This cheesy Brussels sprouts gratin is an absolute must on your holiday table this year. I mean, who can resist extra cheesy goodness?
The Brussels sprouts are pre-roasted until golden brown and caramelized, and then baked with a smooth Gruyere cheese sauce. Served with bacon on top. So comforting!
This easy side dish is prep-ahead friendly and makes an excellent side dish for any occasion. Even the pickiest of eaters will keep coming back for seconds!
I’m so excited to share one of my favorite holiday side dish recipes: Cheesy Brussels Sprouts Gratin!
Even if Brussels sprouts are not your thing, I think you’ll love this dish! The roasted sprouts are tossed in a smooth and cheesy Gruyere cheese sauce, and topped with more Gruyere and bacon to create an amazing, bubbly golden brown top.
This Brussels sprouts gratin is also prep-ahead friendly, which comes in handy during the holiday season or when life gets busy. This makes them a perfect side dish, just like these Spinach Mashed Potatoes.
If you love cooking with this vegetable, try my Brussels Sprouts Salad with Cranberries! I also just posted my favorite, quick and easy Sautéed Brussels Sprouts recipe, if you’re looking for a speedy side.
This year for the holidays, we’ll be making my Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts, and also my Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts. Check them out!
Why I love making cheesy Brussels sprouts gratin:
- Comforting and cozy: Can you think of anything more comforting than golden brown, bubbling cheese melting over your favorite vegetables?
- Flavorful cheese sauce: The richness of the silky, smooth, and creamy Gruyere sauce coats every inch of the Brussels sprouts to make this dish extra comforting.
- Great to enjoy year round: This is the perfect holiday side dish, but also great to serve on weeknight or for special occasions.
- Prep-ahead friendly. This is a major time saver during the hectic holidays!
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Ingredient Notes
Below, you’ll find a few notes from recipe testing that I hope you’ll find helpful, and the ingredient quantities are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Brussels sprouts: Bottom stalks trimmed and halved lengthwise.
- Minced garlic: I’d recommend using fresh garlic for the best flavor.
- Unsalted butter: For making the roux along with the flour. This will be the thickener for the cheese sauce.
- All-purpose flour: To help thicken the cheese sauce.
- Milk: Whole or 2 percent milk is best. Do not use skim milk as it will be too diluted.
- Gruyere cheese: Freshly grated, for the cheese sauce and the topping. Freshly grated will melt really well.
- Parmesan cheese: Shredded, for the topping.
- Cooked bacon: Crumbled. You can also use pancetta (sautéed until golden brown) or crispy prosciutto.
- Olive oil: For roasting.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Step-by-Step Tutorial
This cheesy Brussels sprouts gratin can be made in just a few simple steps. Let me show you how to, along with some helpful tips!
Step 1 | Roast the Brussels sprouts
Place the Brussels sprouts on a baking sheet and toss them in salt, pepper, olive oil and the minced garlic. Arrange them flat side down, and roast them for 15-18 minutes at 400 degrees F. Use two sheet pans if needed to avoid overcrowding. They will finish cooking with the cheese later.
Note: Pre-roasting them will bring out delicious caramelized flavors and remove any of their natural bitterness.
Step 2 | Make the cheese sauce
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Then add in the flour and whisk until thickened. This is the roux and serves as the thickener for the cheese sauce. Then, gradually begin to add in the warm milk, stirring to remove any lumps. Bring back to a simmer, it will continue to thicken.
Add the Gruyere cheese and stir until just melted. Add additional milk, and season with salt and pepper until desired consistency and taste. Turn heat off and set aside.
Step 3 | Assemble and bake
In a medium baking pan, toss the roasted Brussels sprouts with the prepared cheese sauce until evenly coated. Top with the remaining Gruyere cheese and parmesan cheese.
Place the baking pan on top of a sheet pan (to catch any spills, just in case). Bake in the oven at 400 degrees F for 15 to 18 minutes, until bubbly and golden brown. For a deeper golden brown, broil for an additional 1-2 minutes. Enjoy the Brussels sprouts gratin while it’s perfectly melty and cheesy!
How to Trim Brussels Sprouts
Just a quick note on how to prep Brussels sprouts for roasting. It’s easy and takes just a few minutes.
First, wash and pat dry. They often have a little stem at the base along with the outer leaves. Remove the outer leaves, especially if they are damaged or discolors. Then, using a sharp knife, trim off the bottom stem. For this recipe, cut them in half lengthwise, from top to bottom.
