A small batch recipe for a creamy, cheesy Brussels Sprouts Gratin with crispy bacon! This recipe takes about 40 minutes to make, and makes 2-3 servings.
Brussels sprouts are one of my favorite vegetables. They’re absolutely delicious when roasted, or awesome when shredded and eaten raw in a salad (like this raw shredded brussels sprouts & shrimp salad). But they’re especially good when paired with bacon and baked beneath a crispy, cheesy crust … just like this au gratin recipe. 🙂
This is a small batch recipe that makes two hearty servings. If you need to double or triple the recipe, there is a slider bar in the recipe card that helps with those conversions! This recipe is absolutely packed with flavor, and it is especially good as a side dish companion to grilled proteins. (Think steak, chicken, or pork.)
Ingredients
- 2 strips Bacon, chopped into ½” pieces
- 8 oz. fresh Brussels Sprouts, ends trimmed and discarded, sprouts thinly sliced – this was about 2 cups of whole brussels sprouts before shredding (as seen in the ingredient photo)
- 2 tbsp. finely chopped Shallot
- 1 clove Garlic, minced
- ⅛ tsp. Nutmeg
- ¼ tsp. Mustard Powder
- 1 Lemon wedge, about 1 tsp. lemon juice
- ¼ cup Vegetable Broth
- ⅓ cup Heavy Cream
- 3/4 cup shredded Gruyere, divided
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan
- Salt + Pepper, to taste
How to Thinly Slice Brussels Sprouts
First, cut the knobby end off of each brussels sprout and discard. Rotate the brussels sprout so the flat end (the end you just cut off) is flat against the cutting board. (This way the brussels sprout is set and won’t move around.) Thinly slice the brussels sprout with a sharp knife. If the end you’re holding gets too small, flip the brussels sprout so the new flat side (so the side you’ve been slicing), is flat against the cutting board, then carefully finish slicing.
Most grocery stores carry bagged shredded brussels sprouts, and that is a great option if you prefer to not slice brussels sprouts by hand. I recommend using six ounces of shredded brussels sprouts if you go this route!
If you prefer a vegetarian version of this recipe, omit the bacon and use 1 tablespoon of olive oil instead! I recommend adding 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika (if you have some on hand) to add a little smoky flavor to the dish, too.
This is a great side dish to serve alongside a variety of grilled proteins: steak, chicken, and pork are all fantastic with brussels sprouts. Even if you think you’re not a brussels sprouts fan, I implore you to give this recipe a shot! The combination of bacon and brussels sprouts is magical, and when mixed they’re combined with the other flavors in this recipe, it’s truly delicious.
Directions
How to Make Brussels Sprouts Gratin with Bacon
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Cook the chopped bacon in a small cast iron skillet over medium heat until crispy.
- While the bacon is cooking, cut the tough stem ends off of the brussels sprouts and discard. Thinly slice (shred) the brussels sprouts with a sharp knife or mandoline. (see photos below)
- Once the bacon is crispy, turn the heat underneath the pan to medium-low, and use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked bacon to a plate lined with paper towels, leaving the rendered bacon fat in the pan. Set aside.
- Stir the shallots into the remaining bacon fat in the pan and cook until the shallots are softened and slightly browned, about 2-3 minutes. Add garlic, and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the thinly sliced (or shredded) brussels sprouts to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 3-4 minutes until they’re tender. Sprinkle in the nutmeg, mustard powder, and a pinch of salt and cook for another 3-4 minutes, still stirring frequently so the brussels sprouts all cook evenly and become super tender.
- Stir in the vegetable stock and cook for 1-2 minutes until mostly absorbed. Stir in heavy cream and cook for another 2-3 minutes until slightly absorbed.
- Turn off the heat from under the pan. Stir in 1/2 cup of shredded gruyere cheese, followed by the chopped bacon, a squeeze of fresh lemon, a pinch of salt, and a good crack of fresh black pepper until fully combined.
- Sprinkle remaining gruyere cheese and Parmesan cheese over the top.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook at 400 F for 8-10 minutes until the cheese is melty on top. Broil under “high” for 2-3 minutes until the cheese starts to bubble and brown. Allow to cool briefly, then serve warm!
See the step-by-step photos below for a visual guide on how to make this recipe!
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Cook the chopped bacon in a cast iron skillet (mine is an 8″ cast iron) until the bacon is crispy. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels, but leave the rendered bacon fat in the pan. Cook the shallots in the bacon fat for 2-3 minutes until browned and softened, then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
2. Add the thinly sliced (or shredded) brussels sprouts to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 3-4 minutes until they’re tender. Sprinkle in the nutmeg, mustard powder, and a pinch of salt and cook for another 3-4 minutes, still stirring frequently so the brussels sprouts all cook evenly.
3. Stir in the vegetable stock, cook for a minute or two until it has mostly absorbed, then pour in the heavy cream. Stir the heavy cream into the brussels sprouts for a few minutes until it has mostly absorbed, too.
