Creamy Blue Cheese Brussels Sprouts

These creamy blue cheese brussels sprouts are roasted until tender and topped with hot honey and candied pecans to add a touch of sweetness. If you are wondering what type of side dish to make this holiday season, look no further. If you love the tang of blue cheese balanced with the sweetness of candied pecans, this recipe is for you!

Blue Cheese Brussels Sprouts

Earlier this year I made a blue cheese dip with candied pecans, similar to the one Trader Joe’s sells during the holidays. After making it, I thought that it would make such a great addition to roasted brussels sprouts. Many of you have found my page because of my Feta Roasted Brussels Sprouts or my Boursin Baked Brussels Sprouts. So many people love these dishes so I wanted to create a new version using the blue cheese dip I have been loving.

I combined blue cheese and cream cheese to create a creamy mild cheese mixture. I then added this creamy mixture to the bottom of a casserole dish. Next, I halved my brussels sprouts and added each half, cut side down, on top of the blue cheese mixture. Then I basted them with a little olive oil and seasoning salt, and added it to the oven to bake.

While the brussels sprouts were baking, I made a quick batch of candied pecans. I also thought about adding bacon to these brussels sprouts, but I decided to keep this dish vegetarian. Although, if you love bacon, that would be adelicious on these brussels sprouts instead of the pecans or in addition to them. Once the brussels sprouts were fully baked, I pulled them out of the oven, added hot honey, and then added my candied pecan pieces.

I love the way the hot cheese baked right into all of the tender leaves. Making my brussels sprouts this way for forever be my favorite way of baking them.

How to make Delicious Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are not the most loved vegetable, due to their strong taste and their ability to make any household smell like brussels sprouts for days. There are a few ways to make the flavor less bitter and they all require balancing the flavor with other flavors. I try to balance flavors in most things I make, but if you are trying to convert a non-brussels sprouts eater to a brussel sprouts lover, you will have to try some version of this.

Brussels sprouts have bitterness, but when they are roasted with some oil, they also have this wonderful nutty flavor. You should always add a little salt when roasting them at all. A lot of people find just roasting them with some oil does the trick, but some people need a little more convincing.

One common blend of ingredients for brussels sprouts is to cook them with some bacon, bacon fat, and a little maple syrup. These sweet and salty topping really kick it up a notch. Be careful not to use too much oil or fat or else the brussels sprouts will go from crunchy to soggy. I like to add a touch of syrup at the end because syrup can burn easily and I like the way it tastes as a final topping.

This creamy blue cheese brussels sprouts recipe with honey and candied pecans is a great vegetarian version of the above. Blue cheese adds the perfect creamy salty component and honey and candied pecans add just the right amount of sweetness.

Some other flavors that work with brussels sprouts is lemon and parmesan. The lemon gives it a punch of sour and it helps to balance the bitterness. Check out my Parmesan crusted Brussels Sprouts if you are a big parmesan lover.

How to make Creamy Blue Cheese Brussels Sprouts

These creamy blue cheese brussels sprouts are roasted until tender and topped with hot honey and candied pecans to add a touch of sweetness.

INGREDIENTS  

• 1 lb Brussels Sprouts halved
• 3 oz Blue Cheese
• 4 oz Cream Cheese half of a block
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/2 tsp Lawrys Seasoning Salt
• 1 tbsp Hot Honey
• 3 tbsp Brown Sugar
• 1/3 cup Pecan pieces
• pinch of salt
• water

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Prepare your brussels sprouts by cutting the bottom off of each brussels sprout and then halving each one.
• Add blue cheese and cream cheese to a microwaveable bowl. Heat until softened and easily combined. This should take about 30 seconds
• Preheat oven to 400F
• Spray the bottom of a 10.5″x7.5″ casserole dish. You could also just use a very little bit of oil. Spread the cheese mixture on the dish, creating an even layer. 
• Lay each Brussels sprout cut side down into the cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and gently spread the oil evenly on the top of all of the brussels sprouts by using a pastry brush or your fingers. Evenly sprinkle on the seasoning salt and then put them in the oven to cook for 28-30 minutes. 
• While the brussels sprouts are cooking, make your candied pecans. Add 3 tablespoons of brown sugar to a pan on medium heat with 1/2 tablespoon of water. Mix until fully combined and bubbling and then add in your pecan pieces and mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes and then turn the heat off and add the pecans to a plate to cool. 
• Remove the brussels sprouts from the oven and let them rest (untouched) for 5-10 minutes. Drizzle the honey on them as soon as you remove them from the oven and then add your candied pecans.