Sprout Gratin
Sprouts get a bad reputation and honestly, we're on a mission to change that. This gratin is the recipe that converts sprout sceptics every single time. You've got tender Brussels sprouts baked in a rich, thyme-infused cream with a golden, crunchy hazelnut breadcrumb topping that is genuinely one of the best things to come out of our kitchen. It's cosy, it's indulgent, and it feels properly special without being a massive faff. Make this tonight and watch everyone go back for seconds.
Before You Start
- Preheat oven to 200°C fan
- Baking tray for hazelnuts
- Small saucepan
- Large pot
- Large frying pan
- High-sided baking dish
Ingredients
- 25g blanched hazelnuts
- 15g panko breadcrumbs
- 5 sprigs of thyme
- 500ml plant-based cream
- 4 sprigs of thyme
- 3 bay leaves
- 300g Brussels sprouts
- 2 leeks
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 30g plant-based butter
- ½ tsp nutmeg
Method
Infuse the cream
- Pour the cream into a small saucepan with the thyme sprigs and bay. Bring to a gentle simmer and simmer for 3-4 minutes then switch off the heat. Set aside to infuse the cream
For the hazelnut breadcrumbs
- Pop the hazelnuts on a baking tray and roast in the oven for about 8 minutes until golden and smelling delicious
- Pick the thyme leaves from the stalk
- Once the hazelnuts have cooled, finely chop them
- In a small pan over medium heat, toast the breadcrumbs. Once golden brown, stir through thyme leaves and chopped hazelnuts
For the sprouts
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Once boiling, add the sprouts and simmer for 3 minutes to soften them. Drain and allow to steam dry for at least 5 minutes
For the gratin
- Wash and slice the leeks into rounds then peel and crush the garlic
- In a large frying pan over medium to high heat, melt the butter. Once foaming, add the leeks and a pinch of salt and saute, stirring often, for about 4 minutes until soft. Add the crushed garlic, and cook for a further minute. Add the sprouts and stir well so that the vegetables are completely combined. Remove from the heat
Bake and serve!
- Preheat the oven to 200*C fan setting
- Tip the brussel sprouts and leeks into a high sided baking dish. Fish out the thyme and bay from the cream and stir through the nutmeg. Pour the cream over the brussels and leeks. Bake in the hot oven for 10 minutes, until golden on the top and bubbling round the sides
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the prepared breadcrumbs. Serve immediately
Tips & Variations
- Nail the breadcrumbs: Don't skip roasting the hazelnuts before chopping them. Even 8 minutes in the oven transforms them from bland to deeply nutty and fragrant, and that makes all the difference to the topping.
- Get ahead: You can infuse the cream and prep the hazelnut breadcrumbs earlier in the day, then just assemble and bake when you're ready. Makes the whole thing feel effortless at dinner time.
- Make it a showstopper: This works brilliantly as a side for a big roast dinner, but we also love it as the main event with some crusty bread and a simple green salad alongside.
Why This Works
The trick here is infusing the cream with thyme and bay before it ever hits the sprouts. That gentle simmer pulls all those herby, aromatic flavours into the cream so every bite is packed with depth. And the roasted hazelnut breadcrumbs on top aren't just there to look pretty, they add this nutty, toasty crunch that cuts right through the richness underneath. Trust us on this one.