When I set out for a day’s worth of festivities surrounding and including the 115th Army-Navy game last December in Baltimore I didn’t expect to come home with the inspiration for one of our new favorite recipes. After the game at M&T Bank Stadium we took a brisk walk to The Capital Grille in the Inner Harbor. Since we were a large group our host had selected a limited menu with a lot of wonderful options including a new Brussels sprout salad. Ed and I both love Brussels sprouts but had never had them raw in a salad form. Oh, this salad was so good that I seriously considered skipping the filet mignon that I’d ordered for my entrée to get more of it.
Needless to say I became a bit obsessed about making this at home. I wasn’t able to find the exact recipe online but did come up with one that was pretty close that satisfied our cravings. Ed likes this so much that he’s even asked me to make it twice in one week!
Be sure to grate and chop the Brussels sprouts so the are pretty fine. Think of how you’d prepare cabbage for coleslaw. I do this in my food processor using whole Brussels sprouts – first with the grating disk and then a second time with the chopping blade. Wegmans also sells Brussels sprouts already grated – if I buy them this way I will chop them up a bit more using a chef’s knife.
The mustard vinaigrette is key to this recipe, but the cheese, nuts and fruit can be changed to suit your tastes. Use feta in place of goat cheese, pecans or almonds for walnuts, or dried cranberries for dried cherries.
I’d even recommend trying this salad on non-Brussels sprouts eaters – I think you may see some converts. Maybe you tell them it’s new type of coleslaw since Brussels sprouts are part of the cabbage family?
| Brussels Sprout Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette | | Print |
- ⅓ cup chopped walnuts, toasted
- ½ pound Brussels sprouts (about 20), thinly shaved/grated
- 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
- ⅓ cup dried cherries
- 1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 4-1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1-1/2 tablespoons walnut oil
- 1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1-1/2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast walnuts on a cookie sheet for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring halfway through. Watch them carefully so they don’t burn.
- To shave the Brussels sprouts: 1) use a mandolin, 2) carefully cut them by hand, or 3) use the grating disk in a food processor to shave the whole Brussels sprouts. If they aren’t fine enough, then use the chopping blade in the food processor (you’ll need to empty them into a bowl to switch blades).
- Place mustard in a bowl. Slowly add olive oil and walnut oil while whisking. Whisk in lemon juice, sherry vinegar and salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Place Brussels sprouts, walnuts, goat cheese and cherries in bowl. Toss with dressing.
- Can be made 2 hours in advance and refrigerated.
- Serve at room temperature.
* You can vary the cheese/nut/fruit combination to suit your tastes. Feta, walnuts and dried cranberries works well.
Love the mustard vinaigrette! Yum, will be making soon!! Thanks for the recipe!
Christina – I hope you like it! The walnut oil is a nice addition to the vinaigrette.
Hi Nicole,
Thanks for sharing the recipe–brussel sprouts are my boys’ favorite new vegetable, so I cannot wait to try it!!
Megan
Megan – Love that your four boys love Brussels Sprouts. Please let me know if they like this recipe.
I adore Brussels as well (must be my British roots!). I know this recipe is going to be delicious just by reading it so I’m definitely going to make soon (and the vinaigrette will be great on other salads too). I’m sure you’ve eaten roasted Brussels? – they’re heavenly! Thank you for sharing.
Martine – This is a great recipe and yes, the vinaigrette works well as a dressing for other salad, too. We love roasted Brussels sprouts, too. We do them in the oven and on the grill. So yummy!
Nicole – I have managed to convert Mark to a Brussels sprout eater and lover, so I can’t wait to try this!
David – Woohoo! So glad to hear it. And, hoping that you BOTH like this recipe.
Just made this salad and it was amazing – thank you. I had a crisp apple in the fridge that needed using up so grated this, poured the lemon juice over to stop it going brown and added it to the salad. I also had this salad at Capital Grille but didn’t realize it! Yours was much better I think.
Martine – You are so welcome! I love that you added apple to it – great “crunch” addition. I’m so glad you liked this recipe especially since you’ve had the one from Capital Grille. Not sure how close they are since I didn’t have the exact CG ingredients but it no longer matters since we like it so much. I’m making this for Easter dinner.
I’m thinking of taking this to our friend’s house for Easter dinner too. She, like me, is crazy about Brussels so I feel we’ll both be eating it. Have a great Easter, keep those recipes coming!
Martine – I love people who are crazy about Brussels sprouts!