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This recipe for Creamy Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta is one of the most delicious ways to cook Brussels sprouts. Some might call it a gratin or a casserole in America but either way, it’s so easy and so good. Imagine lightly roasted sprouts with crispy, salty pancetta, covered in a rich and gooey cheese sauce. All baked until bubbling and golden. Trust me, even the most determined sprout avoiders will be asking for seconds!
I do feel that Brussels sprouts have a hard time. Even though they are often a non-negotiable part of a traditional Christmas dinner, so many people complain about them. To be fair, if you have only tried them after they have been boiled to death, I can see why you wouldn’t be a fan. However, all is not lost! There are lots of ways to make Brussels sprouts taste delicious. The secret lies in how you cook them…
Brussels sprouts have a naturally bitter flavour. If you overcook them by boiling for a long time, this only intensifies the bitterness. However, when cooked properly, they can be really tasty. Just ask anyone who has tried my honey, bacon and balsamic roasted sprouts or these Brussels sprouts and pancetta.
Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe:
- It is a delicious way to cook Brussels sprouts. The perfect festive side dish for Christmas Day.
- It can be made ahead so is ideal for easy entertaining. No more last minute stresses on the day!
- It is full of flavour and texture. Think salty, crispy pancetta and earthy sprouts in a rich and creamy Gruyère cheese sauce.
- It is versatile and can easily be adapted for vegetarians and vegans.
Ingredients:
See recipe card at the bottom of this post for the exact recipe with a full list of ingredients and measurements
Brussels sprouts – opt for fresh, medium-sized bright green sprouts. You want them all to be roughly the same size, so quarter any larger ones.
Pancetta cubes – these are small bites of Italian cured pork belly. They are fairly fatty and have a deep, strong, slightly salty flavour. You can use smoked or unsmoked, depending on which you prefer. You can buy it already diced or in rashers.
Double cream – also known as ‘heavy’ cream.
Dijon mustard – this adds a slight warmth which helps elevate the cheese sauce.
Gruyère – the most wonderful Swiss hard cheese with a creamy, nutty flavour. It makes the cheese sauce in these creamy pancetta Brussels sprouts taste really indulgent.
Substitutions and Variations:
- Shallot: you can swap the shallot for a finely chopped regular red or white onion.
- Pancetta: if you can’t find pancetta, swap for finely chopped streaky bacon. You can use smoked or unsmoked, depending on which flavour you prefer. If making it for vegetarians, you can leave it out completely.
- Cheese: this Brussels sprouts dish is ideal for using up leftover cheeses as you can use any hard cheese in the cheese sauce. I like the nutty flavour of Gruyère. Parmesan, Pecorino and Comté all work well too. Strong Cheddar, fontina or something like Old Winchester are all great alternatives. You can use a blend of cheeses too.
- Chestnuts: they make a great addition to these creamy Brussels sprouts with pancetta. Especially if you like my pan-fried Brussels sprouts with chestnuts and pancetta. Roughly chop or slice a handful of peeled and cooked chestnuts and add them to the pan with the garlic. I like to use the vacuum packed ones from Merchant Gourmet.
- Breadcrumbs: for added crunch, sprinkle over breadcrumbs before baking. You can mix them with crushed garlic, herbs (freshly plucked thyme, finely chopped rosemary or dried mixed herbs) and/or lemon zest for extra flavour.
- Nuts: top with finely chopped hazelnuts or walnuts before baking. You don’t need to toast them first as they will gently roast in the oven as it bakes.
Here’s how to make delicious Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta:
Here’s a step by step guide for what you need to do, but you can find the full recipe below for detailed instructions.
ONE: Tip the sprouts into a roasting tin – you want to use a small ish one so the sprouts are in a double layer. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss gently to coat then roast in the oven for 5 minutes.
TWO: Meanwhile, add a drizzle of oil to a non-stick frying pan and set over a medium-high heat (you won’t need much oil as the pancetta will release its own fat). Add the pancetta cubes and sauté for a couple of minutes, tossing occasionally, until nice and crispy.
THREE: Add the finely chopped shallots to the pancetta and cook over a low-medium heat for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the shallot has softened, but not coloured. Add the crushed garlic and continue to cook for 30 seconds, stirring to ensure it doesn’t catch and burn.
