Description
A fresh and vibrant Brussels Sprout Salad featuring toasted hazelnuts, crispy bacon, and crisp apple matchsticks, all tossed in a tangy apple cider vinaigrette. This quick and easy salad offers a lovely balance of textures and flavors, perfect as a light lunch or side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 2 oz / 50g hazelnuts
- 180 g / 6 oz bacon, chopped
- 1 red apple
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 300 g / 10 oz Brussels sprouts
Dressing
- 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 5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven, let them cool, then roughly chop. Set aside for later use.
- Cook Bacon: Using the same baking tray, place the chopped bacon and bake it until golden and crispy. Alternatively, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Once cooked, drain the bacon on paper towels to remove excess fat.
- Prepare Apple: Cut the red apple into thin matchstick strips, leaving the skin on for extra texture and color. Toss the apple strips in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to prevent browning and add freshness.
- Shave Brussels Sprouts: Using a slicer or food processor, finely shave the Brussels sprouts to create thin strips that will soften quickly and blend well in the salad.
- Make Dressing: In a jar, combine olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Shake well until all ingredients are emulsified and the dressing is smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Toss Salad: Place the shaved Brussels sprouts, toasted hazelnuts, crispy bacon, and lemon-coated apple matchsticks into a large bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
- Rest and Serve: Let the salad sit for 5 minutes before serving to allow the Brussels sprouts to soften slightly and the flavors to meld together. Serve fresh and enjoy.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon and add toasted pumpkin seeds or roasted chickpeas for crunch.
- Make sure to shave the Brussels sprouts very thin to avoid a tough or bitter texture.
- The salad can be prepared ahead of time, but add dressing just before serving to keep the sprouts crisp.
- You can substitute hazelnuts with walnuts or pecans according to preference.
- Adjust the lemon juice quantity depending on the sweetness of the apple and personal taste.