Prep Ahead Tips
While I recommend serving this Brussels sprouts gratin freshly baked so you can get all that melty cheesiness effect, you can prep the ingredients ahead. This should save a lot of time on the day of.
Here’s how to prep this recipe ahead:
- Cook the bacon for up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate.
- Prep the Brussels sprouts: Trim, remove any leaves and halve them. Alternatively, you can pre-roast them the day before.
- Shred or grate the cheeses. Pre-packaged cheeses do not melt well. Use a box grater. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
- The cheese sauce: I’d recommend making it the same day so it stays smooth and creamy.
Pairing and Serving Ideas
This cheesy Brussels sprouts gratin is the perfect side dish to serve for Thanksgiving dinner, but can also go well alongside your favorite main dishes on any occasion. Below, I share some of my favorite pairings!
For Thanksgiving and the holidays:
- Turkey Roulade with Sausage Stuffing: Great for feeding a smaller crowd!
- Brined Turkey Breast: The turkey is juicy, moist and perfectly tender.
- Juicy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast: Prep work is minimal because the slow cooker takes care of the rest!
- Brown Sugar Glazed Ham: If turkey is not your thing, give this glazed ham a try.
For the weeknights or any occasion:
- Dutch Oven Whole Roast Chicken
- Pan Seared Chicken Breast
- Pork Chops with Apples and Onions
- Red Wine Braised Beef
Recipe FAQs
I’d highly recommend fresh, since frozen can get soggy and water down the cheese sauce.
Pre-roasting them helps remove their natural bitterness, and bring out their subtly sweet caramelized flavors. This recipe does call for pre-roasting before baking with the cheese.
Using half-and-half (or heavy cream) will make the sauce a bit too thick. I’d recommend using whole milk.
Yes! Choose cheeses that melt very well and stay smooth, such as white cheddar, Gouda, or Fontina.
Tips for Success
- Pre-roasting the Brussels sprouts will bring out their caramelized flavors, and remove their natural bitterness. They only need to pre-roast for 15-18 minutes to give them a head start before baking with the cheese.
- This recipe uses Gruyere cheese, but feel free to use white cheddar, Gouda, or fontina. Any cheese with a similar texture (creamy and smooth when melted) will work.
- Grate your own cheese so it melts well. Most of the time, pre-packaged grated cheese comes with extra preservatives that make it hard to melt.
- Since the cheese may bubble up, place the baking pan on top of a sheet pan to catch any spills.
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Cheesy Brussels Sprouts Gratin
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds fresh Brussels sprouts
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk, warmed - plus more as needed
- 1 ½ cups shredded or grated Gruyere cheese - divided
- ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- ⅓ cup cooked bacon - diced
Instructions
Pre-roast the sprouts
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Prep the Brussels sprouts: Trim the bottom stalk and remove any damaged outer leaves. Then, cut them in half lengthwise.
- On a large sheet pan, toss the Brussels sprouts with the minced garlic, a few generous drizzles of olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 400F for 15-18 minutes.
Make the cheese sauce:
- Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Then, add the flour and whisk constantly for about 3 to 4 minutes, until thickened. This is called a roux. At this point, it should be a bit pale in color and smell a bit nutty.
- Then, gradually add the warm milk, whisking to remove any lumps, until it starts to simmer. It will thicken as it heats up.
- Add a ½ cup of the Gruyere cheese and stir until just melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat. If needed, add a little more milk if needed until desired consistency.
Assemble and bake
- In a baking dish, toss the roasted sprouts with the prepared cheese sauce until evenly coated. Top with the remaining 1 cup of Gruyere cheese and the parmesan cheese.
- Transfer the baking dish to a sheet pan to catch any spills, just in case.
- Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-18 minutes until bubbly and golden brown on top. If desired, broil for 1-2 minutes for a deeper golden brown color.
- To serve, top with the cooked bacon bits. Serve warm, and enjoy!
Notes
- Grate your own cheese so it melts well. Pre-packaged grated cheese comes with extra preservatives that make it hard to melt.
- Prep ahead: You can cook and crumble the bacon, trim and halve the Brussels sprouts, grate the cheese 1-2 days ahead. You can even pre-roast the sprouts 1 day before, but I’d recommend making the cheese sauce the same day for best results.
- Storage: Place leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Place any leftovers in the oven or microwave until warmed through.
- Gruyere cheese: White cheddar, gouda or fontina.
- Bacon: Sautéed pancetta (golden brown), crispy prosciutto.
- Whole milk: 2 percent milk.
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