What happened? I’ll tell you what happened – recipes like this one – Warm Brussels Sprout Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette – happened. No more soggy, bland Brussels sprouts! There’s a variety of ways to cook and flavor them now and this is one of my favorites.
Brussels sprouts are related to cabbage (easy to tell because they look like baby cabbages!) and are in the same family as broccoli and cauliflower. That means they have a lot of the same great health benefits as all of those cruciferous veggies: high in fiber and antioxidant properties. So they are a great veggie to add to your diet on a regular basis.
This recipe is a breeze to make and the best part is that it leaves the aroma of cooking bacon in your kitchen – that’s never a bad thing at my house! But the reason I love this recipe so much is that it hits all of the important flavor notes… the bacon is salty and savory, the lemon juice is tangy and sweet, the mustard is tart, the honey is sweet, the garlic is… well, it’s garlic! So each Brussels sprout is coated in the perfect assortment of flavors that all go so well together and make the perfect bite.
I also like Brussels sprouts for their consistency. No more wilted salad lettuce, sadly lying limp on your plate or crisp but bland iceberg under a mound of dressing. Nope! Instead, you get the outer layers of the sprout that have been softened by the cooking process, but you still get a nice firm crunch from the slightly raw inside of the little green globes of goodness.
Paleo dieters love their veggies but there’s no reason to eat veggies plain and bland. Kick the flavor up a few notches like we’ve done here and you’ll love your veggies even more.
This warm Brussels sprout salad with mustard vinaigrette is great as a side dish to just about any protein, but I especially like it with pork that has been cooked using similar flavors. A mustard rub is great on a pork loin and goes fabulously with the mustard vinaigrette on the sprouts.
And the best part is that it’s ready in no time! Boil up a frozen bag while you cook your bacon, toss the ingredients together, and you’re ready for dinner. You get all the taste of a gourmet meal in a few minutes, plus all the health benefits of eating Paleo.
Ingredients
- 1 pound frozen Brussels sprouts
- 2 ounces bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Directions
- To make the vinaigrette, in a small bowl, mix the 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice, mustard and honey. Add the salt, black pepper and garlic and mix to combine. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook them for 10-12 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
- Heat ½ tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon, and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 6-7 minutes.
- Add the Brussels sprouts and toss to combine.
- Remove the skillet from the heat, add the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Add more salt or pepper if necessary and serve immediately.
You are making my mouth water , wish I had a maid and chef ….lol
This is wonderful. Even my brother in-law loved it and said he doesn’t even like Brussels sprouts! If I’ve submitted this review before, excuse me, but just had It again tonight and fell in love all over again, thank you?