Vegetable Au Gratin with Brussels Sprouts
Enjoy this comfort dish with charred cabbage and Brussels Sprouts, the perfect vegetarian holiday side dish: Vegetable Au Gratin with Brussels Sprouts.
Gratins can be made with so many different ingredients like potatoes, green beans, and even spinach. There’s nothing like setting a cheesy vegetable side dish on the table, especially when the veggies are charred. The flavor is amazing. And if you’re looking for a classic au gratin recipe, you may want to try Ina Gartin’s Potato-Fennel Gratin Recipe that we serve every year with prime rib.
Vegetable Au Gratin
We love a creamy au gratin dish served with any protein, but it’s especially popular during the holiday season. You may have already tried our Cauliflower Bacon Gratin (yes, for you bacon lovers), or our recent Green Beans Au Gratin.
Why we love this recipe
Brussels Sprouts and cabbage are another wonderful combination, especially when charred, they bring another level of flavor that potatoes and beans can’t bring. This is what makes this dish so special. The lacy, soft, crinkly Savoy cabbage is perfect for this recipe.
What is a gratin?
What is au gratin versus scalloped? A gratin is a dish baked with a light browned crust of breadcrumbs or melted cheese. Or, in our recipe, today–both panko breadcrumbs and cheese! A scalloped recipe is usually a thickly-sliced potatoes dish resembling sea scallops as they cook. Both involve a cream sauce and bread crumb topping. Not all gratins and scalloped potato recipes have cheese.
Char the veggies for this Vegetable Au Gratin with Brussels Sprouts
Take the extra step to char the veggies! Charring these vegetables brings out caramel, nutty flavors that taste delicious with sweet baked cream and savory cheeses. Additionally, charring the vegetables reduced the bake time in the oven and leads to a tender, toothsome texture.
A win-win for everyone. Especially for Thanksgiving when you’re cooking all those side dishes and trying to juggle the oven time.
Ingredients for Vegetable Gratin
- Savoy cabbage: Savoy cabbage is a green cabbage with crinkly, lacy leaves
- Brussels sprouts
- Avocado oil (or another neutral oil like grapeseed or canola)
- Salt + black pepper
- Heavy cream
- Whole milk
- Fresh black pepper
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Dijon mustard
- Maple syrup
- Parmesan cheese
- Sharp cheddar cheese (or gruyere is a good replacement, or you can add both)
- Butter
- Panko bread crumbs
How to assemblel a vegetable au gratin
- Preheat broiler to high and place a rack under the broiler.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the cabbage with avocado oil and a pinch of salt. Arrange half of the cabbage onto a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Broil and then toss the cabbage and broil more until charred. Repeat for remaining cabbage then set aside.
- Toss the brussels sprouts with avocado oil and season with salt. Arrange onto a rimmed baking sheet and broil and toss, and then broil some more until charred. Combine with the cabbage, then transfer both to a greased ceramic dish (about 9×13’’ or similar size).
- Next ,combine the melted butter, black pepper, a pinch of salt, and the panko.
- In a bowl, mix together the cream, milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg, mustard, syrup, and parmesan. Whisk together, then pour it over the cabbage and sprouts. Top with the sharp cheddar and place the dish on a baking sheet.
- Bake on the center rack until the cream thickens, cheese melts, and panko is golden.
- Optional to broil the top additiona minute or so until golden (while keeping it on the center rack).
- Let the gratin cool a bit before serving.
Tips and substitutions:
You can add in other roasted vegetables, but note the roasting time first before you char them (for example carrots, parsnips and beets would have to be cooked longer).
Change up the cheese for your favorite. We also love Gruyere in this recipe, but you can add Swiss cheese, too.
Use a mandolin to get consistency sizes of the veggies. Here’s an affordable mandolin that works well – buy it here (affiliate link): Mandolin.
Shredding your own cheese makes for a smoother, stringer texture because there is no anti caking agent to prevent it from sticking together.
How to serve an au gratin recipe
Make in a 9×13 pan. Serve hot and bubbly out of the oven.
This makes a delicious holiday potluck dish! Give it a try!
ENJOY!
More vegetable side dishes to try:
Creamy Mushroom Orzo with Ricotta
Vegetarian Miso Mushroom Stuffing
Cheesy Mushroom Kale Challah Bread Pudding
Get the Recipe:
Vegetable Au Gratin with Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 8 c savoy cabbage, sliced 1/4’’ thick (about 1 small head)
- 1 lb. brussels sprouts, thinly sliced/ shaven
- 7 tbsp avocado oil, or another neutral oil like grapeseed or canola
- 1 ¼ tsp salt plus more to season
- 1 c heavy cream
- ½ c whole milk
- 1 ½ tsp fresh black pepper
- a pinch of nutmeg
- 1 ½ tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 c parmesan cheese
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, or gruyere
- 3 Tbsp melted butter
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 c panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat broiler to high and place a rack under the broiler.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the cabbage with 4 T of avocado oil and a pinch of salt. Arrange half of the cabbage onto a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Broil 4-5 minutes, then toss the cabbage and broil 4-5 minutes more until charred. Repeat for remaining cabbage then set aside.
- Toss the brussels sprouts with 3 tbsp of avocado oil and season with salt. Arrange onto a rimmed baking sheet and broil 4-5 minutes, then toss and broil 4-5 minutes more. Combine with the cabbage, then transfer both to a greased ceramic dish (about 9x13’’ or similar size).
- Preheat oven to 375 D F.
- Combine the melted butter, 1/2 tsp black pepper, a pinch of salt, and the panko.
- In a bowl, mix together the cream, milk, 1 1/4 tsp salt, pepper, nutmeg, mustard, syrup, and parmesan. Whisk together, then pour it over the cabbage and sprouts. Top with the sharp cheddar and place the dish on a baking sheet.
- Bake on the center rack for 50-60 minutes, until the cream thickens, cheese melts, and panko is golden. If needed, broil the top for 1 minute or so until golden (while keeping it on the center rack).
- Let the gratin cool 10 minutes before serving.
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
