Cheesy Brussels Sprouts Bread Pudding Recipe (2024)

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Unlike many of my friends, I didn’t grow up eating mushy boiled brussels sprouts. In fact, I didn’t officially meet brussels sprouts until my twenties, and then it was love at first bite.The year was 2003, and my husband and I had just moved to London, into a small apartment right above Portobello Road Market in Notting Hill. Several days a week, the streets below would blossom with fruit and vegetable stalls, their makeshift tents and barrels of delicious treasures spilling out onto the road. Our first year there was also our first time living in the Northern Hemisphere, and every season bought new surprises. For our first Christmas, we hosted an “orphan’s lunch” featuring a motley crew of expats and displaced souls looking for that feeling of family far away from home. My husband roasted an unfamiliar bird (it may have been pheasant), and we dined on celery root soup and roasted brussels sprouts. From that moment on, and for every ensuing Christmas we spent in London, I vowed that brussels sprouts would always be on my holiday menu.Our brussels-sprouts-for-Christmas pledge hit a snag when we returned home to Australia to realize that December (our summer) was not the season for brussels sprouts down under. It was back to seafood lunches, cold ham, and salads for the holidays. And while we could find cold-storage brussels sprouts at larger supermarkets, it never felt quite right tucking into a plate of hot roasted sprouts while sweat collected on our brows.When we moved to New York, there was great comfort in being reunited with the holiday food we fell in love with years earlier. It was also a relief to be able to turn on the oven to prepare our Christmas feast. This Cheesy Brussels Sprouts Bread Pudding is one of the crowd-pleasing mains we consistently serve during the holidays. I started making it a few years ago as a hybrid recipe, inspired by the bread puddings we ate for dessert in Australia and the Thanksgiving stuffing that is served here in America. You can use any bread for this pudding, but I do adore the airiness of brioche.The best thing about this dish is that you can effortlessly prep ahead. I always put it together the night before, leave it in the fridge overnight, and then bake it the next day. There is definitely a skill in emerging from the holidays unscathed, and this recipe is a great one to have up your sleeve to give yourself a break when you need it most.

ByHetty McKinnon

Updated on July 20, 2023

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Recipes published by Food & Wine are rigorously tested by the culinary professionals at the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in order to empower home cooks to enjoy being in the kitchen and preparing meals they will love. Our expert culinary team tests and retests each recipe using equipment and ingredients found in home kitchens to ensure that every recipe is delicious and works for cooks at home every single time.

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Cheesy Brussels Sprouts Bread Pudding Recipe (1)

Active Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

1 hr

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 2 large shallots, finely sliced

  • 12 ounces brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced (about 4 cups)

  • 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

  • 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided

  • 8 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced

  • 1/4 cup salted butter, divided

  • 10 large fresh sage leaves, finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)

  • 5 large eggs

  • 3 cups whole milk

  • 1 (14-ounce) loaf brioche bread, cut into 1-inch cubes

  • 4 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded (about 1 1/4 cups)

  • 5 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 1/2 cups)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add shallots; cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots have softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add brussels sprouts and garlic; season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring often, until sprouts have softened, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and 1 tablespoon butter. Cook, stirring often, until mushrooms are softened and slightly caramelized, about 4 minutes. Add sage, and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat, and let cool slightly, about 15 minutes.

  2. Beat eggs and milk in a medium bowl; season with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and remaining 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Cut remaining 3 tablespoons butter into cubes. Add cubed butter, brioche cubes, Gruyère, and Parmesan to brussels sprouts mixture in skillet; gently toss to combine. Pour egg mixture brioche mixture; let stand 15 minutes to allow bread to absorb egg mixture. (At this point, you can place it in the fridge for several hours or overnight. When ready to cook, take it out of the fridge, and let it come to room temperature before baking.)

