My Creamy Brussels Sprout and Bacon Soup is a comforting meal for a chilly night ~ just add a simple salad, a hunk of whole grain bread, and a glass of wine.
the secret to the best Brussels sprout soup
The secret to the best Brussels sprout soup? ~ spoiler alert ~ it’s bacon! This thick chowder features Brussels sprouts ~ those irresistible little mini cabbages that are the highlight of my winter ~ but some of the credit for this luscious soup has to go to the shallots, cream, sharp cheese aaaaaaaaaand, bacon. Lots of it.
This creamy Brussels sprout and bacon soup is serious comfort food for seriously hungry folks. The bacon in this recipe makes it a little bit decadent, too. I cook up a whole package and save it until the very end to add it on top of the soup ~ that way it stays nice and crispy and makes such a nice contrast with the creamy soup.
Brussels sprouts grow in the most amazing manner ~ in a spiral pattern along a huge stalk. Every once in a while I’ll see them sold that way at my supermarket and I get really excited. There’s nothing fresher than plucking your sprouts off the actual stalk.
Brussels sprouts are a true winter veggie, they actually get sweeter after a frost, so I love to weave them into my recipes during these months.
Brussels sprouts inspire strong feelings in people, I’ve talked about that before in my Creamed Brussels Sprout Gratin post. Most people who say they hate them have just never had them prepared properly.
Whether you boil, steam, or roast your sprouts, the key is not to over do it, and preserve a little of that wonderful color and texture.
tips for Brussels sprout soup
- I concentrate the flavor of this soup by roasting the Brussels sprouts rather than boiling them. This only takes about 30 minutes, and is well worth the effort. If I’m using the sprouts as a side dish, this is how I do it 90% of the time. The high heat caramelizes them and intensifies their flavor.
- To remove delicate Brussels sprout leaves for a garnish, trim the stem end off a raw sprout and gently peel off the leaves starting from the bottom. Use them raw as a garnish, or toss lightly in olive oil and roast the individual leaves for an incredible crispy snack!
- This soup will thicken after refrigerating, so add more stock to thin it down when you reheat.
- Don’t be tempted to use frozen Brussels sprouts for this soup ~ they contain minimal flavor and you won’t be able to roast them. Brussels sprouts are available at most stores throughout the winter.
“Sue, I made this soup and it was delicious, hearty and decadent! I need to borrow a line from Tina Turner: “You’re simply the best; Better than all the rest!” I always look forward to your recipes and beautiful photography.” ~Jane
Creamy Brussels Sprout and Bacon Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts
- olive oil for drizzling
- salt and fresh cracked black pepper
- 12 ounces bacon, snipped or chopped into 1/2 inch dice
- 2 large shallots, about 1/2 cup chopped
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 cup cream or half and half
- 1 heaping cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Set oven to 375F
- Wash and trim the stems from the sprouts. Cut them in half, or in quarters if they are very large. Drizzle them with olive oil, and then sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
- Roast the sprouts for about 20-30 minutes, just until they have softened and have taken on a little color. Stir them around on the pan a few times during cooking. Set aside.
- Cook the bacon until crispy in a large soup pot. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Leave about 3 Tbsp of the bacon fat in the pan and add the shallots. Saute them for about 5 minutes, until they are softened, don’t let them brown.
- Add the chicken stock and the sprouts to the pan, and bring up to a simmer. Cook gently for 5 minutes.
- Working in batches, puree the soup. I used my food processor, but if you prefer a chunkier texture you could use an immersion blender. Return the pureed soup to the pot.
- Add the cream to the soup and reheat to a simmer. Taste to adjust the salt and pepper, and then, once the soup is nice and hot, remove from the heat and add the cheeses, slowly, and stir until it is completely melted.
- Serve hot with a good helping of crisp bacon in the center.
Nutrition
Sue, this soup was amazing! My family loved it, and told me to keep this recipe handy! Thanks.
Hi Sue!
I know you specifically discourage using frozen brussels sprouts, but I was trying to use up some things in my freezer and I had a big bag of them. I thought I would try my luck since I had all the other ingredients and I didn’t want to hit the store. I put them frozen onto a baking sheet with some bacon drippings and popped them straight into a 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes giving then a couple of quick stirs/shakes along the way. They came out roasty, caramelized, and delicious! I made the rest of the recipe as written and it turned out great! I know the recipe will be even better with fresh brussels sprouts, so I definitely intend to make it again with fresh ones. Just wanted to let you know that the frozen sprouts worked in a pinch and the soup turned out sooooooo good! Thanks for the great recipe!
I am so glad to hear this Hilary, I’m definitely going to give them another try.
Hi
Can this soup be frozen?
Thanks
Sure, that should work fine.
Didn’t pureed the soup and add some chillies. it was delicioussssssss …
Sounds amazing!
Just made this soup and it’s a winner. I followed the recipe as stated but I added 4 stalks of asparagus (I had them in the fridge and didn’t want to waste them). I roasted my brussel sprouts & asparagus for 20 minuets but next time I will do the full 30 minutes. This soup is delicious and I will be making it again. I think it would be a great soup for Thanksgiving; I plan on serving it next year. Thank you for posting this recipe.
You’ve given me the idea that this recipe would work great as an asparagus soup! Thanks Monique 🙂
Sue, how sweet does this soup come out? I’m not a big fan of pumpkin pie sweet for a soup. 2ndly. I don’t know how you “roast”a spout. Thanks Sue.
Hi Katherine! This soup isn’t sweet at all, and the roasting instructions are at the beginning of the recipe, you’ll basically trim and halve the sprouts, toss them with a little oil and salt, and roast on a baking sheet in the oven until they get tender and caramelized.
Would love a crock pot version of this!
What a wonderful soup! I did some changes though. We used vegetable broth and canned coconut milk. We also omitted the bacon and made it vegetarian. Fabulous! Thankyou!
Good to know about the vegetarian option Paula, thanks!
Was trying to find a recipe to use up a bag of brussel sprouts I still had in the crisper. Absolutely loved this and had all the ingredients on hand. I think next time I may leave out the cheese or cut back on it as I really liked the flavor better before I added in the cheese. Husband was raving about it so I will be making again.
Thanks Kris! I always encourage everybody to experiment and adjust these recipes to get them just right for your personal taste, maybe you can leave the cheese out in future and just add it to your husband’s portion as you serve him.
Cooking this now. The sprouts are in the oven.
I will let you know how I get on