Brussels Sprouts Gratin Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Christmas

by: hardlikearmour

November19,2012

3.8

4 Ratings

  • Serves 6

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

I decided to try turning one of my favorite brussels sprout salad recipes (Brussels Sprout Slaw with Mustard Dressing and Maple Glazed Pecans from the November 2009 issue of Bon Appétit) into a warm side dish. The mustard, maple, and cream combination does wonders to both temper and enhance the natural sweet and bitter flavors of cooked brussels sprouts. If you want to keep the recipe vegetarian, substitute mushroom or a non-sweet vegetable broth for the chicken broth. I recently tried Melissa Clark's method for making bread crumbs using the grating disc of a food processor, and think it works beautifully. Use any method you'd like for making the bread crumbs -- but do make your own if possible. —hardlikearmour

Test Kitchen Notes

WHO: Between her Wintry Corn Bread Pudding and her Winter Fruit Salsa, hardlikearmour is prepared for cold weather ahead.
WHAT: If you love shaved brussels sprouts and you love gratin, we have something for you.
HOW: Slice your brussels sprouts super thin. Flood them in broth, cream, mustard, and maple syrup. Transfer to a baking dish, cover with buttery bread crumbs and pecans, and bake until dark and crispy on top.
WHY WE LOVE IT: We don’t miss the cheese in this gratin -- the combination of sharp mustard, sweet maple syrup, and slightly bitter brussels is enough to keep us happy (and the carpet of bread crumbs doesn’t hurt either). —The Editors

  • Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients
  • For the brussels sprouts:
  • 1 poundbrussels sprouts
  • 1 cuplow-sodium chicken broth or stock
  • 1/2 cupheavy cream
  • 1 tablespoonwhole-grain mustard
  • 1 teaspoonmaple syrup (grade B preferred)
  • 1/2 teaspoonkosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
  • For the gratin topping:
  • 1 cupbread crumbs made from dry bread
  • 1/2 cupchopped pecans
  • 2 tablespoonsunsalted butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons(1/2 tablespoon) maple syrup (grade B preferred)
  • 1/4 teaspoonkosher salt
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350º F with a rack in the middle or lower middle position.
  2. Remove hard stem end and any bruised or wilted leaves from brussels sprouts. Shred them using the slicing disc of a food processor, alternately use a mandoline set at 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick, or slice them by hand. Set aside
  3. Whisk together remaining brussels sprouts ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir in the shredded brussels sprouts, then transfer mixture to a gratin or shallow baking pan (a 1-quart gratin or an 8-inch square baking pan). Spread in an even layer.
  4. Combine the gratin topping ingredients in a medium bowl. Toss until the crumbs are well-coated and the mixture is hom*ogenous. Sprinkle in an even layer over brussels sprouts.
  5. Bake until the topping is golden brown in the center and dark golden brown around the edges, about 35 minutes. [Editors' note: Our gratin took about 50 minutes to uniformly brown.] Rotate the pan after 20 minutes to promote even browning. Serve immediately.

Tags:

  • Casserole/Gratin
  • Vegetable
  • Brussel Sprouts
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Christmas
  • Thanksgiving
  • Side
Contest Entries
  • Your Best Stale Bread
  • Your Best Recipe with Mustard
  • Your Best Green Holiday Side

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • tuesdaywine

  • Kellia Brinson

  • Steve

  • Lynn Schwartz

  • Kevin French

Recipe by: hardlikearmour

I am an amateur baker and cake decorator. I enjoy cooking, as well as eating and feeding others. I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with my husband and our menagerie. I enjoy outdoor activities including hiking, mushroom hunting, tide pooling, beach combing, and snowboarding.

29 Reviews

tuesdaywine July 27, 2023

This was a hit! Like other reviewers, I had a 10oz bag of shredded Brussels Sprouts and was concerned about the veg/liquid ratio. I had some arugula in the fridge so I chopped up a couple of handfuls to supplement. It worked.
I used Steen's Pure Cane syrup in place of maple and had a light hand for both uses. Finally, for the topping, I used panko in place of breadcrumbs and coarsely chopped almonds in place of pecans.
The dish was fantastic the night it was made and just as good if not better the next day.

