Brussels Sprouts Gratin with Brie and Bacon
Brussels Sprouts Gratin with Brie and Bacon is a luxurious and elegant side dish that’s perfect for any get-together. Best of all, it’s easy to prepare and can be made ahead!
For more great Brussels sprouts recipes, be sure to check out 25 Brussels Sprouts Recipes that Rock!
Friends, I’ve got a lovely, lovely side dish to share with you! I’ve told you a number of times that I have yet to meet a vegetable I don’t like. However, Brussels sprouts are probably my favorite vegetable of all!
And yeah, I was a weird kid who actually loved Brussels sprouts–back when Brussels sprouts weren’t cool.
With all that Brussels sprout love I’ve felt my entire life, I’ve been neutral and even a bit lukewarm on Brussels sprout gratins or Brussels sprouts with heavy, cheesy sauces. When paired with any type of sharp cheese except for perhaps a little Parmesan cheese, I’ve not loved the flavor tussle that takes place.
With this Brussels Sprouts Gratin with Brie and Bacon, I’ve managed to work out all those issues for a side dish I love!
Brie is a soft, cow’s milk cheese that although is super-rich, the flavor is mild and satisfying. Best of all, it melts beautifully!
How to make Brussels Sprouts Gratin with Brie and Bacon:
- Start with 2 pounds of small to medium-sized Brussels sprouts. Trim any unsightly exterior leaves along with the tough stems.
- Prepare an ice bath. An ice bath is simply a bowl of water with ice cubes in it.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil that has a generous amount of salt in it–2 tablespoons is good.
- Add the Brussels sprouts and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. (The time will depend upon the size of the sprouts.) There should still be some resistance in the center as the sprouts are going to cook again and you don’t want them too soft and mushy.
- Drain and pat dry.
- Brown some bacon, then make the decadent cheese sauce. You’ll need to remove the rind from the brie which can be a little tricky. To remove the rind, simply freeze the round of brie for 30 minutes or so and it slices right off! Here’s more information: How to Remove the Rind from Brie
- Place the Brussels sprouts and bacon in a gratin-style or other shallow baking pan.
- Pour the sauce over the sprouts and bacon and top with breadcrumbs combined with butter and a little Parmesan cheese.
- Bake…And baby! Beautifully, bubbly, smothered in a creamy brie sauce with a crispy, buttery topping!
Beautiful! Creamy! Elegant! Luxurious! Your guests will RAVE!
Enjoy more Brussels sprouts love with these recipes!
- Pan-Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Thai Sweet Chili Orange Glaze
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Thai Green Curry Butter
- Sriracha Sweet Chili Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Quick Pickled Brussels Sprouts with Jalapeno
- Lemon Parmesan Crusted Brussels Sprouts
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Browned Butter and Almonds
- Cheesy Brussels Sprouts and Wild Rice Casserole
Brussels Sprouts Gratin with Brie and Bacon
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 strips bacon - diced
- 2 pounds Brussels sprouts - small to medium in size, outside leaves removed and stems trimmed
- Salt
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 container (8-ounce) brie cheese - rind removed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- White pepper - to taste
- 2 slices butter-flavored bread - such as brioche, coarsely ground
- 2 tablespoons salted butter - softened
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly butter or oil an oval gratin-style baking dish. (A 7 x 11-inch baking dish also works.)
- Cook the bacon in a small skillet or saute pan until crispy. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.
- Prepare an ice bath. Bring a large saucepan of generously salted water (at least 2 tablespoons) to a boil.
- Carefully drop the Brussels sprouts in and cook for 2-3 minutes or until almost cooked through. (You should be able to easily pierce with a knife but still feel some resistance in the center.) Drain and transfer to the ice bath to cool.
- Pour the heavy cream into the saucepan and whisk in the all-purpose flour. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
- Add the cubed brie cheese and whisk until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth. Add salt and white pepper to taste.
- Drain the Brussels sprouts and pat dry on paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
- Scatter the cooked bacon over the Brussels sprouts.
- Pour the cheese sauce over the Brussels sprouts and bacon.
- Combine the butter, breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl. Mix with your hands until the butter is mixed in and evenly distributed.
- Scatter over the top of the Brussels sprouts.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly. Cover with aluminum foil if necessary at about the 15-20 minute mark if breadcrumbs are getting too brown. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
The cheese sauce is good. I added extra bacon, had to substitute a mix of Brie and Gouda (because I was short on Brie) and instead of breadcrumbs, I used buttery crackers. I think my Brussels sprouts were too big and not blanched for long enough. Next time, I will quarter them and boil them longer.
Hi, JC, Thanks so very much! Yes, you can blend cheeses and Brussels sprouts do vary in size. Thanks again for the feedback!
I can’t wait to have this dish with our Thanksgiving dinner! My Brussels sprouts are on the large side so I would like to cut them in half. Do you suggest doing that after the ice bath? Have you run into this? Happy Holidays!!!
Hi, Connue, Thanks so much for your question. You could do it before or after–I think you’re good either way. Thanks so much, Happy Thanksgiving and hope you enjoy!
The write-up says to boil the sprouts for 6 to 8 minutes, however, the recipe says 2 to 3 minutes. Which is the correct boiling time?
Hi, Douglas, Thanks so much for your question and for catching that! Start with 2-3 minutes. The cooking time is going to depend upon the size of the Brussels sprouts so you want them par-cooked but still some resistance because they will cook again in the gratin. I’ve made changes to the write-up. Thanks again and especially for reading the write-up!!
How could I change this recipe by using a cheese such as white Cheddar, Monterey jack or Colby etc. Also, could I use regular bread crumbs, fresh crumbs?? I do not want to mess up this beautiful dish but need to know if the choices I mentioned would be suitable. Thank you so much.
Hi, Joyce, Thanks so much for your question! I would go with the Monterey jack first because it has a flavor more similar to Brie and it melts beautifully. Either white Cheddar or Colby will work, but the flavor of those are stronger. If you’re okay with that, go with the white Cheddar. The recipe calls for fresh brioche breadcrumbs, so plain fresh breadcrumbs of any sort will work fine. If you use something like panko, combine it with the butter and Parmesan as directed. Thanks so much and hope you enjoy!
Soooo good and easy! I love this recipe and my sis and I fight over who gets to take the leftovers!