Cheesy Brussels Sprouts Gratin with Bacon
A cheesy Brussels sprouts gratin with smoky bacon. A delicious and festive vegetable side dish that the whole family will love, even sprout haters!
Servings 6
Calories 535kcal
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Ingredients
- 600 g Brussels Sprouts trim the bottoms and remove outer leaves. Halve any large ones.
- 50 g Butter
- 200 g Smoked Bacon Lardons
- 2 Garlic Cloves peeled and chopped
- 1 teaspoon Thyme Leaves chopped (or use dried thyme)
- 50 g Plain Flour
- 700 ml Milk
- 2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- ¼ teaspoon Grated Nutmeg
- 200 g Cheddar grated
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
For the topping
- 50 g Dried Breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoon Grated Parmesan
- 1 teaspoon Thyme Leaves chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (180 fan/ Gas 6/ 400°F).
- Bring a pan of salted water to a boil and cook the sprouts for 3 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water to retain colour, and set aside.600 g Brussels Sprouts
- In a large heavy-based saucepan, melt the butter then fry the bacon, thyme leaves, and garlic for 2-3 minutes.50 g Butter, 200 g Smoked Bacon Lardons, 2 Garlic Cloves, 1 teaspoon Thyme Leaves
- Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes.50 g Plain Flour
- Turn the heat up, whisk in the milk and continue to stir until the sauce thickens. It should coat the back of a wooden spoon.700 ml Milk
- Take the sauce off the heat and stir in the grated cheese, dijon mustard, grated nutmeg, and salt & pepper.2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard, ¼ teaspoon Grated Nutmeg, 200 g Cheddar, ½ teaspoon Salt, ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Mix in the cooked sprouts then pour the cheesy sprouts into a baking dish.
- Mix together the breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan and thyme leaves and scatter over the top of the gratin. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden brown and the cheese sauce is bubbling.50 g Dried Breadcrumbs, 3 tablespoon Grated Parmesan, 1 teaspoon Thyme Leaves
Notes
Top Tips:
- If you are using frozen sprouts there is no need to cut them in half. Frozen sprouts are usually small and tender. If using fresh sprouts, make sure they are roughly the same size.
- Salt the water for the Brussels sprouts generously - it helps to reduce bitterness and up the flavour!
- Reserve a cup of Brussels sprouts cooking water in case you want to thin out the cheese sauce.
- Make it vegetarian-friendly and leave out the bacon.
- Add chopped walnuts or hazelnuts to the topping for extra crunch and flavour.
- Add other cooked vegetables to the gratin such as cauliflower and broccoli, turning it into a cheesy vegetable gratin.
- Swap the cheddar for gruyere or crumbled blue cheese.
- Add in cooked pasta or gnocchi for a Brussels sprout pasta bake.
Nutritional Information (Approximate)
Calories: 535kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 1196mg | Potassium: 691mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1342IU | Vitamin C: 87mg | Calcium: 514mg | Iron: 3mg
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