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    Home » Dinner » Side Dishes

    Brussels Sprouts Gratin

    Published: Nov 24, 2020 · Modified: Oct 23, 2023 · Leave a Comment

    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe Save Recipe Saved!

    This brussels sprouts gratin with cheese sauce is based on Julia Child's Choux de Bruxelles à la Mornay, Gratinés, and is a rich vegetable side dish made with homemade béchamel.

    Brussels Sprouts Gratin in a casserole dish

    Do you ever buy brussels sprouts on the stalk?

    I do, and recently I snagged three big stalks of brussels sprouts at Trader Joe's!

    Except guys, three stalks of brussels sprouts is a massive amount of sprouts.

    Once I'd removed them from the stalk, there were way more sprouts than I expected. Oops.

    Since I over-bought, we now get to eat brussels sprouts every day.

    I don't mind at all because I love this bitter veggie!

    We've been making this brussels sprout and persimmon salad on repeat lately. You've probably seen it if you follow along with my Instagram stories.

    I also plan to make honey balsamic brussels sprouts, shaved brussels sprouts salad, raw brussels sprouts salad with tahini sauce, and roasted brussels with apple cider vinegar.

    This week, though, I wanted something a little richer. I wanted comfort food.

    I wanted Julia Child's brussels sprouts gratin.

    This recipe, like many of Julia's recipes, might seem complicated at first, but each step is fairly simple. I recommend reading the recipe in full before beginning.

    Want more French classics? Try making classic French crêpes, French onion soup, French mashed potatoes, fish in butter sauce, and French crème brûlée.

    Julia Child's Recipe

    This recipe is based on Julia Child's Choux de Bruxelles à la Mornay, Gratinés (brussels sprouts gratin with cheese sauce) from her book Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume I.

    If you want to try Julia's version from her book, keep in mind that you'll need to visit, not one, but four recipes in her book, as the main recipe references three other recipes.

    I've put everything in one place for you.

    I did make a few small adaptions to Julia's recipe (for simplicity).

    Should I Blanch the Brussels Sprouts Before Roasting?

    You can, but you don't have to.

    Julia recommends it, but I prefer to skip this step.

    I think they pick up more sweet notes in the oven without blanching. That said, blanching will make your sprouts a little more tender.

    Do whichever you prefer.

    Do I Have to Remove the Outer Leaves of the Brussels Sprouts?

    Nope.

    If any leaves appear damaged or dirty, then yes of course, remove them. Otherwise, I simply remove the tough stem area and halve or quarter the sprouts.

    Should I Roast the Brussels Sprouts in Oil or Butter?

    Julia calls for roasting the sprouts in melted butter.

    As a (slightly) quicker alternative, I prefer to use olive oil. It saves a little time and there is still plenty of butter in this recipe.

    How to Roast the Brussels Sprouts

    Start with your prepared sprouts, and then toss them in oil or butter and a little sea salt.

    Roast the brussels sprouts until they're bright green and almost tender.

    Toss Brussels Sprouts with Oil + Salt
    Toss Brussels Sprouts with Oil + Salt
    Roasted Brussels Sprouts
    Roasted Brussels Sprouts

    How to Make the Béchamel Sauce

    If the term béchamel sounds intimidating, don't worry.

    This sauce is actually pretty simple. If you've ever made lasagna from scratch (like this butternut squash lasagna) or mac and cheese from scratch, you've done something similar already!

    Start with a heavy bottomed pan (if possible). I used this Lodge Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven.

    Melt butter over low heat, and then begin stirring or whisking in some flour. If you're avoiding gluten, gluten-free all purpose flour (such as Cup 4 Cup) will work perfectly.

    Continue stirring until the butter and flour begin to foam.

    Make the Butter + Flour Roux
    Make the Butter + Flour Roux

    Next, stir in hot milk.

    Stir, stir, stir to incorporate the milk.

    Bring the milk to a boil, boil for one minute, and then turn off the heat.

    Stir in Hot Milk
    Stir in Hot Milk

    Next, stir in some cheese.

    You can use Swiss or Parmesan, whichever you prefer or have on hand.

    Add Cheese to the Béchamel
    Add Cheese to the Béchamel

    Season the béchamel with salt, cayenne, and nutmeg.

    Make sure to taste the sauce at this point and adjust the seasoning. If it seems bland now, it will seem bland after cooking too.

    Season the Add Cheese to the Béchamel
    Season the Béchamel

    Make the Brussels Sprout Gratin

    Toss the roasted brussels sprouts in half the sauce, and then pour the rest of the sauce over the sprouts.

    Top the entire dish with more cheese. Dot with butter.

    Mix Sauce with Sprouts + Top with Cheese
    Mix Sauce with Sprouts + Top with Cheese

    Slide the casserole dish under your oven's broiler and cook until the cheese is bubbly and golden.

