Shaved Brussels Sprouts Gratin

Name: Shaved Brussels Sprouts Gratin
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients: 4 cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed and outer leaves removed; 2 tablespoons butter; 1 shallot, finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half; Pinch of ground nutmeg; 1 cup Gruyere cheese, grated; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; Preheat oven to 400°F and grease a 9x9-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.; Using a food processor or mandolin, finely shave Brussels sprouts.; In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add shallot and garlic and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.; Stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Slowly pour in cream or half-and-half, whisking constantly.; Bring to a boil and let thicken. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg and remove from heat.; Pour cream mixture over Brussels sprouts and top with cheese. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake 20 minutes.; Remove foil and cook until golden brown and sprouts are fork tender, 5-10 minutes. Enjoy!

Nutty, creamy, and totally delicious.

Kristy Norrell

Some people are not a fan of Brussels sprouts but I am most definitely not one of those people. When prepared correctly, they are at the top of the list of my favorite vegetables and while roasting them all by themselves is my go-to method, this creamy and indulgent Shaved Brussels Sprouts Gratin is hard to beat when you have a little more time on your hands. The nuttiness in both the sprouts and the Gruyere make them perfect companions in this epic creamy, delicious side dish.

I appreciate that this is not a baked dish where you have to blanch or pre-cook the Brussels sprouts in any way. Rather, you’re just using your food processor or a mandoline to shave them so they’re small enough that they cook through perfectly in the oven (and that fine chopping creates a great texture to boot).

You’re tucking those shaved sprouts into cream that’s been thickened with a roux and seasoned with garlic and shallots…

… and then tucking it all into a baking dish before topping it with a blanket of grated Gruyere and baking it until it’s nice and bubbly.

Could you use a basic Swiss cheese instead? Sure. After all, Gruyere is just a variety of Swiss, but you’re going to get a more pronounced flavor and nuttiness if you use it.

If you think of soggy, smelly gym socks when you think of Brussels sprouts, this dish will forever change your mind. The fine, thin strips of sprouts are tender but not mushy and their nutty flavor is only enhanced by the Gruyere and buoyed by the shallot, garlic, and nutmeg infused cream. It’s a holiday-worthy side dish, but it would be a tragedy if that’s the only time all year you make it.