  3. Bake in preheated oven until golden and center is set, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

Cheesy Brussels Sprouts Bread Pudding Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why do you soak Brussels sprouts? ›

Soaking Brussels sprouts in water is a terrific way to prep them to have a soft, juicy center that cooks to the perfect doneness in the same amount of time it takes those outer leaves to get nice and crispy.

Should you blanch Brussel Sprouts before baking them? ›

Like all cabbages, Brussels are unavoidably fibrous and dense. You must overcome this by either cooking them in salty water until fork tender (blanching), or by roasting at a high (over 425F) temperature for upwards of 20 minutes. To guarantee great texture, do both!

Why are my Brussel Sprouts soggy in the oven? ›

Not using enough oil.

The other secret to ridiculously crispy Brussels sprouts is tossing them in plenty of oil. We like to use olive oil, but plain vegetable oil is great too. If the sprouts are well-coated, they'll caramelize and char instead of simply softening in the oven.

What happens if you don't wash brussel sprouts? ›

It's important to wash Brussels sprouts before you eat them to get rid of dirt, bugs, pesticide residue, and bacteria. Luckily, it's easy to wash these delicious vegetables.

Do you need to cut the ends off Brussels sprouts? ›

Individual sprouts: Brussels sprouts sold by the pound are what you find most often at the market. They need to be trimmed of their dry ends and yellowed or damaged leaves before halving and cooking.

What gives Brussels sprouts a better taste? ›

In the late 1990s scientists identified specific chemicals, called glucosinolates, that made Brussels sprouts taste bitter. Plant breeders started growing old seeds, previously discarded for producing paltry harvests, to identify tastier versions with lower levels of these compounds.

Is it OK to eat Brussel Sprouts everyday? ›

Is it OK to eat Brussels sprouts everyday? Go for it. “If you enjoy sprouts and can tolerate them, absolutely! They're lower in calories and contain a myriad of important nutrients” says Snyder.

Which country eats the most Brussel Sprouts? ›

Did you know? Britons eat more Brussels sprouts than any other nation in Europe. Our sprout industry is worth £650m and the area covered by sprout fields in the UK is the equivalent of 3,240 football pitches. It's fair to say that these days, no one loves sprouts more than the British.

Is it better to roast Brussels sprouts whole or halved? ›

While you can make roasted Brussels sprouts whole or halved, I recommend trimming and halving them for this easy recipe. To trim: Using a knife, trim off the bottom of the tough stem end of each Brussels sprout. Then, remove any yellow or damaged leaves, and cut each Brussels sprout in half lengthwise.

Are small or large Brussels sprouts better? ›

Smaller Brussel Sprouts are more compact and mild compared to their larger counterparts. Either version is fine, especially considering you often don't have the luxury of choice at the grocery store.

Should you roast Brussels sprouts cut side up or down? ›

Roast 'em! Our two rules: place and space! Place them cut side down to create that slightly crunchy exterior and soft interior. Space them out evenly so they don't steam–a crowded sheet pan party is not where your brussels want to be.

What does soaking brussel sprouts in salt water do? ›

first soak them 20 minutes in cold salted water. softens your sprouts. making them come out tender in the center. and crispy on the outside.

Do you need to rinse Brussels sprouts before cooking? ›

Rinse under cold running water to remove any dust or dirt. Use a small knife to remove the sprout tip, and then remove any leaves that have bad spots. Raw: Slice thinly and toss with other shredded vegetables like cabbage, carrots, or beets. Add your favorite salad dressing.

How long do you soak sprouts for? ›

The norm is 8-12 hours, but some soak for only 20 minutes, some occasionally soak in warm or hot water and for more or less time - Check the seed information pages for the seeds you are sprouting. Skim off any non-seeds that are floating on the water*.

What happens if you soak sprouts too long? ›

Soaking too long can waterlog seeds and Soaking in hot water can "cook" them, so it is follows that if you can get all of your seeds soaked in 12 hours they are much better off. If you are in a pinch for time you can use 90-100° water to cut the soak time down.

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