Find a Recipe!

Just a Little Bit of Bacon

where comfort food meets the farm stand

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • beverages
    • desserts
    • grilling and bbq
    • main courses
    • quick dinners
    • side dishes
    • soups and stews
  • mediterranean recipes
    • italian recipes
      • italian comfort food
      • italian antipasti
      • fundamentals of italian cooking
    • spanish recipes
      • spanish tapas
    • french recipes
      • french comfort food
    • greek recipes
  • holiday favorites
    • christmas
    • easter dinner
    • thanksgiving feast
  • resources
    • dinner and party menus
    • farmers’ market
      • ingredient spotlight
    • roundup post
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Blue Cheese & Brussels Sprout Salad

October 23, 2015 By justalittlebitofbacon 2 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. Click here for details.

  • Share
  • Tweet

Blue Cheese and Brussels Sprout Salad - Pan roasted Brussels sprouts are paired with blue cheese and tossed with a tangy mustard vinaigrette in this fast and flavorful salad. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Pan roasting Brussels sprouts brings out their sweetness and adds so much flavor to them! You can stop right there and eat them right out of the pan and be happy. But toss them with blue cheese and cranberries and pecans in a sweet and tangy vinaigrette? And you’ll be even happier.

Blue Cheese and Brussels Sprout Salad - Pan roasted Brussels sprouts are paired with blue cheese and tossed with a tangy mustard vinaigrette in this fast and flavorful salad. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

I’ll admit it right now. I love Brussels sprouts. I love them blanched. I love them roasted. I love them shredded. So you are going to be seeing more Brussels sprouts recipes here in the future! And I can’t wait to make them all for you, but I thought I would start with a simple, flavorful salad that I think is a nice introduction to how good Brussels sprouts can be when you cook them lightly and pair them with flavors that balance their sometimes bitter flavor.

I know you are looking up at that picture and saying ‘Lightly? They’re blackened!’ but cooking them in a very hot pan for just a few minutes allows us to have the best of both worlds. It took me just a few minutes in my cast iron pan to caramelize the outsides of the sprouts which was also just enough time to allow them to cook through. They were actually a bit firm when I took them off the heat, but I knew that the residual heat would finish them off without allowing them to become mushy or overdone. (Not what you are looking for. With sprouts less is more and a little underdone is much better than a little overdone.)

I finally got a Lodge cast iron skillet just a few years ago. It’s heavy as anything but I really love for doing things like caramelizing these sprouts and making croutons and searing steaks.

Blue Cheese and Brussels Sprout Salad - Pan roasted Brussels sprouts are paired with blue cheese and tossed with a tangy mustard vinaigrette in this fast and flavorful salad. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Anyway, once I had the perfect, blackened sprouts, it was time to put them together with some of my favorite salad accompaniments. As far as I’m concerned, blue cheese goes with just about anything and makes it better. Well, maybe not dessert – though I’m sure I could find one that would work, but I do love it with anything savory and this salad is no exception. And, since dried cranberries and pecans are always in my pantry, I used them to provide the crunch and the sweetness I needed.

The only thing left is the dressing, and since mustard and Brussels sprouts are one of my favorite combinations, mustard provides the spice in the dish while maple syrup gives it a hint of smoky sweetness. Yum!

Blue Cheese and Brussels Sprout Salad - Pan roasted Brussels sprouts are paired with blue cheese and tossed with a tangy mustard vinaigrette in this fast and flavorful salad. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Blue Cheese and Brussels Sprout Salad - Pan roasted Brussels sprouts are paired with blue cheese and tossed with a tangy mustard vinaigrette in this fast and flavorful salad. | justalittlebitofbacon.com
Print Recipe

Blue Cheese Brussels Sprout Salad

Pan roasted Brussels sprouts are paired with blue cheese and tossed with a tangy mustard vinaigrette in this fast and flavorful salad.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time5 mins
Total Time15 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Just a Little Bit of Bacon

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Brussels sprouts
  • 1 tbsp olive oi
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 c dried cranberries
  • 1/2 c chopped pecans toasted
  • 1 oz blue cheese

Salad Dressing

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp mustard
  • 1 tsp maple syrup
  • kosher salt

Instructions

  • Trim the ends off of the Brussels sprouts, peel away the outer leaves, and cut larger sprouts in half.
  • Heat a heavy skillet, cast iron if you have it, over medium high heat. Once its hot, add the olive oil, the Brussels sprouts, and the salt to the skillet. Saute the sprouts for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until they are blackened in spots and have turned bright green. Immediately scoop them out into a serving bowl and spread them out so they cool a bit.
  • Add cranberries, pecans, and blue cheese to the bowl. Mix together the salad dressing; pour it over the salad. Toss to mix everything together.

