling or photogenic quality!! This looks so good I’m already thinking about which of my planned veg dishes to kick off the menu this year. Thank you so much, I’m always impressed with your creativity!
-
Jessica — Reply
thank you so much julie!!! xo
-
-
CHRISTOPHER — Reply
This is perfect for my friendsgiving this weekend! Looks AMAZING!
-
Jessica — Reply
xoxo
-
-
Ali — Reply
Yum! Is “this recipe” supposed to link somewhere in “I used the base of this recipe and added mushrooms.”?
-
Jessica — Reply
yes! it’s the one linked below from bon appetit! it’s SO good.
-
-
Tyler — Reply
This looks amazing! I’m not a mushroom fan – could I leave those out and use more Brussels instead? Or add some green beans? Thanks in advance for any thoughts!
-
Jessica — Reply
i definitely think you can!! either should work. :)
-
-
Tracey — Reply
I love brussels sprouts! Is it still good without the pecans? Nut allergies…
-
Jessica — Reply
yep! just leave them off! maybe add more bacon? hehe.
-
-
Rust — Reply
This looks like a winner to me. It’s definitely in the vault! ….and will be on my holiday table. Thanks for this variation on my favorite vegetable!
-
Jessica — Reply
thank you!!
-
-
Alex — Reply
These were sooo good for friendsgiving and I’m going to make them again on Thanksgiving next week. I don’t think I saw where to add the pancetta back in but I added it when I mixed the mushrooms and cheese in with the brussels.
-
Jessica — Reply
SO glad!! thanks alex!
-
-
Emily K — Reply
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This recipe. Is. INSANE. I left out the pancetta and mushrooms to accommodate for my group’s eating preferences and it was STILL incredible. I added crispy shallots to the pecans for the topping. We devoured this at Friendsgiving last night, this was more popular than mashed potatoes! Everyone asked for the recipe. This is now a must make recipe for gatherings.
-
Amanda — Reply
Oh my gosh! This was SO GOOD! I love brussell sprouts but these were over the top delicious. Everyone had seconds and wanted to take them home for leftovers. This is now our new side dish for Thanksgiving. Thanks Jess!
-
Kelly — Reply
Wow! This was fantastic!! My new favorite Brussels recipe!
-
Katie — Reply
This was the BEST! My family went nuts for this at Thanksgiving!
-
Sadie — Reply
Hi! This looks delish! Can I make this in advance to be baked right before dinner?
-
Janine — Reply
I made this for a holiday pot luck party and they were completely cleared out. Sooooo delicious and tons of compliments. Five star recipe!
They are definitely a heavier recipe so I wouldn’t make it all the time. But definitely ah-mazing for those special occasion suppers. Maybe you would consider creating a lightened up version for an everyday type of dinner (pretty please 😋)
-
Maureen — Reply
Made this yesterday and it was so delicious. A perfect pairing with beef tenderloin.
-
Sherri — Reply
Is there a way to modify this into a crockpot recipe? It looks amazing, but would love to bring it to a potluck where an oven isn’t available.
-
Allison — Reply
I made this for Christmas dinner and it was AMAZING! Adding to the menu going forward for sure. Thanks for another winner!
-
Dana — Reply
This. Is. So. Good. Followed the recipe exactly and the flavor was out of this world. Only tweak I’d make (suggest…?) is to reduce the amount of cream. Mine ended up pretty soupy. I’ll ABSOLUTELY make again, and likely use probably a cup less of cream. Otherwise: amazing.
-
Pingback: Kale Gratin - Double Kale Gratin with Gruyere and Cheddar
-
Pingback: Your Ultimate 2019 Thanksgiving Resource Guide: Choose Your Own Adventure! – specialslice.site
-
Pingback: 2019 Thanksgiving Menu - Must Have Kitchen Tools
-
Mia Dumont — Reply
Oh My Jessica! Thank you! One question and/or suggestion: I sometimes substitute bread with sourdough croutons (mixed flavors) in the stuffing or savory bread pudding. Amazing crunch. Did you try it? And I substitute chicken stock with the Ramen stock sold everywhere now, especially when adding sausage to the recipe.
-
Carol Weber — Reply
I think you need to try again for a lovely photo of this dish, because the photo almost made me move on. That would have been a SERIOUS mistake, because this is about the best Brussels sprouts recipe I’ve ever enjoyed. Glorious, glorious, glorious recipe. Thanks so much for coming up with it and posting it; it’s going on my permanent rotation.
-
Shannon — Reply
Sounds amazing. I will be making this weekend. Is there another cheese you can suggest instead of gruyere? Sometimes I have a hard time finding it
-
Jessica — Reply
i think you could do white cheddar!
-
-
Amanda — Reply
This is our family tradition now is to have this at Thanksgiving. This is so good. Everyone you have to try this! Jessica hit it out of the ball park with this one.
-
Sara — Reply
This was so so delicious, I did however need to make a few changes. Made it without the pancetta (got some veggies-only in the house) subbing olive oil. Used 1 can of coconut milk instead of the heavy cream and all the same richness was there. Also tried once with breadcrumbs to top it (nut-haters). Both times this turned out so dang tasty which is to say it is a deliciously versatile recipe. Thank you for sharing. I find myself coming to your website again and again, and often try new things/flavor combinations because of how delicious you make it look.
