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Brussels Sprouts Casserole

Brussels sprouts casserole with a creamy Gruyere sauce, crispy bacon bits, and a golden panko topping. Bakes until bubbly with melty cheese strands and a crisp, browned crust.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 460

Ingredients
  

Brussels sprouts
  • 2 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved Trimmed and halved for even blanching.
Bacon
  • 6 slice bacon, chopped Cook until crisp; reserve 1 tablespoon drippings.
Garlic
  • 2 clove garlic, minced
Butter
  • 2 tbsp butter Melt with reserved bacon drippings.
All-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour Cook with the butter/garlic to form a roux.
Whole milk
  • 1.5 cup whole milk
Heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
Gruyere cheese
  • 1.5 cup shredded Gruyere, divided Use 1 cup in the sauce; save the rest for topping.
Parmesan cheese
  • 0.5 cup grated Parmesan
Salt
  • 0.5 tsp salt
Black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
Panko breadcrumbs
  • 0.5 cup panko breadcrumbs

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep and blanch
  1. Preheat oven to 400F. Bring a pot of boiling salted water and blanch the halved Brussels sprouts for 4 minutes, then drain.
Make the creamy cheese sauce
  1. Cook the chopped bacon until crisp, then remove and reserve 1 tablespoon drippings. Melt the butter with the drippings, add minced garlic and flour, and cook for 1 minute.
  2. Whisk in the whole milk and heavy cream, then simmer until the sauce thickens. Stir in 1 cup Gruyere, the Parmesan, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
Assemble and bake
  1. Fold the blanched Brussels sprouts and half the bacon into the sauce, then pour into a baking dish. Top with the remaining Gruyere, remaining bacon, and panko breadcrumbs.
  2. Bake at 400F for 20-25 minutes until bubbly and golden. Let it rest briefly so the sauce sets slightly before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: for the best set and browning, make sure the sauce reaches a noticeably thick consistency before folding in the Brussels sprouts. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days and reheat until hot in a 350F oven. Freezing is not recommended because the creamy dairy can break after thawing. If you want a lighter option, swap whole milk and heavy cream for lactose-free 1% milk and lactose-free half-and-half, keeping the same thickening method.