Creamy Instant Pot Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Creamy Instant Pot Brussels sprouts with bacon is a delicious side dish recipe you’ll love. You’ll love eating your veggies when they are dressed in creamy, cheesy goodness and crisp bacon!
Brussels sprouts get a bad rap in my humble opinion.
So many people think of these tiny cabbages as the sad steamed or boiled side their grandmas or moms used to force them to eat as kids.
But, they can be so much more, and oh so much better.
It’s all about preparation when it comes to turning Brussels sprouts into a mouthwatering, low carb side you’ll be so delighted to eat that you will even want to serve it up as a holiday side.
And just because there’s more to it than boiling or steaming, doesn’t mean it’s hard.
In fact, thanks to the Instant Pot, this dish is almost effortless and easy to put together any night of the year!
Ingredients
To make this recipe you’ll need:
- Brussels sprouts– Use fresh Brussels sprouts here. Make sure to wash them and trim the flat end off. Then cut them in half.
- Butter
- Spices– salt, pepper, and fresh minced garlic
- Chicken broth– You can substitute veggie broth if you prefer.
- Cream cheese– Let the cream cheese soften and cut it to cubes prior to making this.
- Parmesan cheese– Go for the shredded variety here instead of the grated kind you get in the can.
- Bacon– Cook it crisp and crumble it up. You can do this ahead of time.
How to Make
Making this is a snap!
To do it, add the the prepared Brussels sprouts to the inner liner of your Instant Pot.
Then, pour in the broth.
Now add the cream cheese, butter, garlic, salt and pepper.
Don’t stir!
Next, secure the lid on the Pot, making sure the vent is set to seal.
Pressure cook on high for 2 minutes.
When the pot beeps, carefully open the valve and do a quick release.
Then open the lid and stir everything just until the sauce comes together.
Once it comes together, stir in the Parmesan cheese and bacon until they are incorporated.
Serve and enjoy!
Storing Leftovers
If you have leftovers of these pressure cooker Brussel sprouts, you can store them covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat, you can pop them in the microwave.
What size Instant Pot should I use?
I have tested this recipe in both my 6 quart and my 8 quart Instant Pot with fabulous results in each.
If you are using a 3 quart Instant Pot, you’ll need to halve the recipe due to lack of space.
What to Serve With
This pairs well with almost any main dish you can think of.
I particularly love it as a side dish on my holiday table.
It’s also fantastic with these:
- Roasted Pork Loin with Seasoned Saurkraut
- Nonna’s City Chicken
- Beef Tips In Brown Gravy
- Stovetop Stuffing Mix Meatloaf
- Air Fryer Fried Chicken
Tips and Tricks
- Wondering how to pick the best Brussels sprouts? Look for firm sprouts that are bright green with mostly closed heads. Tried to avoid sprouts that are yellowing or have black spots.
- For the best flavor and mouth feel, don’t use low fat cream cheese.
- If you are looking to make this vegetarian, omit the bacon and substitute veggie stock for chicken stock.
- Use low sodium stock to have more control over how salty this is.
Other Cheesy Instant Pot Side Dishes You’ll Love
These creamy Instant Pot Brussels sprouts with bacon are one of my favorite sides to make in the Instant Pot and definitely one of my favorite ways to eat Brussels sprouts.
Put them on your menu this week!
Looking for other cheesy Instant Pot side dishes?
Try these:
- Instant Pot Shells & Cheese
- Instant Pot Cheesy Broccoli & Rice
- Instant Pot Kielbasa, Green Beans, & Potatoes
If you’ve tried these CREAMY INSTANT POT BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH BACON or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Instant Pot Creamy Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Ingredients
- 2 lbs fresh brussels sprouts washed, trimmed, and cut in half lengthwise
- 1 tbsp butter
- salt & pepper
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 6 oz cream cheese softened and cut into cubes
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 6 slices bacon cooked crisp and crumbled
Instructions
- Add the prepared sprouts to the liner of your Instant Pot, then pour in the chicken broth.
- On top of the sprouts, add the cream cheese, butter, garlic, salt & pepper.
- Close the lid, and set the vent valve to seal.
- Set the pot to pressure cook on high for 2 minutes. Once the timer beeps, carefully open the vent valve (avoid the hot steam), and do a quick release of the built up pressure.
- Carefully open the lid, and stir everything just until the sauce has come together. If it's too hot, wait a minute or two until the heat and remaining steam have cleared before continuing to stir.
- Stir in the Parmesan and bacon, until incorporated.
- Add the lid back to the pot, turning to close and let everything rest for 3-5 minutes. The sauce will thicken some as it sits.
- Serve the sprouts warm, with extra crumbled bacon if desired, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Can it be made without an instant pot?
You could make it in the oven. You’d need to boil them until tender, crisp in skillet, mix and then pour cream sauce over them, and then bake until done. We also have a similar recipe called Cream Braised Brussels Sprouts that you could top with crumbled bacon for serving.