Here's how to make Brussels Sprouts taste good! Serve this Crispy Pancetta, Blue Cheese, and Brussels Sprouts Salad topped with an orange vinaigrette and earthy walnuts, and no one will ever complain about them again. One can argue that this can't really be called a salad, but I'm going with it.
If you're looking for a winter side dish or something to add to your Christmas lineup, this is a great recipe. It's rich and filling and decadent and really hits the spot with both flavor and texture! Serve it as a side dish for a roast dinner, or it also works with leftovers. Or, it's filling enough to stand up on its own! A real all-rounder.
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Ingredient notes
You can choose your favorite blue cheese, be it Stilton, Gorgonzola, or Roquefort. I go for Stilton (Colston Bassett to be precise), but it tastes good with anything.
Use pancetta for the best results, or bacon lardons if you prefer. It will just be slightly smokier if you go for bacon. Feel free to omit the nuts to dial it down a little, or use pecans instead of walnuts.
The vinaigrette is what pulls it all together, and I use this one a lot. It has a delicious, juicy, and citrussy kick from the orange, and I like to use walnut oil in it if I can. You can also use apple cider vinegar, but avoid balsamic.
There's a printable recipe card at the bottom of this post with quantities and step-by-step directions for how to make Brussels Sprouts Salad with Pancetta & Blue Cheese.
How to make Brussels sprouts taste good
Quick answer: roast them! Here is how I roast Brussels Sprouts to get a tender bite with crispy leaves and a slightly caramelized char.
- Trim the stems and peel off the outermost leaves. Slice the Brussels Sprouts in half lengthwise and arrange them on an oiled baking tray, and season with flaky sea salt and cracked black pepper.
- Add a few knobs of butter and roast in a preheated oven at 180 °C/355°F for 20-30 minutes. They should be tender if you poke the central stem part with a sharp knife.
Top tip
Place 70% of the Brussels sprouts cut side down so that you get a really nice char on the flat surface.
Fry the pancetta and make the dressing
Place the diced pancetta or lardons into a cold frying pan and place over medium heat. The fat will slowly render down, and they'll crisp up nicely.
Squeeze the orange juice into a jar or small bowl and whisk in the Dijon mustard and white wine vinegar. Now whisk in the walnut oil until it is fully emulsified. Add the honey, a crack of pepper, and a pinch of salt. Taste to check if you need more of anything - this will partly depend on the sweetness of your oranges. If it's lacking punch, add a little more vinegar.
Dice the chives and parsley and add them to the dressing just before serving.
How to serve
Toss the warm roasted Brussels Sprouts with the pancetta and orange vinaigrette dressing. Transfer to a serving dish, crumble the blue cheese on top, and toss over some walnuts. You can leave these whole or chop them up. I prefer to leave them whole for aesthetic reasons!
Wine Pairing
There are a lot of strong flavors going on with this dish! I'd try an off-dry Riesling or a fruity red wine.
What if I have leftovers?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and use within 2-3 days.
Can I freeze it?
Nope! It will become mush,
Equipment
You'll need a decent oven tray that is flat and not warped, so that the sprouts lie flat and can get nice and crispy.
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Recipe
Pancetta, Blue Cheese & Brussels Sprouts Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 450 grams (1 lb) Brussels sprouts
- 1 tablespoon Oil Mild Evoo or other roasting oil
- 1 tablespoon Butter
- 150 grams (4 oz) Pancetta
- 200 grams (6 oz) Blue cheese e.g., Stilton, Gorgonzola
- 100 grams (3 oz) Walnuts
- Salt and pepper
Orange vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoon Orange juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon Walnut oil (or EVOO, or avocado oil)
- 1 teaspoon Honey
- 2 tablespoon Fresh chives
- 2 tablespoon Fresh parsley
Instructions
Roast the sprouts
- Preheat the oven to 180℃/355℉
- Grease an oven tray with extra virgin olive oil (or other oil suitable for roasting) and season it with salt and pepper.
- Trim the ends of the Brussels Sprouts stalks off, but make sure they stay intact. Peel off the outermost layer of leaves and slice them in half lengthways.
- Place the sprouts onto the oven tray, and toss them to cover in the oil and seasoning. Then arrange them to be mostly cut side down. Add a few knobs of butter all around the tray and roast for 20-30 minutes. They are done when the leaves are browned, and the central stem is tender if you poke it with a knife.
Fry the pancetta
- Place the diced pancetta into a cold frying pan over medium heat and let it heat up and render the fat down before it goes crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
Make the orange vinaigrette
- Whisk the orange juice, Dijon mustard, and vinegar together, and then whisk in the walnut oil. Add the honey and season to taste with salt and pepper. Finally, add the diced chives and parsley.
Assemble the salad
- Toss the warm Brussels Sprouts with the pancetta and orange vinaigrette. Transfer to a serving plate.
- Crumble over the blue cheese, and finally garnish with the walnuts.
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