shaved brussels sprout salad with bacon, parm, and champagne-dijon vinaigrette

It is no wonder Brussels sprouts were once a horror legend. Being forced to stay at the table, staring down a pile of these things, inexplicably ALWAYS boiled (why????), would traumatize even the toughest customers, let alone the fragile constitutions of picky eaters. I don’t think I even looked at them until I was 20 years old.

But when Brussels came knocking on adult doors, nearly everyone I know let them back in for another chance. Thanks to restaurant chefs, those scarred in childhood have since experienced Brussels sprouts cooked to bring out their best: deep-fried with lacy leaf edges, hard-seared in cast iron, roasted with balsamic. I am always so encouraged when I see kids happily eating them prepared well, unhaunted by the shadows of generational Brussels trauma.

Though a late B-sprout adopter, I’ve really moved fast in my relationship, and my favorite method of Brussels prep might be to do nothing to them at all. Shaving the sprouts (which you can do with a knife yourself, though many stores now sell them this way—an encouraging sign of demand!) turns them into a fluffy, mild cabbagey salad that acts as a statement-making textural base for whatever crunchy, salty, fatty, herby, zingy, or creamy additions you feel like.

This preparation is almost vaguely inspired by a Lyonnaise without the egg, studded with thick slices of crispy fried bacon (which I almost always have a piece or two of leftover from my recipes when I buy it) and a light mustardy dressing that takes no more than 30 seconds to whisk together. It’s light enough for lunch but satisfying for dinner, taking only as long to make as it takes you to get your bacon cooked; while I’ve written it for two salads, it’s also easily halved for one. A handful of chopped fresh tender herbs you have hanging out in the fridge is always a welcome guest at Brussels’ place.

Recipe

This shaved Brussels sprouts salad is a virtuous pile of greens that gave into the temptation of sliced bacon, salty parm, and a massage with a tangy 30-second dijon vinaigrette.

  • 10-12 oz Brussels sprouts, woody stems trimmed and shredded (buy them this way or do it with a knife)

  • 2-4 slices thick-cut bacon, sliced in 1/2” thick strips (your choice how much bacon you want)

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, I used Grey Poupon

  • 2 tsp. Champagne or white wine vinegar

  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

  • Salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

make it

  1. Crisp the bacon. In a skillet over medium low heat, add the sliced bacon—no oil. Render this slowly over the until all of the fat cooks out, up to 15 minutes, to whatever level of crispness you prefer. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and put on a plate with power towels to drain.

  2. Prep your Brussels. While the bacon cooks, trim off the ends of the sprouts and thinly shave them, if you didn’t buy them this way.

  3. Whisk the dressing. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp. Champagne vinegar, a pinch of salt, and some freshly cracked pepper. Pour this over the Brussels sprouts and toss (preferably with your hands so you can really massage it in there—it’s like kale in this way) together to marinate, 5ish minutes.

  4. Assemble the salad. Toss your dressed Brussels shavings with the bacon, 1/3 cup of grated parm, and a little bit of extra pepper.