You never thought you’d see the day! The day when you were actually excited about eating some greens. Well, that’s the kind of magic the holidays bring! Get in those veggies as you load up your plate with this Ultimate Brussels Sprouts Casserole! It features those perfectly tender Brussels sprouts, but don’t worry. There’s plenty of melty cheese and crispy bacon to cover up the fact you’re eating something kind of healthy. Nothing beats the crunchy panko topping to really give the Ultimate Brussels Sprouts Casserole some extra pizzaz. If you ask us, the deliciousness of this side dish really is a holiday miracle!
Ingredients
For the casserole:
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed, halved
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded, divided
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
For the panko topping:
- 1/2 cup panko
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Step 2 –In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon pieces until they are lightly golden and just crispy, about 6-8 minutes.
Step 3 –Transfer the cooked bacon pieces to a paper-towel-lined plate.
Step 4 –Add the Brussels sprouts and the onion to the same skillet and stir well to coat them with the bacon drippings. Cook, without stirring, until the sprouts start to brown and caramelize, about 6 minutes.
Step 5 –Stir 1 teaspoon of the salt, 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper, and the cayenne pepper into the sprouts mixture and cook until the sprouts are almost tender, about 6 minutes.
Step 6 –While the sprouts mixture is cooking, in a small bowl, add the panko, the oil, the parsley, the lemon zest, the remaining salt, and the remaining pepper and stir well to combine.
Step 7 –Transfer the skillet from the heat and stir the heavy cream, the Dijon mustard, the lemon juice, 1/2 of the Monterey Jack, 1/2 of the sharp cheddar, and 1/2 of the cooked bacon into the sprouts mixture.
Step 8 –Sprinkle the sprouts mixture with the panko mixture.
Step 9 –Bake the casserole until it is bubbling around the edges and the panko topping is golden-brown, about 18-20 minutes.
Step 10 –Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes.
Step 11 –Serve the casserole sprinkled with the remaining bacon, the remaining Monterey Jack, and the remaining sharp cheddar.
