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Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Walnuts

November 10, 2010 by Nicole 41 Comments

Shredded brussels sprouts with bacon and walnuts make a perfect, healthy, and seasonal fall side dish | pinchmysalt.com

If you aren’t a fan of whole brussels sprouts, try them shredded! These quick-sauteed shredded brussels sprouts tossed with crisp bacon, toasted walnuts, apple cider vinegar, and a touch of brown sugar are a delicious, healthy, and satisfying fall side dish.

It’s time for Fall Fest again and this week we’re celebrating brassicas – a genus of plants that includes cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and more. 

I chose to focus on brussels sprouts because they are currently available on the stalk and I think it’s fun to take home a giant, awkward stalk of brussels sprouts!

Big Stalk of Brussels Sprouts

Up until a few years ago, I had never even seen brussels sprouts on the stalk.  I really hadn’t thought too much about how they grew – I guess I assumed they grew out of the ground like tiny little heads of cabbage. 

Thinking about it now, that seems a little silly, but you have to admit that the way they grow on this crazy stalk is a little silly looking, too.

I’m a sucker for strange looking produce, and as long as they seem fresh, I can never resist buying a hefty club of brussels sprouts when I see them at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, the local supermarket, or a Farmer’s Market.

Yep, they’re sold pretty much everywhere around here during the fall.

Shredded brussels sprouts with bacon and walnuts make a perfect, healthy, and seasonal fall side dish | pinchmysalt.com

Harvesting the sprouts from the stalk is much simpler than you might think. Don’t make the mistake I did the first time I was presented with the challenge. 

The sprouts don’t need to be cut off with a knife. It’s much easier (and safer) to snap them off with your fingers. It takes no time at all and you’ll end up with a big bowl of beautiful, fresh brussels sprouts. My stalk yielded close to two pounds.

The sprouts will probably range in size from teeny tiny to very large, so if you’re cooking them whole, you might want to sort them according to size and start cooking the larger ones first. 

If you’re going to shred them like I did, size doesn’t matter.

I had this great plan for my brussels sprouts. I wanted to cook them with shredded apple and onion in a bit of bacon fat then toss in some cider vinegar, chopped walnuts, and blue cheese. 

I had been dreaming about it all day. But when the time came to actually make the dish, I realized I was out of both apples and blue cheese!

Oh well, at least I had some good bacon and a bag full of fresh walnuts from my uncle’s ranch. I simplified the recipe to shredded brussels sprouts with bacon and walnuts and continued.

Shredded brussels sprouts with bacon and walnuts make a perfect, healthy, and seasonal fall side dish | pinchmysalt.com

I rinsed the sprouts, trimmed the bottoms, and removed any ugly outer leaves.  I briefly thought about slicing them by hand but laziness took over and I decided to send them through the slicing blade of my food processor instead. 

My Cuisinart accomplished the task in about a minute.

How to open walnuts with a hammer | pinchmysalt.com

Since the walnuts were still in the shell, I got out the hammer and cracked enough to equal about half a cup (plus enough to snack on while cooking). 

If you’ve never had good, fresh walnuts, you really need to find some. The flavor is amazing – rich and sweet with absolutely no bitterness.

If you don’t have a nutcracker, no problem, it’s simple to open them with a hammer.  Just hold the nut on a hard surface with the pointed tip facing up and hit the top with the hammer (not too hard) until it cracks open.

It will split in half or into four pieces and you can pick the walnuts out with your fingers (or a fork if they’re being stubborn).

I toasted the walnuts at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes before chopping and adding to the sprouts. I also ended up adding some sugar to the cider vinegar dressing since I didn’t have apples to provide the sweetness I was looking for.

I added a drizzle of walnut oil since I had some handy, but you could use a neutral-flavored oil or even a splash of apple cider to cut the vinegar in the dressing. 

I loved the simple combination of  brussels sprouts, bacon, and walnuts and didn’t even miss the extra ingredients I had planned on using.

But I’m still going to try it with apples and blue cheese next time!

