Gordon Ramsay’s Brussels sprouts are blanched, tossed in crispy pancetta fat with chestnuts and finished with fresh lemon zest and juice. The recipe comes from Ultimate Christmas and serves 8-10 as a side. It takes about 20 minutes from start to table.
He has three sprout recipes across three cookbooks, each with a completely different flavour. The Christmas version uses pancetta and chestnuts with lemon, while the other two take the sprouts in different directions entirely.
The blanching time is where most people go wrong. Christmas calls for just 2-3 minutes, while the ALL-NEW version goes up to 10. That difference decides whether your sprouts have crunch or give way when you bite.
Gordon Ramsay’s Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Chestnuts
Course: Side DishCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy8
10
minutes10
minutes180
kcal20
minutesThe Christmas Day side dish from Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Christmas. Three sprout recipes exist across three of his cookbooks with blanching times ranging from 2 to 10 minutes. This version keeps the sprouts barely tender so they finish cooking in the hot pan.
Ingredients
1kg Brussels sprouts, outer leaves removed, halved
1-2 tsp olive oil
200g pancetta, cut into lardons
200g vacuum-packed chestnuts, roughly chopped
2 lemons (zest and juice)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Blanch the sprouts: Trim the base and cut in half lengthways. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, add the sprouts and blanch for 2-3 minutes. Drain well.
- Fry the pancetta: Heat the olive oil in a wide frying pan and fry the pancetta for a few minutes until golden and crisp.
- Add the sprouts: Toss the drained sprouts into the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, tossing occasionally so they absorb the fat.
- Finish: Add the chestnuts, grate over the lemon zest and squeeze over a little juice. Season and transfer to a warmed serving dish.
FAQs
Why does Ramsay blanch for only 2-3 minutes?
The short blanch keeps the sprouts firm so they crisp up when they hit the hot pancetta fat. Overcooked sprouts turn mushy and cannot develop any colour in the pan.
In the ALL-NEW version, he blanches for 8-10 minutes and refreshes in ice water. That gives a softer, more traditional texture. The Christmas version is crunchier because the sprouts finish cooking in the frying pan rather than the water.
How does the ALL-NEW version differ?
It adds butter alongside the oil, red pepper flakes for heat, and fresh thyme leaves. The biggest difference is the finishing: Ramsay says to “sprinkle on freshly grated Parmesan and toasted sliced almonds” for extra flavour.
The Christmas version relies on lemon to cut through the richness. The ALL-NEW version uses chilli heat and Parmesan salt instead. Both use pancetta and chestnuts as the base, but the toppings change the character completely.
What about the Sunday Lunch version without pancetta?
Sunday Lunch skips the pork entirely. It uses just butter, olive oil and 75g toasted flaked almonds with sprouts blanched for 7-9 minutes. This makes it the lightest of the three and works for guests who do not eat pork.
The longer blanch gives a softer sprout that absorbs the butter rather than crisping in fat. His roast chicken pairs well with this gentler version as a Sunday lunch side.
Can you prep Brussels sprouts ahead for Christmas?
Blanch the sprouts the day before and store in the fridge. When ready to serve, fry the pancetta, toss in the cold sprouts and they will heat through and crisp in 3-4 minutes. The chestnuts and lemon go in at the end.
His cranberry sauce can be made 3-4 days ahead, and his panna cotta sets overnight in the fridge. Getting sides and dessert prepped before Christmas Day takes the pressure off.
Why add lemon at the end?
The acid cuts through the heavy pancetta fat and earthy chestnuts. Ramsay adds both zest and juice: the zest gives fragrant citrus oil while the juice adds sharpness. Without it the dish tastes flat and heavy.
His turkey wellington and these sprouts are designed as a pair from the same Christmas menu. The lemon on the sprouts balances the rich pastry and mushroom duxelles in the wellington.
