Creamy Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Updated Nov 07, 2023
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These creamy Brussels sprouts with bacon bake in a garlicky Parmesan cream sauce. Serve them with roast chicken tonight or alongside your Thanksgiving turkey!
Cheesy Baked Brussels Sprouts
I know. Brussels sprouts get a bad rap, but just wait till you make these! I’ve turned many sprout-haters into believers!
The crispy bacon in this Brussels sprouts recipe is so good, but that Parmesan cream sauce is why I go back for thirds. The sprouts bake right in the skillet until the sauce bubbles and the cheesy top turns golden. A pinch of red pepper flakes adds a little kick.
Serve them with my sheet pan salmon on a weeknight or alongside my juicy roast turkey and a platter of roasted butternut squash for Thanksgiving.
Why We Love This Brussels Sprouts Recipe
- Crispy bacon. Thick-cut bacon gives the tender Brussels sprouts a salty, smoky crunch.
- The creamy sauce. It’s rich and cheesy, like the sauce in my broccoli cheese, with a little tang from Dijon mustard.
- Skillet to table. The same skillet you use to crisp the bacon goes into the oven and doubles as your serving dish!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “My hubby liked this real well. He’s not nuts about sprouts, so I thought this might help.” — Julie, Diethood reader
Ingredients for Creamy Brussels Sprouts
- Brussels sprouts: Trim the stems, remove any wilted outer leaves, then cut the sprouts in half.
- Bacon: Dice thick-cut bacon before cooking. Diced pancetta will also work.
- Half-and-half: You’ll need it for the cream sauce, but heavy whipping cream is a great substitute.
- Dijon mustard: A spoonful of Dijon adds a touch of tang to the sauce.
- Parmesan: Use finely grated Parmesan so it blends easily into the sauce. Asiago or Pecorino Romano works, too, but it’s saltier.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic gives the sauce its flavor, but garlic powder is okay to use.
- Ground nutmeg: An optional pinch adds a bit of warmth to the cream sauce.
- Salt and black pepper: Season the cream sauce to taste, going easy on the salt since the bacon and Parmesan are already salty.
- Crushed red pepper flakes: Sprinkle them over the baked Brussels sprouts for a little heat.
How to Make Creamy Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
- Parboil the sprouts. Cook the halved Brussels sprouts in salted boiling water for 5 minutes, or until just tender. Drain well.
- Crisp the bacon. Meanwhile, cook the diced bacon in a cast-iron skillet until crispy. Pour off all but 2 to 3 tablespoons of the bacon grease, then add the Brussels sprouts and cook for a minute.
- Whisk the sauce. Combine the half-and-half, Dijon mustard, half the Parmesan, garlic, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Bake until bubbly. Take the skillet off the heat, pour the sauce over the sprouts, and top with the remaining Parmesan. Bake at 400˚F for 15 to 20 minutes, until the sauce bubbles and the top is golden.
- Rest and serve. Let the sprouts rest for 5 minutes, then optionally finish with a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Start with fresh Brussels sprouts. Look for firm, bright green Brussels sprouts that are close in size so they cook evenly. In this recipe, fresh sprouts hold their texture better than frozen.
- Drain them well. After parboiling, give the colander a good shake and let the sprouts drain while the bacon finishes cooking. Extra water can thin out the cream sauce.
- Use a baking dish. If your skillet is not oven-safe, transfer the Brussels sprouts and bacon to a baking dish. Pour the sauce over them, sprinkle with Parmesan, and bake.
- Prep the sprouts ahead. Trim and halve them the day before, then refrigerate them in a covered container until you’re ready to cook.
What to Serve with Creamy Brussels Sprouts
- Chicken. Serve this creamy side dish with my oven-baked chicken pieces for an easy dinner.
- Beef. Bring the skillet of Brussels sprouts to the table and set it right next to this delicious boneless prime rib roast!
- Potatoes and vegetables. I’d make my lemon-garlic roasted potatoes because there’s always room for taters! If we’ve got company, I’d add a pan of garlic butter roasted parsnips, too.
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Creamy Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Tender Brussels sprouts and crispy bacon bake together in a garlicky Parmesan cream sauce. It’s an easy skillet side dish for roast chicken or Thanksgiving turkey.
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts, washed, dried, and cut in half
- 8 slices thick cut bacon, diced
- 1 cup Half & Half, or heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
- crushed red pepper flakes, for garnish
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 400˚F.
- Parboil the Brussels sprouts. Cook the halved sprouts in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for about 5 minutes or until just tender. Drain well.
