Description
A fresh and crunchy Brussels Sprout Salad featuring toasted hazelnuts, crispy bacon, tart apple slices, and a tangy mustard vinaigrette. This vibrant salad combines smoky, nutty, and bright flavors, perfect as a light lunch or side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 2 oz / 50g hazelnuts
- 180 g / 6oz bacon, chopped
- 1 red apple
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 300 g / 10 oz Brussels sprouts
Dressing Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Toast Hazelnuts: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Spread the hazelnuts on a baking tray and toast them for about 5 minutes or until they turn golden brown. Remove from the oven, let them cool, then roughly chop and set aside.
- Cook Bacon: Place the chopped bacon on the same baking tray used for the hazelnuts and bake until golden and crispy, or alternatively cook the bacon in a skillet on the stovetop over medium heat until crisp. Drain the cooked bacon on paper towels to remove excess fat.
- Prepare Apple: Cut the red apple into matchstick-sized pieces with the skin on. Toss the apple sticks in lemon juice to prevent browning and add a fresh citrus note.
- Shave Brussels Sprouts: Using a slicer or food processor, finely shave the Brussels sprouts to create thin ribbons that will soften easily in the dressing and provide a delicate texture.
- Make Dressing: Combine olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a jar. Shake well to emulsify the dressing and adjust seasoning to taste.
- Toss Salad: In a large bowl, combine the shaved Brussels sprouts, chopped hazelnuts, cooked bacon, and lemon-coated apple slices. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss thoroughly to coat all ingredients. Let the salad sit for about 5 minutes before serving to allow the Brussels sprouts to soften slightly and the flavors to meld.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon and replace with toasted pumpkin seeds or smoked tempeh.
- Make sure to finely shave the Brussels sprouts to avoid a tough texture in the salad.
- The salad can be prepared a few hours ahead; keep refrigerated and toss again before serving.
- Adjust the lemon juice and vinegar quantities based on your preferred tanginess.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Brussels sprout salad, hazelnut salad, bacon salad, apple salad, autumn salad, healthy salad, easy salad recipe