FOUR: Tip the pancetta-shallot mixture over the roasted sprouts and stir well.
FIVE: Pour the cream into a medium-sized saucepan and set over a medium heat. Add the Dijon mustard and half of the grated cheese. Stir to combine as you slowly bring to a simmer.
SIX: Once bubbling, remove from the heat and pour over the sprouts.
SEVEN: Sprinkle over the remaining grated cheese and season generously with freshly ground black pepper.
EIGHT: Pop in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes – or until golden and bubbling. Leave to stand for a couple of minutes before serving hot.
Cooking Tips
Roasted sprouts: lightly roasting the sprouts gently starts to caramelise them. This helps them develop a slightly sweeter, nutty flavour. A world away from the bitter sprouts that cause so many complaints!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Don’t worry, this is pretty straight forward. At the bottom of fresh Brussels sprouts is a little bit of stem. Take a sharp knife (ideally a paring knife) and carefully trim it off the base. Then remove any loose outer leaves and slice the sprouts in half. If your sprouts are very big, you may like to cut them into quarters. You may find that a few more leaves fall off the sprouts as they cook, this is normal!
This Brussels sprouts dish can easily be made up to 3 days ahead and kept chilled in the fridge. Simply make up until the stage where you pour over the cheese sauce. Leave to cool completely then cover and chill or freeze. To cook from chilled, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake as directed (you will need to add an extra 5-10 minutes to the cooking time).
I always serve on Christmas Day (or Thanksgiving) with all the trimmings. Whether that be the traditional roast turkey or a nut roast wellington. After all, it can easily be adapted for vegetarians and vegans. I love also serving it with my Sunday roasts throughout the year.
I also have lots of other simple side dishes to serve alongside this Brussels sprout casserole. You can’t go wrong with my maple and butter glazed carrots and easy air fryer honey glazed parsnips. If serving it with turkey at Christmas, I will also make my bread sauce, sticky red cabbage and, everyone’s favourite, air fryer pigs in blankets.
Other recipes you may enjoy:
If you like the sound of these Brussels sprouts with pancetta, I have lots of delicious ways to cook Brussels sprouts. Check out my pan-fried Brussels sprouts with chestnuts and pancetta, shaved Brussels sprouts salad and honey, bacon and balsamic roasted Brussels sprouts.
Chicken Recipes
Chicken & Mushroom Vol Au Vents
Christmas Recipes
Leftover Garlic Butter Turkey and Ham Pie
Smoked Salmon Recipes
Smashed Potatoes with Crème Fraîche & Smoked Salmon
Christmas Recipes
Poached Pear Christmas Pavlova
If you tried this recipe for creamy Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta or any other recipe on the site, please do leave a rating or comment and let us know how it went!
Creamy Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta
Ingredients
- 1 kg Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
- Olive oil, for drizzling
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 65 g pancetta cubes
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 350 ml double cream
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 120 g Gruyère, grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 210C/190C Fan.
- Tip the sprouts into a roasting tin – you want to use a small ish one so the sprouts are in a double layer. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss gently to coat then roast in the oven for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add a drizzle of oil to a non-stick frying pan and set over a medium-high heat (you won’t need much oil as the pancetta will release its own fat). Add the pancetta cubes and sauté for a couple of minutes, tossing occasionally, until nice and crispy.
- Add the finely chopped shallots to the pancetta and cook over a low-medium heat for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the shallot has softened, but not coloured. Add the crushed garlic and continue to cook for 30 seconds, stirring to ensure it doesn’t catch and burn.
- Tip the pancetta-shallot mixture over the roasted sprouts and stir well. Set aside. Pour the cream into a medium-sized saucepan and set over a medium heat. Add the Dijon mustard and half of the grated cheese. Stir to combine as you slowly bring to a simmer. Once bubbling, remove from the heat and pour over the sprouts. Sprinkle over the remaining grated cheese and season generously with freshly ground black pepper.
- Pop in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes – or until golden and bubbling. Leave to stand for a couple of minutes before serving hot.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This has been requested again for Christmas dinner 2025. So delicious and very popular with those that usually hate brussel sprouts!
Unreal recipe for Christmas day, everyone loved it, even those who don’t usually like sprouts!