- Cook the bacon. Meanwhile, cook the diced bacon in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet until crispy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Leave the bacon in the skillet and pour off all but 2 to 3 tablespoons of the bacon grease. Stir in the drained Brussels sprouts and cook for 1 minute.
- Make the cream sauce. In a bowl, whisk together the half-and-half (or heavy whipping cream), Dijon mustard, ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Assemble and bake. Take the skillet off the heat and pour the cream sauce over the sprouts and bacon. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup Parmesan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the sauce bubbles around the edges and the Parmesan starts to brown.
- Rest and serve. Let the sprouts rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes and serve.
Equipment
Notes
- Choose similar-sized sprouts. Look for firm, fresh Brussels sprouts that are close in size so they cook evenly.
- Drain the sprouts well. Give the colander a good shake after parboiling. Extra water can thin the cream sauce.
- Use a baking dish. If your skillet isn’t oven-safe, transfer the sprouts and bacon to a baking dish. Pour the sauce over them, sprinkle with Parmesan, and bake as directed.
- Prep ahead. Trim and halve the sprouts up to a day ahead. Keep them in a covered container in the fridge until you’re ready to cook.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 542kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 1062mg | Potassium: 730mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1318IU | Vitamin C: 98mg | Calcium: 346mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
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How to Store Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. I don’t recommend freezing this dish because the cream sauce can separate when it thaws.
- Reheat. Warm the Brussels sprouts uncovered in a 350˚F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until heated through.
Can I make this a day before and put in the refrigerator then just put in oven when I’m ready?
I would do step #2, #3, and #4 in the recipe card and then finish up the rest on the day of your dinner.
Fresh Parmesan or grated? I used grated and it didn’t incorporate as well at I would have liked. Tasted delicious though!
Best way to have brussel sprouts. I used half n half and I only cooked 2 slices of bacon so there wasn’t too much bacon grease but enough to add flavor and cook the sprouts in. Perfecto!
I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Can you please provide an updated recipe that matches the video? I think a lot of us would really appreciate it. Thank you!
Thank you for posting this! I was thinking the same thing
Weird! The video is totally different than the directions.
Are the ingredients for the video the same they are for the written recipe? The two have some differing steps, so I am confused.
Do you cut your sprouts or leave them whole?
If the sprouts are large, I would definitely cut them, but if they are on the smaller side, you can leave them whole.
Can you ptep this the day before and then just heat it when you are going to eat it? For example on Thanksgiving.
So, because of the cream, I would suggest to prepare the entire dish one day ahead and then, on the day of Thanksgiving, reheat it in a 350˚F oven, uncovered, for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until warmed through and crispy on top.
This is amazing and so easy to make. Thank you.
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I haven’t made this recipe yet but the recipe doesn’t mention onions or cutting the sprouts into pieces. The video is better.
I updated the recipe a year ago, but you can definitely use onions in it and cut the sprouts any way you like. The important thing to follow according to the instructions is the amount of liquid you will need to use.
This recipe looks delicious. A must make. I am going to substitute Pancetta for the bacon. I love Pancetta. Pricey, but oh so good 😋
I just made this and it was off-the- hook!! So delicious!! But I can never understand what the serving size is. The caloric information is there. But what constitutes one serving?? 14 grams? Can someone please help??
Did you ever get an answer or figure it out?
The video and recipe are entirely different. In the video it shows adding onion and recipe does not have onion it it and the video show roasting the brussel sprouts, the video says to put in the skillet after you parboil them. The recipe says 3 garlic cloves but directions say garlic salt?????? Confused here!!😕
I noticed the same thing. Where is the cast iron pan in the video? Also, recipe just says to pour the mixture over the cooked bacon.
I noticed the same thing, yet no reply from author. And the recipe says NOTHING about draining the fat off (there was a lot!). I’m disappointed in how the recipe is put together… does no one edit these things before publishing?? I’m sure it will taste good, just irritated that I’m stumped by the poorly written recipe.
Made this last night and there was so much grease just oozing from every direction. It wasn’t creamy at all. I also didn’t cut the Brussels sprouts and regretted that as I chased it around the plate trying to cut them. 🙁
Thank you for trying the recipe! Based on your experience, it sounds like the bacon fat might have contributed to the greasiness you mentioned. You do need some of that bacon fat to saute the brussel sprouts, but maybe the bacon had more fat than meat on it? Also, to ensure the dish is creamy, as intended, I recommend using half and half or heavy cream, as specified in the recipe. I really do appreciate your honest review and will add a note about managing the bacon fat for less greasiness and the importance of cutting the Brussels sprouts for ease of eating. Again, thanks for your feedback!