This Roasted Brussels Sprouts Gruyère Gratin is an elegant yet cozy side dish to enjoy all throughout Winter. It features Brussels sprouts roasted until caramelized, coated in a rich creamy sauce laden with Gruyère cheese and finally baked until crisp and bubbly. This is a flavorful veggie-focused recipe that can be prepared in advance. Perfect for the Holidays or any chilly day, really!
Unlike most French vegetable gratins which are made with Béchamel sauce (ie. see this Endive Gratin), this one is made with a heavy cream-based sauce. This sauce is simpler to make and more forgiving. The use of heavy cream also balances out the bitterness of the Brussels sprouts and makes for a rich and smooth sauce.
Don’t skip on roasting the Brussels sprouts.
Roasting the Brussels sprouts prior to dousing them in the sauce and baking the gratin serves two purposes. It first par-cooks them and ensure they will end up fork-tender in the finished baked gratin. But perhaps more importantly, roasting the brussel sprouts brings out their sweetness and creates a light caramelization all around. The sweet caramel notes of the roasted Brussels sprouts pairs perfectly with the creamy sauce and cheesy topping – and brings the flavors of this gratin to whole other level.
Shopping for Brussels sprouts.
Members of the cabbage family, Brussels sprouts benefit from cool temperatures and are harvested in the Fall and Winter. You will often find Brussels sprouts in your grocery store year-round, but do know that the best, in-season ones are actually available from September through March in North America. These are sweeter and hence will develop a greater caramelization when being roasted!
When shopping for Brussels Sprouts, looks for ones that are blemish-free, bright green, with leaves tightly packed and that feel heavy for their size. They should feel firm when gently squeezed. The best Brussels Sprouts for this recipe are larger ones, which will be easier to slice in half.
Notes about Gruyère
Gruyère cheese, hard Swiss-made cheese, is subtly salty with lovely nutty notes which pairs wonderfully with the rich creamy sauce. It also melts very well and turns crisp and golden on top, when put under the broiler. In France, Gruyère is affordable and widely available. It often comes pre-grated, sold in individual pouches. In the US/Canada, Gruyère is a bit more costly than your average block of cheddar, but well worth it to use in this recipe.
When seeking Gruyère at your grocery store, choose one that bears an AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protégée) seal. This sign on the label shows the cheese was made according to strict government mandated rules and quality standards. As alternatives for this recipe, Emmental, smoked white cheddar, Gouda, Fruilano or even extra-melty raclette cheese are also great options.
Can you prepare this Brussels Sprouts Gratin in advance?
Yes, you can make this dish in advance – a few hours up to the day before. Prepare the dish up until it goes in the oven (until the end of step 4). Let the dish cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate. Then, pre-heat your oven to 400°F (205°C), top off the gratin with the cheese and breadcrumbs and bake as directed. You will need to bake it a little longer (about 10 minutes additional) since the dish is going cold into the oven.
I hope you’ll love this Roasted Brussels Sprouts Gruyère Gratin recipe as much as I do! If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment.
You may also like:
- Classic French Quiche Lorraine
- Belgian Endive and Ham Gratin (Endives Au Jambon)
- French Green Beans Almondine
- Classic French Gratin Dauphinois
- Turnip & Carrot Gratin
14 comments
Audrey this looks like such a delicious way to present Brussels sprouts. Such a nice change to a Potato Gratin Bake. Looks like a winner.
Thank you Pauline, enjoy!
I love the design of your website, and I definitely will make this Roasted Brussels Sprouts Gruyère Gratin dish!
Wonderful, thank you Peter!
You take me back to my beloved Bretagne even when I can’t get there. Thank you. This dish is delicious!
Thank you Nikki!
Dear Audrey,your carrot salad is wonderful in taste and such a healthy salad with a twist. Love it. I made it for Christmas and it was a hit,my family loves it. Since I pretty much make it 2-3 times a month. Thank you and I can’t wait to try more of your delish recipes.
Vesna
Fantastic, thank you!
Prepared this exactly as recipe calls and it was quite special. My wife and I are cheese lovers and Gruyere is high on our list of favorites. I’m making it again tonight and will be adding a touch more Gruyere, will be melting a tbsp of butter to toss the panko prior to sprinkling and a top dusting of Regiano Parm, just because we are cheesy folks.
Excellent side for many great main dishes. Pan sauteed venison tenders and twice baked potato skins this evening.
SO glad you enjoyed it Wayne, and of course, nothing wrong with adding more (and other cheeses) if that’s what you like! It does make for a great side for so many dishes, but I’ve yet to try it with venison. That sounds amazing.
Hello…can this recipe be doubled?
Thank you
Hi, Mary. There should be little/no problem with doubling this recipe! Enjoy!
Thank you!
You’re welcome. Enjoy!