Notes

Toast the pecans at 350F for 5 minutes.
I used a Lodge cast iron skillet for blackening the sprouts.
Blue Cheese and Brussels Sprout Salad - Pan roasted Brussels sprouts are paired with blue cheese and tossed with a tangy mustard vinaigrette in this fast and flavorful salad. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Related Posts:

  • Ingredient Spotlight - All About Brussels SproutsIngredient Spotlight - All About Brussels Sprouts
  • Brussels Sprouts and Pancetta Over PolentaBrussels Sprouts and Pancetta Over Polenta
  • Easy Brussels Sprout and Shallot GratinEasy Brussels Sprout and Shallot Gratin
  • Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranate SeedsPan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranate Seeds
  • Deep Fried Brussels SproutsDeep Fried Brussels Sprouts
  • Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic, Parmesan, and PecansRoasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic, Parmesan, and Pecans
  • Share
  • Tweet

Filed Under: 10 ingredients or less, 15 minutes or less, fall, gluten free, holiday favorites, recipe, salads, side dishes, thanksgiving feast, vegetable dishes, vegetarian, winter Tagged With: brussels sprouts, cheese, nuts

« My Favorite Sausage Bread Stuffing
Creamy, Knock Your Socks Off, Apple Cider Dip »

Follow me on:

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter

Don’t miss a post!

Get new recipes in your inbox every week!

Disclosure:

Justalittlebitofbacon is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Comments

  1. Colleen says

    October 27, 2016 at 10:57 pm

    Which mustard, there are so many mustards

    Reply
    • justalittlebitofbacon says

      October 28, 2016 at 8:56 am

      I made this using a Country Dijon.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hello, I’m Annemarie

Welcome to my kitchen! I’m a Italian-American girl who loves fresh foods, local ingredients, and all sorts of comfort foods. Here you will find Mediterranean flavors and recipes from a New England perspective.

Don’t miss a post!

Sign up here to have new recipes delivered to your inbox every week.

Follow me on:

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Christmas Magic

Cinnamon infused thick Italian hot chocolate is a not too sweet take on hot cocoa which is rich and decadent and intensely chocolaty. It's like drinkable bittersweet pudding! | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Cinnamon Infused Thick Italian Hot Chocolate (Cioccolata Calda)

These deep, dark double chocolate chip cookies and so soft, chewy, and rich! I love the easy one bowl method and crowd-pleasing results. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Soft and Chewy Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cauliflower au gratin is cheesy, creamy, classic comfort food with horsradish to give it a kick and buttery crumbs on top for crunch. Perfect for weekend dinners, holidays, and other special days. | justalittlebitofbacon.com #gratin #cauliflower #holidayrecipes #christmasrecipes #comfortfood

Creamy Cauliflower au Gratin

For a Christmas cookie sure to be the hit of the holiday party, you'll love my double chocolate peppermint cookies! Chocolate cookies are dipped in white and dark chocolate flavored with peppermint oil and topped with crushed candy canes. | justalittlebitofbacon.com #christmasrecipes #christmascookies #holidayrecipes #chocolaterecipes #peppermint #chocolate #cookies

Chocolate Peppermint Dipped Holiday Cookies

Pecan Snowball Cookies - These Pecan Snowball Cookies are melt-in-your-mouth tender, filled with ground and chopped pecans, and covered in powdered sugar. Whether you call them Snowballs or Russian Tea Cakes or Italian Wedding Cookies, it's not Christmas without them. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Pecan Snowball Cookies

My fig and sausage stuffed turkey breast roulade makes an impressive main course which is perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday dinner. And while it rests you can make a white wine gravy from the drippings!

Turkey Breast Roulade with Sausage Fig Stuffing

Reader Favorites

Rich & Complex Traditional Bolognese Sauce - A long, slow simmer builds layers of flavor and makes this Bolognese sauce so rich and complex! Meaty, silky, and hearty. This is a sauce worth having on your stove all day long. Make some for today and freeze some for tomorrow. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Rich & Complex Traditional Bolognese Sauce

Dinner comes together in a flash with this recipe for kid-pleasing, one-pot ground beef pasta skillet topped with pesto and ricotta. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Ground Beef Skillet Pasta with Pesto and Ricotta

Pear Quick Bread with Streusel Topping - What to do with those overripe pears sitting on your counter? Make an easy pear quick bread from them! Great for breakfast, for snacks, and it freezes well. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Pear Quick Bread with Streusel Topping

Cold sweet potato salad is topped with dried cranberries and pecans, then tossed with a maple syrup and mustard dressing. Perfect for summertime picnics and for the Thanksgiving table. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Cold Sweet Potato Salad with Cranberries and Pecans

Italian comfort food of tomato, braised sausage, and pork shoulder ragu simmering on the stove is the perfect way to spend a chilly day. This pork ragu is easily doubled and freezes well. | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Italian Braised Pork Shoulder Ragu

Deep fried Brussels sprouts served with a sweet and tangy sauce are a yummy snack, an addictive appetizer, and a fun Thanksgiving dish. Gluten free and simple to make! | justalittlebitofbacon.com

Deep Fried Brussels Sprouts

Copyright © 2021 — Just a Little Bit of Bacon • All rights reserved. Privacy Policy • Disclaimer

Genesis Framework • Foodie Pro Theme • by Shay Bocks