4. Stir in 1/2 cup of shredded gruyere cheese. (I get the less expensive little block of domestic gruyere from Trader Joe’s – look for one that is about $4 and half of it will be perfect for this recipe.) Be sure to reserve at least 1/4 cup of shredded gruyere for topping the brussels later, too. (You can top it with more than 1/4 cup, but I recommend starting there!)
5. Stir in the crispy chopped bacon that you had set aside earlier, followed by a good squeeze of lemon, a pinch of salt, and a healthy crack of fresh black pepper.
6. Sprinkle the remaining gruyere cheese over the top, followed by the parmesan cheese. Transfer the skillet directly to a 400 F oven and cook for 8-10 minutes until the cheese on top is melted and bubbly. Turn the oven to the broiler on “high”, and broil for 2-3 minutes until the cheese starts to brown. Allow to cool briefly, but serve hot!
For the vegetarian version I mentioned before, skip step two and go straight into thinly slicing the brussels sprouts. Heat olive oil in a small cast iron pan, and proceed with step 5! Add 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika with the nutmeg and mustard powder in step 6, and you should be set!
To multiply this recipe, there’s a slider in the recipe card below so you can adjust the quantities to fit your desired serving amount. This should be accurate, but you are always more than welcome to email me directly if you have any specific questions!
The first brussels sprouts recipe that I ever posted was this Creamy Chopped Brussels Sprouts recipe from quite a few years ago. My boyfriend (now husband) and I had attended a rehearsal dinner at a pretty great restaurant on the Plaza in Kansas City, and they had a brussels sprouts side dish that sparked our interest. We both ordered it, and immediately fell in love with it. So much that we were intent on re-creating it at home! So the Creamy Chopped Brussels Sprouts recipe is a tried-and-true recipe that took a ton of attempts, but totally came out exactly like we wanted. Since then, we’ve eaten so many brussels sprouts, and I have that restaurant to thank for it. lol.
If you’re big into brussels sprouts like we are, here are some more recipes for you!
Brussels Sprouts Recipes for Two
- Brussels Sprouts & Arugula Salad with Shrimp, Bacon, and Buttermilk Dressing (for two!)
- Small Batch Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan (for 2-3!)
- Garlic Butter Chicken Parmesan & Brussels Sprouts Orzo (my friend Elizabeth makes this ALL of the time, and I love it!)
If you make this recipe, feel free to snap a photo and share it on social! Tag me @aflavorjournal so I can share it in my stories, too! I absolutely love to see your creations; nothing means more to me. You can also give it a star rating and review below if you like! Comments and ratings always help, and are super appreciated.
As always, email me directly if you have any specific questions or comments, and be sure to sign up for my newsletter below so you can get more small batch recipes delivered to your inbox! (Usually once a week, sometimes twice a month – lol.) Either way, it’s a gorgeous newsletter and I think you’ll enjoy it. 🙂
xx Sara
Shredded Brussels Sprouts Gratin with Bacon
Ingredients
- 2 strips Bacon chopped into 1/2" pieces
- 8 oz. Brussels Sprouts thinly sliced, ends discarded
- 2 tbsp. finely chopped Shallots
- Salt + Freshly Cracked Pepper
- 1 clove Garlic minced
- 1/8 tsp. ground Nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. Mustard Powder
- 1/4 cup Vegetable Stock
- 1/3 cup Heavy Cream
- 3/4 cup shredded Gruyere Cheese divided
- 1 Lemon Wedge about 1 tsp. lemon juice
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Heat a small (8") cast iron pan over medium heat. Cook chopped bacon in the pan until crispy. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside, leaving the rendered bacon fat in the pan.
- While the bacon is cooking, cut the ends off of each brussels sprout and discard. Thinly slice the brussels sprouts (into "shreds"), and set aside.
- Cook the shallots in the bacon fat for 2-3 minutes until browned and softened, then stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the thinly sliced (shredded) brussels sprouts to the skillet, stirring/tossing them with the bacon fat, shallots, and garlic for 3-4 minutes until tender.
- Sprinkle in the nutmeg, mustard powder, and a pinch of salt, then continue stirring/tossing the brussels sprouts frequently for another 3-4 minutes so the brussels sprouts continue to soften.
- Stir in the vegetable stock, cook for 1-2 minutes until mostly absorbed, then stir in the heavy cream. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the cream is mostly absorbed.
- Stir in 1/2 cup of shredded gruyere cheese, followed by the crispy chopped bacon.
- Squeeze a lemon wedge over the dish, then stir in the lemon juice along with a pinch of salt and a few cracks of fresh black pepper.
- Top the dish with the remaining 1/4 cup of gruyere cheese and all of the parmesan cheese.
- Cook in the 400 F oven for 8-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly, then switch the oven to a "high" broil, and broil for 2-3 minutes until the cheese starts to brown. Serve hot! (Pan will be very hot, so be careful!)
Nutrition
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