Shredded brussels sprouts with bacon and walnuts make a perfect, healthy, and seasonal fall side dish | pinchmysalt.com

More Brassicas from the Fall Fest Gang:

  • Caron at San Diego Foodstuff: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Vinegar
  • Food Network UK: Why I Love Cabbage Soup
  • Todd and Diane at White on Rice Couple: Spicy Brussels Sprouts with Mint
  • Paige at The Sister Project: Brussels Sprouts to Convert Even the Most Determined Haters
  • Liz at Healthy Eats: Kale 5 Ways (Including Kale Chips!)
  • Alison at Food2: All About Broccoli and Cauliflower
  • Michelle at Cooking Channel: Cauliflower with Sweet Potatoes
  • Kirsten at Food Network: Cheesy Brussels Sprouts
  • Caroline at Caroline at The Wright Recipes: Fresh Brussels Sprout Salad with Pears and Blue Cheese
  • Alana at Eating From the Ground Up: Brussels Sprouts Gratin
  • Gilded Fork: Bodacious Brassicas

Summer/Fall Fest 2010 Posting Schedule

7/28: Cukes and Zukes
8/4: Corn
8/11: Herbs, Greens, and Beans
8/18: Stone Fruit – I missed this one!
8/25: Tomatoes
9/1: Sweet and Spicy Peppers
9/8: Garlic
9/15: White (or colorful “white”…but not sweet) Potatoes
9/22: Spinach
9/29: Apples
10/6: Fall Salads
10/13: Pumpkin + Winter Squash – I missed this one!
10/20: Pears
10/27: “Mad Stash” (as in what you’re shoving in freezer/jars/dehydrator, etc.)
11/3: Root veggies
11/10: Brassicas: incl. Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Cabbage or other
11/17: Sweet Potatoes

Shredded brussels sprouts with bacon and walnuts make a perfect, healthy, and seasonal fall side dish | pinchmysalt.com

Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Walnuts

Yield: Serves 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon walnut oil (or oil of your choice, or apple cider)
  • 4 slices thick cut bacon
  • 1 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and shredded (I used shredding blade on my food processor)
  • 1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts
  • kosher salt, to taste
  • fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, sugar, and oil; set aside.
  2. In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon, cut or crumble into pieces, and set aside. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of drippings in pan (if there aren't enough drippings to equal 2 tbsp, add a little butter or oil).
  3. Heat bacon drippings over medium-high then add shredded brussels sprouts. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until just tender. Remove from heat and stir in bacon, walnuts, and dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Serve warm.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 239Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 373mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 4gSugar: 5gProtein: 9g
© Nicole Cross
Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Walnuts. Perfect healthy fall side dish! | pinchmysalt.com

Filed Under: Bacon, Fall Fest 2010, Holiday, Side Dishes

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Amy says

    November 10, 2010 at 4:15 am

    Looks great. Bacon and brussel sprouts are always a tasty combination! Here's my contribution to this week's Fall Fest: http://savorymomentsblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/red-cabbage-and-green-apple-slaw.html -- Red cabbage and green apple slaw.
    Reply
  2. Ranjani says

    November 10, 2010 at 6:34 am

    Looks delicious! I love brussels sprouts, and I can see that the other Fall Fests hosts do too! This week I made a similar dish to yours, brussels sprouts with bacon dressing: http://4seasonsoffood.blogspot.com/2010/11/brussels-sprouts-with-bacon-dressing.html I also made pasta with cauliflower and walnut pesto: http://4seasonsoffood.blogspot.com/2010/11/brussels-sprouts-with-bacon-dressing.html
    Reply
  3. Ranjani says

    November 10, 2010 at 6:37 am

    oops, copied the wrong link for the pasta. It should be : http://4seasonsoffood.blogspot.com/2010/11/pasta-with-cauliflower-and-walnut-pesto.html
    Reply
  4. Anne Marie says

    November 10, 2010 at 9:04 am

    I should have known that bacon would make even the lowly Brussels Sprout lovely! I like to double down on my brassicas with this salad: http://themessyapron.blogspot.com/2009/11/two-heads-are-better.html
    Reply
  5. Louise says

    November 10, 2010 at 9:06 am

    amazing light on your photos- wow, brussel sprouts never looked so good. i love brussel sprouts, shredded like this is great for presentation... have a great week, Louise
    Reply
  6. Steph says

    November 10, 2010 at 10:40 am

    Wow that looks so good! i think i may be using this recipe for one of the holiday dinners. Great pics...beautiful.
    Reply
  7. Carol Peterman says

