Creamy Brussels Sprouts with Bacon are so irresistible with Mozzarella cheese. What’s even better is that it takes less than 30 minutes to make this flavorful dish! Perfect for your Thanksgiving feast or on a cozy Fall weekend.
Brussels Sprouts and bacon are such a classic ingredient combination for a Thanksgiving meal! Last fall I made Dijon Mustard Brussels Sprouts and Brussels Sprouts Salad as my side dishes for the holidays. And this year I decided on the creamy version of Brussels Sprouts!
This easy Thanksgiving recipe is a perfect combination of fats, protein and fiber. These are all essential elements to good health. At the same time, bacon flavor enhances the taste of the Brussels sprouts, while creamy sauce makes every single bite melt in your mouth. Your holiday table guests will appreciate the texture and kitchen smells!
How to cut the sprouts
- Remove any yellow leaves. Using a knife, trim a little bit of the tough stem off. But remember not to remove too much. Also, remove any brown or yellow leaves.
- Cut in quarters. If you have a variety of sizes, bigger ones should be cut in quarters while medium sprouts in half.
Once you’re done with the prep work, you can now start cooking them in the pan. By the way, cooking Brussels sprouts in the pan not only retains their beneficial qualities, but they also don’t get too overcooked. And they won’t have a strong smell. Additionally, it also lets them caramelize.
How to cook Creamy Brussels Sprouts
The thing about Brussels sprouts is that they can be tricky to cook. If you leave them on the stove for too long, they will turn mushy and smelly. They will also lose their bright green color. And that’s a sign that they’re overcooked. However, if properly cooked, these vegetables will have a bright green color and a pleasant flavor. You can read more on cooking with Brussels Sprouts here.
- Add olive oil and butter. First things first, melt oil and butter in the pan.
- Add Brussels Sprouts cut side down, cover, and cook without stirring on medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until tender. You can check for tenderness by piercing it with a knife. The cut side of the sprouts should get nice and browned. They will have a nutty, buttery flavor enhanced by garlic powder.
Do I keep bacon fat?
Yes. I kept the bacon grease after I cooked my bacon, however it’s a personal preference and the bacon grease can be discarded.
How to make creamy sauce
Heavy cream. I used heavy cream for my Brussels Sprouts sauce. Alternatively, you can use half and half.
Mozzarella cheese. To make each serving even more irresistible, melt some mozzarella cheese over the creamy goodness! Just a little bit of cheese and a sprinkling of salt and seasonings can make any vegetable a bit tastier!
Salt and pepper. Sea salt and freshly ground pepper are my top choices.
Use garlic and onion powders. The creamy garlic sauce for Brussels sprouts is rich and full of so much flavor! Super easy to make all thanks to powdered garlic and onion! And you don’t even have to use a knife. Or spend any time cutting up onions and garlic cloves.
What to serve Creamy Brussels Sprouts with
To balance the meal, I like to serve this with some proteins like Roasted Turkey Breast in Garlic and Herb Butter and Baked Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Crust, or colorful salads, such as Avocado Salad with Tomatoes or Cranberry Walnut and Spinach Salad.
More delicious Brussels sprouts recipes:
Roasted Brussels sprouts with butternut squash
Warm Quinoa and Brussels sprouts Salad in Honey Mustard
Zesty Brussels sprout Coleslaw with Horseradish
Brussels sprouts and Bacon Gratin
Creamy Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Mozzarella
Ingredients
- 10 slices bacon, (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 pounds Brussel sprouts, (trimmed and cut in half)
- Salt and pepper to season
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1.5 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup mozzarella, shredded
Instructions
- Cook chopped bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until very crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Turn off heat and transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. - In the same pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter, then add olive oil and the Brussels sprouts. Season them with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and dried thyme right in the pan.
- Cook Brussels sprouts on medium high heat for 8-10 minutes to ensure browning of the sprouts. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan while cooking.
- Next pour in the heavy cream, reduce heat down to low and allow the sprouts to simmer until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the bacon in and mix to combine all of the flavours together. Top the sprouts with the mozzarella cheese and increase the heat. The cheese will quickly melt on top of the warm sauce and will thicken it.
- Simmer for additional 5-10 minutes.
- Season with a little extra pepper and more mozzarella cheese before serving.
- Serve immediately.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only. This information comes from online calculators. Although whatsinthepan.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
Its really 647 calories per serving?
Yes – I can only eat a little portion at a time, but usually come back for more a bit later.
What is the correct measurements 1 and 1/2 cups?
It’s one and a half cups.
Does the recipe call for 1 and 1/2 cups of heavy cream?
Yes!
Do you keep all the bacon grease in the pan to cook the Brussels sprouts in or pour it out?
Yes, I kept the bacon grease, however it’s a personal preference and it can be discarded.
Could anything be substituted for the heavy cream? My stomach doesn’t do well with cream, but I really want to try this recipe! Thanks!
You can use half and half (which does have cream but not as much) or just use skim milk and thicken the sauce with flour or corn starch.
can these bemadeahead of time and reheated
Absolutely! Add either chicken broth, vegetable broth or milk when reheating.
Can you use frozen brussels sprouts?
Definitely!
Crazy good! Thank you
H – How can I print the recipes please?
You can print it right from the top (the print button is under the title). Or you can print from the recipe box (under the picture).
What is the serving size? I couldn’t find it
It’s about one cup.