Kellia B. March 7, 2019

This is by far the best gratin I've had (Yes, even you, potatoes au gratin - sorry!). The cream/stock cooks down to a thick creamy sauce - I didn't find it to be too liquidy as someone else suggested. I've made this a few times and usually add a bit more mustard and maple syrup, sub regular salt for smoked salt. I've also used walnuts and pine nuts in place of pecans since that's what I had on hand. Turned out great every time.

Steve February 9, 2018

I made this exactly as the recipe stated, it was, not great. Not much flavor, and way too sweet. And, took longer than the 35 mins.

kyurman October 15, 2017

I made this last night as written, using Trader Joe's shaved brussels sprouts. I thought it was very good. But it seemed like it had too much liquid. Perhaps I didn't cook it long enough? I have a convection oven and tops tend to brown quickly. Next time I think I'll cover it for a bit so it can bake longer without burning the top.

I'd love to hear from others regarding the liquid issue. I might reduce the chicken stock a bit next time. Also will be reheating it for leftovers tonight so we'll see how that goes.

Erica October 6, 2017

I made this over last night and instead of turning the sprouts into slaw, I simply pleeled them, leaving the leaves whole. It was time consuming and tedious but I thought it was prettier and I Iiked the texture much better. Also left out the syrup since I don't like sugar or anything sweet. Its not a health thing, I just hate the taste of sugar/sweet!

Kelly C. October 2, 2017

Has anyone tried adding crumbled sausage, maybe with sage, to make this a one-pot meal?

Geoffrey W. November 1, 2016

Has anyone tried making this a day ahead, refrigerating, and then baking on the day?

galsmu September 24, 2016

This recipe looks great! Has anyone made it using Trader Joe's Shaved brussels sprouts? Each bag is 10 oz. One bag doesn't seem like enough. Maybe 1 1/2 bags? It seems like a volume issue, not just weight.

robin L. September 24, 2016

That is a great idea ! I have one bag of TJ's shredded Brussels sprouts...I'll probably get another one and use a bit over half of it for this. I saved this recipe a long time ago...time to make i! Thx for the idea of the pre-shredded!

hardlikearmour September 24, 2016

I think 1.5 bags would work well. Do let us know, though :-)

Lynn S. February 22, 2016

Wow! A huge hit. Definitely one of our favorites!!!

Kevin F. January 1, 2016

Turned out very well. My son, who doesn't care for brussels sprouts, enjoyed the dish.

jonzer December 2, 2015

This is like the best thing I've ever had! Thank you :)

EmilyC December 7, 2014

Made this and loved the combo of flavors and ease of preparation! Will definitely make again!

hardlikearmour December 7, 2014

Glad to hear it! We had it for Thanksgiving this year.

Lisa December 1, 2014

This was delicious. It far exceeded my expectations!

hardlikearmour December 7, 2014

Thank you!

fiveandspice November 23, 2014

HEY! I just saw this. CONGRATS Sara!!! :)

robin L. November 23, 2014

...Which size Staub roasting dish was used for this lovely gratin/photo?

hardlikearmour November 19, 2014

Happy day! Thanks all.

aargersi November 19, 2014

Yay you! Yum!!!

Kukla November 19, 2014

Congratulations HLA on the Wild Card win!! What a tasty combination of flavors!!

EmilyC November 19, 2014

Woohoo -- big congrats Sara!

cookinginvictoria November 19, 2014

Yay, congrats on the WC, HLA! I don't know how I missed this recipe. I love both Brussels Sprouts and creamy gratins. Your take on this dish with the combination of mustard and maple syrup sounds wonderful. Saved -- I plan to try this very soon!

Brussels Sprouts Gratin Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

What takes the bitterness out of brussel sprouts? ›

The sweetness works with the bitterness, and the sugar helps to caramelize the sprouts and bring out their own sweetness. A bit of brown sugar will also work. Acid can be useful as well. A splash of lemon juice, or even apple cider vinegar, works wonders on bitter sprouts.