    Broil Until Golden
    Broil Until Golden

    Serve right away, along with some crusty bread and a glass of crisp white wine.

    Brussels Sprouts Gratin in a casserole dish + on a plate
    Brussels Sprouts Gratin in a casserole dish
    Print Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    5 from 2 votes

    Brussels Sprouts Gratin

    This brussels sprouts gratin with cheese sauce is based on Julia Child's Choux de Bruxelles à la Mornay, Gratinés, and is a rich vegetable side dish made with homemade béchamel.
    Author: Sarah Trenalone
    Prep Time5 minutes mins
    Cook Time20 minutes mins
    Total Time25 minutes mins
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: French
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
    Servings: 6 people
    Calories: 235kcal
    Freezer Friendly?
    No
    Will It Keep?
    No
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • medium casserole dish (9"x9" or 10"x10")
    • heavy-bottomed pan

    Ingredients

    Brussels Sprouts:

    • 1 ½ pounds brussels sprouts, stems removed + sprouts halved or quartered
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil Or swap 2 TB melted butter
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

    Béchamel Sauce:

    • 2 cups milk
    • 3 tablespoons butter, divided
    • 2 tablespoons flour Use AP gluten-free flour if needed
    • ½ cup freshly grated Swiss (esp. Gruyere) or Parmesan cheese, divided Or use a mixture of both cheeses
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne
    • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 425°F.
      Toss brussels sprouts with olive oil and sea salt. Arrange in a medium casserole dish (9x9 or 10x10), and bake 14-15 minutes, or until the sprouts have just turned bright green.
      Toss Brussels Sprouts with Oil + Salt
    • While sprouts cook, make the béchamel sauce.
      Bring the milk to a boil in a saucepan. Alternatively, microwave the milk until it begins to simmer.
      Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy bottomed pan over low heat. When the butter melts, stir in the flour. Continue stirring until the flour is incorporated with the butter and they begin to foam (but not brown). Allow the mixture to foam for 2 minutes.
      Begin slowly pouring in the hot milk, stirring or whisking constantly. The milk should be very hot (almost at boiling) when you pour it into the butter and flour.
      Bring the mixture to a boil and continue to boil for 1 minute. Turn off the heat.
      Stir in Hot Milk
    • Stir ¼ cup of the cheese into the béchamel, and continue stirring until the cheese is melted.
      Add the sea salt, cayenne, and nutmeg. Stir again, and then taste. Add more seasoning if desired.
      Season the Add Cheese to the Béchamel
    • When the sprouts are done roasting, fold half the sauce into the sprouts and stir.
      Pour the remaining sauce over the sprouts. Top with the remaining cheese.
      Cut the remaining butter into small cubes and dot the top.
      Mix Sauce with Sprouts + Top with Cheese
    • Move an oven rack to the position closest to the broiler.
      Position the casserole dish under the broiler and broil 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
      Serve immediately.
      Broil Until Golden

    Notes

    Partially Make Ahead:  This dish tastes best right after cooking, but can be partially prepped ahead.
    • Prepare the raw brussels sprouts by trimming and halving (or quartering) and store in the fridge for up to two days.
    • Prepare the béchamel sauce up to three days ahead and store in the fridge.  Reheat over low heat, adding more hot milk if needed.
    For more tender brussels sprouts: Blanch in boiling water for 6-8 minutes before roasting. 
    Béchamel troubleshooting:
    • My sauce is lumpy: If the milk is still almost boiling when added and if you stir or whisk vigorously, there shouldn't be lumps.  If there are, you can purée the sauce in a blender.
    • The sauce is too thick: With the heat on, whisk a little more hot milk back into the sauce.  (Gluten-free AP flour will sometimes thicken the sauce more than intended.)  Note that extra-thick sauce will work fine in this recipe, just make sure to spread it out evenly over the sprouts.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 235kcal (12%) | Carbohydrates: 17g (6%) | Protein: 9g (18%) | Fat: 16g (25%) | Saturated Fat: 8g (50%) | Cholesterol: 32mg (11%) | Sodium: 325mg (14%) | Potassium: 555mg (16%) | Fiber: 4g (17%) | Sugar: 7g (8%) | Vitamin A: 1270IU (25%) | Vitamin C: 96mg (116%) | Calcium: 212mg (21%) | Iron: 2mg (11%)
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!

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    About Sarah Trenalone

    Sarah is the primary creator at Champagne Tastes. She's a photographer, food writer and traveler, and is certified in Backcountry Kitchen and Backcountry Navigation from the Colorado Outward Bound School and Identifying Wild Plants from Backpacker.

    5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    Hi, I'm Sarah! I'm a traveler who loves to eat.   Follow along to join me on my next adventure-- in food or on the road.

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