Creamy Baked Brussels Sprouts
These creamy baked Brussels sprouts soften in the oven while still holding a little bite, and the parmesan sauce gets beautifully bubbly and rich. It’s an easy crowd-pleaser that pairs with chicken, turkey, ham, steak, seafood – really anything!
Why This Is A Great Brussels Sprouts Recipe
Big flavor with simple ingredients – sautéing the Brussels sprouts and shallots first adds tons of flavor before they bake in the creamy parmesan sauce.
Perfect texture – tender Brussels sprouts with a creamy, cheesy sauce that thickens in the oven.
Easy holiday side dish – quick prep, short cook time, and totally crowd-pleasing.
Flexible recipe – pairs with chicken, turkey, ham, pork, steak, or holiday mains.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
Brussels sprouts: make sure to clean them, then halve or quarter depending on the size so they cook uniform.
Shallots: shallots have a wonderful flavor that is milder than an average onion and sweeter. They’re also in the same family as garlic so have that subtle aroma. Substitute sweet onion if needed.
Garlic: it’s always best to use fresh garlic cloves for the best flavor and aroma. Press or mince it yourself.
Heavy whipping cream: Creates the richest, creamiest sauce. Substitute: half-and-half works but doesn’t thicken quite as much.
Parmesan: Freshly grated parmesan melts smoother and gives the best flavor, so it’s best to get a block and grate yourself. Substitution: use Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano.
Lactose-free substitute: use lactose free half and half and plant-based or lactose free butter. Aged cheeses are naturally lactose free.
How To Make Creamy Brussels Sprouts
Prepare:
It’s important to prepare your ingredients before you can really get started. Remove the outer leaves of the brussels before you chop them into halves or quarters. Thinly slice the onions and mince the garlic. Measure everything else.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a baking dish. Preheat a pan over medium heat and add a splash of olive oil.
Sear the veggies:
Cook the onions for just a minute or two before adding the brussels sprouts to the pan. Sear the brussels until browned.
Stir in the garlic and let cook until fragrant. Remove all of the veggies from the pan and place them in the prepared baking dish.
Make the parmesan sauce:
Lower the heat to medium-low.
Melt the butter and sprinkle in the flour. Whisk continuously. Once it’s fully incorporated, slowly pour in the broth and cream while still whisking nice and slow.
Whisk in the Dijon mustard, parmesan, salt, and pepper. Once everything is melted and incorporated, remove the pan from the heat.
Bake:
Pour the parmesan sauce over the brussels sprouts. Stir to coat evenly.
Sprinkle a little extra cheese on top and bake for 10-13 minutes.
Storing and Reheating Instructions
- Store your leftover creamy Brussels sprouts in an airtight food storage container in the refrigerator. Properly stored, they will be good for about 3-4 days.
- To reheat them, make sure to do it at a low heat or the sauce may separate. So if you are reheating in the microwave, do so in 30 second increments and make sure mix in between.
- On the stove top, reheat the brussels in a small pan over medium-low heat, stirring often, and just until heated all the way through.
Making Ahead Instructions
You can prep the whole dish ahead of time right up to the baking step.
- Sear the brussels and onions and then prepare the sauce. Mix the Brussels with the sauce in the baking dish you plan to use, but instead of baking, let it cool and cover it air-tight. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours and cook then next day.
- Take the dish out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking, add a little more parmesan cheese on top, and bake per recipe instructions.
Recipe FAQs
Frozen Brussels sprouts tend to release water as they bake, which thins the sauce and makes the casserole watery. For the best texture, use fresh sprouts.
You can substitute coconut cream (unsweetened) or unsweetened cashew or oat creamer. Use a dairy-free parmesan alternative, but the flavor and thickness of the sauce will change. You can thicken the sauce by mixing in a teaspoon or so of cornstarch into cold cream/milk.
This can happen if the heat is too high or the dish bakes uncovered for too long. Keep the heat moderate when making the sauce (medium-low) and avoid overbaking.
What to Serve With Creamy Baked Brussels Sprouts
This side dish pairs wonderfully with holiday mains or simple weeknight meats. Try serving it with roasted turkey breast, cherry glazed baked ham, pork tenderloin with dry rub, steak in the oven, spatchcock chicken, or even whole baked salmon filet. The creamy sauce balances rich roasted meats beautifully.
More Brussels Sprouts Recipes To Try
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Creamy Brussels Sprouts Recipe
Ingredients
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Sauce:
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour*
- 1/3 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
- 1/8-1/4 tsp black pepper to taste
- pinch salt to taste
Instructions
- Prepare your ingredients first! Clean the outer dark and/or dry leaves off the brussels sprouts and cut off the bottom of the stem. Cut each brussels sprout in half or in quarters. Slice the onion thinly and smash and mince the garlic. Measure remaining ingredients.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a 2 quart baking dish (or similar size).
- Preheat a cooking pan over medium heat and add some olive oil.
- Start cooking the onions for a minute or so and then add brussels sprouts. Let brussels sear until nicely browned. Toss/mix them once in a while but not too often to let them get a nice sear.
- Once seared, stir in the garlic, mix and let it cook for just a few seconds.
- Take everything out of the pan and into the prepared baking dish.
- Lower the heat under the pan for medium-low.
- Melt butter and sprinkle the flour over it while whisking constantly. Once incorporated, start SLOWLY pouring in the broth and then cream, while constantly but slowly whisking.
- Whisk in Dijon mustard, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Let everything melt and incorporate smoothly and take off heat.
- Pour the cheese sauce over the brussels sprouts in the baking dish and stir it together to coat the brussels evenly.
- Sprinkle a little more parmesan cheese over the top and bake for about 10-13 minutes.
Video
Notes
- *Gluten free note: to make this recipe gluten free, simply substitute regular flour with a 1:1 gluten free all purpose flour. (It’s best not to use almond flour or coconut flour, results will not be the same.)
- Heavy whipping cream: heavy whipping cream provides the best rich and creamy texture to sauces, so I always recommend using it. If you are in a pinch, you can use half and half but note that it won’t be quite as thick and creamy. If you wish to make the sauce thicket, you can add another 1/2 tbsp or less of flour.
- Parmesan cheese: Use freshly grated parmesan cheese for the best flavor and consistency. Freshly grated parmesan cheese will also melt much smoother.
Nutrition
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in December 2022.
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Categories:
Christmas Dinner Recipes, Easter Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, Side Dishes, Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes, Vegetables,All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
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