Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Warm Maple Bacon Vinaigrette

I mentioned almost a year ago that this shaved Brussels sprouts salad with a warm maple bacon vinaigrette would likely end up on the blog some day and I am thrilled to report that that day is today.

This is also the 100th post on The Practical Kitchen (thank you all for being here on this journey with me!), and what better way to celebrate hitting triple digits than with one of my least practical recipes of all time???

It's a good thing this shaved Brussels sprouts salad is so dang tasty you won't regret a single second you spend making it.

I was first introduced to the concept of a shaved Brussels sprouts salad with a warm maple bacon vinaigrette at Simon Pearce restaurant in Vermont. That was three years ago. How often do you remember a salad you ate three years ago? NOT OFTEN, if you're me.

It wasn't on their menu when I went back a year later and I was so unbelievably bummed. I knew I had to try making my own version of it.

I had never considered eating raw Brussels sprouts before that salad. But omg, y'all. Thinly sliced raw Brussels sprouts are so good. And a warm maple bacon vinaigrette? Before that, all my salad dressings were still cold from the fridge. It was a revelation.

Thinly sliced raw Brussels sprouts are delicate and crunchy, and just a little bit bitter. Just like roasted or sautéed Brussels sprouts go well with bacon or pancetta, raw Brussels are no different. So this salad is topped with crispy bacon bits and a warm maple bacon vinaigrette made with the reserved bacon fat.

To contrast with the bitterness of the Brussels sprouts and acidity of the vinegar in the dressing, this salad has lots of sweet components. Extra dark maple syrup is just one of them.

Dried cranberries are a must, imo. I'm such a sucker for a salad with dried cranberries and they're perfectly at home here. The candied walnuts (or pecans) add a nice, brittle crunch and sweet, nutty flavor. The shaved parmesan adds salt and fat to cut through the sharpness of the red onion and contrast with the sweetness of the nuts and berries.

It's all just so good when you mix it all together.

I've served this salad to people who have warned me in advance that they pretty much only like caesar salad, and they've been surprised by how much they like everything in this salad. FWIW, there's no higher compliment than a person who doesn't even like salad handing you a clean bowl and saying, "Look, I didn't even pick around anything!"

And yeah, okay, like I said — this is not the most practical dish. It's not necessarily quick to make, it's got multiple components, and needs a bit of prep work. You've got to thinly slice Brussels sprouts, make bacon bits, reserve the bacon fat for the vinaigrette, and yes, I even have you candy your own nuts in the recipe.

But I think this is a good reminder that what's "practical" is variable and looks different to everyone! I had a few slices of bacon I needed to use up, I wanted to practice making candied nuts, and I wanted to work on my knife skills. This recipe gave me an opportunity to do all three!

At the end of the day, when you're making the kind of salad that dreams are made of — all the prep work feels worth it — practical, even. Because this salad really is just that good.

making your own candied nuts

I used to think making candied nuts would be a messy, sticky process that would be irritating to clean up. (I hate cleaning up.) It turns out it's a super quick process with just a few ingredients, and a lot of fun to do, too.

Even though the sugar can be sticky when it cools, don't panic if you get it on the counter or it hardens in your pot. Because it's just sugar, it's easy to clean. Just wet a sponge with hot water and give it a good scrub, the sugar will melt and dissolve and come right off.

You can use pecans or walnuts here. I like pecans for the sweetness, but if you prefer fewer sweet flavors, you may find you prefer walnuts.

a few quick notes

• I used my favorite "very dark" maple syrup from Vermont in this dressing. Maple syrup that is labeled "B" or "very dark" is best for when you're cooking or baking because it has the most intense, robust maple flavor. You can use other maple syrups, but believe me when I tell you using the dark stuff makes a huge difference here.
• It can be a bit tedious to thinly slice all the Brussels sprouts so if you're feeling brave you can use a mandolin. I do not do this because I am a coward. Just use a sharp knife, you'll be fine.
• If you don't want to make your own candied nuts, you can use store bought ones, of course. No judgement here. Ditto store-bought bacon bits, but it really is worth making your own bacon bits just so you can get the bacon fat for the vinaigrette.
• The bacon fat in the maple bacon vinaigrette will start to solidify at room temperature. That's why it's a warm dressing. Just zap it in the microwave a few times and stir or shake it until it liquifies again before pouring it over the salad.
• I recommend drizzling or spooning the warm dressing over the salad once it's been plated instead of tossing the whole salad in the dressing before serving. That way you can save any extra salad as leftovers.
• Slice the Brussels and the red onions as thin as you absolutely possibly can. This is not a salad you want to eat diced or chopped. Thinly slicing everything cuts the bitterness of the sprouts and pungent raw onion flavor. If you go too thick, you'll be disappointed.

📖 Recipe