    November 10, 2010 at 12:10 pm

    I love Brussles sprouts and now I'm craving your salad! I'll share my recipe for roasted Brussles sprouts with Pearl Onions. http://bit.ly/aP3Q8b
    Reply
  8. Ruby says

    November 10, 2010 at 12:23 pm

    Well you know I don't really like brussel sprouts, but you may have found a way for me to like them! Good job! ;-)
    Reply
  9. Season to Taste says

    November 10, 2010 at 1:30 pm

    How funny---I just posted a similar recipe but with pine nuts and pancetta. It was featured as the SuzySaid Recipe of the Week. The flavors, like bacon and walnuts, are such a hit! Check it out: http://suzysaid.com/index.php?page=stories&family=foodies
    Reply
  10. Kathy says

    November 10, 2010 at 2:16 pm

    OMG !! that looks so good. I'm making it. Definitely.
    Reply
  11. Ngoc says

    November 10, 2010 at 3:50 pm

    What a beautiful dish! My Fall Fest contribution was broccoli: http://professionalbakist.blogspot.com/2010/11/stuff-like-that-there.html.
    Reply
  12. Radhika @ foodfor7stages says

    November 10, 2010 at 4:26 pm

    wowie, you have a fab website and love your pictures. Here is my contribution for fall fest South Indian Cauliflower crepe - http://www.foodfor7stagesoflife.com/2010/08/cauliflower-masala-dosa-and-a-trip-to-chelsea-market.html
    Reply
  13. Charles G Thompson says

    November 10, 2010 at 5:45 pm

    Really nice post. I love Brussels sprouts but haven't bought them on the stalk yet. You've inspired me to do so. And what a great mix of flavors, bacon, blue cheese and walnuts. Nice!
    Reply
  14. Walnut Lovers says

    November 10, 2010 at 8:58 pm

    This is a fantastic recipe! Bacon and walnuts are so good, I love all that crunch in the salad. Thanks for sharing. Happy WalnutWednesday!
    Reply
  15. Lana says

    November 11, 2010 at 1:34 am

    I gloated over my American husband when I had to explain to him the birds and bees of Brussels sprouts:) The stalk looks so alien:) But the taste is superb. I think I am going to hit the Irvine Farmers Market this Saturday and score some B.S. right on the stalk. This week I made German-inspired braised red cabbage with bacon, red wine, and apple. Similarly comforting food. http://bibberche.com/2010/11/braised-red-cabbage/
    Reply
  16. Kim @ Quit Eating Out {Recipes to Make Dining Out a Choice, Not a Chore} says

    November 11, 2010 at 11:08 am

    This will make the PERFECT addition to my Thansgiving table!! I'm bookmarking it now. Thanks! Have a great day!!!
    Reply
  17. Kristy says

    November 11, 2010 at 12:54 pm

    That looks like a great recipe, I love the combo of bacon and walnuts! Thanks for sharing!!
    Reply
  18. Stay-At-Home-Chef says

    November 11, 2010 at 4:20 pm

    I love shredded Brussels Sprouts and will definitely be giving this recipe a try. Your photos are always so inspiring and make me hungry!
    Reply
  19. Denise Michaels says

    November 12, 2010 at 2:47 am

    Love the idea of shredding the Brussell Sprouts with the food processor. That is genius. Bacon and walnuts with the walnut oil makes a lot of sense. Love walnut oil and always have it in my pantry from Whole Foods or Cost Plus World Imports. Since I'll be cooking green beans with walnut oil and toasted walnuts on Thanksgiving - I might do the apples and bleu cheese with the sprouts. Since I started shopping at TJs I've seen these big stalks of Brussel Sprouts but haven't bought them. You've inspired me today. I think they would probably be somewhat fresher on the stalk compared to buying them already cut off.
    Reply
  20. napa farmhouse 1885/diane says

    November 12, 2010 at 10:12 am

    i posted my recipe for roasted cauliflower & garlic...both roasted long enough to caramalize...so delicious and children adore cauliflower this way...http://napafarmhouse1885.blogspot.com/2010/11/how-does-roasted-cauliflower-garlic.html
    Reply
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