Why do you soak brussel sprouts before cooking? ›

The soak time tenderizes the sprouts so the middles are softer. Don't worry, they won't be soggy! I would never do that to you. If, like me, you don't mind some chew to your sprouts, you don't need to soak the Brussels sprouts prior to cooking.

Why won't my brussel sprouts get crispy? ›

If you want your roasted Brussels sprouts to be seriously crispy, you need to crank up the heat. Roasting at a low temperature won't allow them to brown properly, so you want to get that oven nice and hot before tossing in your baking sheet. Follow this tip: Roast Brussels sprouts at a minimum of 400°F.

Should I parboil brussel sprouts before baking? ›

Unlike other vegetables, Brussels sprouts can be parboiled (even a day ahead) to reduce the roasting time without hurting their texture.

What makes brussel sprouts taste good? ›

Be sure to start with a hot oven to help the sprouts crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Brown is good. If you've never cooked Brussels sprouts this way, at first glance you may think it looks burnt out of the oven, but once you taste it, you'll know those little “burnt” areas are the best tasting parts!

Who made brussel sprouts less bitter? ›

A Dutch scientist named Hans van Doorn, who worked at a seed and chemical company, figured out exactly which chemical compounds in Brussels sprouts made them bitter. The next step was to plant sprouts with the least amount of these chemicals and eventually cross-pollinate the chemicals out.

Why do you soak brussel sprouts in salt water overnight? ›

For best results, soak your Brussels sprouts in salt water. Not only does salt act to tenderize the dense sprouts, but it will also help to season them all the way through. It won't take a lot -- just add 1 tablespoon of salt per 1 quart of water and toss in trimmed and halved Brussels sprouts.

Should you cut brussel sprouts in half before cooking? ›

To maximize the flat areas, which get the most crispy surface area, cut your Brussels sprouts in half. If your Brussels sprouts are very small, you can leave them whole (and if they are very large, quarter them).

Why are my oven roasted brussel sprouts mushy? ›

Moisture is the enemy of crispiness.

There's nothing wrong with soft and chewy Brussels, but if your goal is the type of crispy Brussels that they're serving at your favorite bistro you MUST thoroughly dry the surface of the sprouts before sautéing and/or roasting them. If they are wet they will steam instead of crisp.

Is it better to roast brussel sprouts whole or cut in half? ›

Place the sprouts cut-side down: Trim and halve the sprouts and roast them with their cut side against the baking sheet. The cut side will caramelize beautifully while the outer leaves crisp. Keep the leaves: Don't discard the outer leaves that fall away as you cut the sprouts.

What season is best for brussel sprouts? ›

Growing Brussels sprouts requires cool weather. They are a slow-growing, long-bearing crop that grows best in cooler regions, or in early spring or fall.

Why not to boil brussel sprouts? ›

Steaming and boiling use moist heat, and moist heat can make Brussel Sprouts mushy and stinky—not a good combo. Give them the treatment they deserve by roasting them instead.

Should I cut brussel sprouts in half before blanching? ›

Prepare the vegetables: leave them whole or cut them in half if large, then blanch them in salted boiling water until crisp-tender (al dente), about 4 min. Drain well, then serve.

Have brussel sprouts been bred to be less bitter? ›

He selected seed varieties with lower levels of the bitter chemicals and bred new high-yielding varieties that tasted less bitter. And better-tasting brussels sprouts are good, not only for our appetites but also because most of us aren't eating enough vegetables.

Was bitterness bred out of brussel sprouts? ›

In the late 1990s scientists identified specific chemicals, called glucosinolates, that made Brussels sprouts taste bitter. Plant breeders started growing old seeds, previously discarded for producing paltry harvests, to identify tastier versions with lower levels of these compounds.

How do you reduce bitterness in vegetables? ›

How to Make Bitter Vegetables Less Bitter
  1. Add Heat. The intensity of bitter greens needs an equal but opposing force, and chilli pepper is a great option. ...
  2. Braise Them. ...
  3. Blanch Them. ...
  4. Add Vinegar.

How do you cover up the taste of brussel sprouts? ›

“The most favorable flavor combinations for Brussels sprouts include bacon and garlic, apple cider vinegar as well as garlic and cream and nutmeg.”

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