Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad with cooked chestnuts, beetroots, pecans and mixed dried fruit in a simple balsamic vinegar dressing, a delicious side dish for your Thanksgiving or Christmas table. It's easy to prepare, looks colourful on the table and is a wonderful alternative to plain brussels sprouts.
Inspired by my pan-fried brussels sprouts with bacon and parmesan, this warm vegetable salad is a lovely way to make brussels sprouts more appealing and utterly delicious.
As someone who was once pretty against brussels sprouts and would have not included them in the festive menu, I am now quite a big fan of them. Cooked right and mixed with other ingredients, brussels sprouts are far from being boring and plain.
If you just serve them boiled, yeah, they can be boring, and I find that pan-fried or roasted brussels sprouts are way tastier, as the slight caramelisation gives them a lovely touch.
I chose to pan-fried them for this recipe, but you can also roast them as I did with my roasted brussels sprouts with sweet potatoes and bacon. You can boil them too, if you wish, that's still ok, as the dressing and the other ingredients come with lots of flavour too.
Cooked chestnuts are incredibly versatile and delicious, plus it saves you the time to roast them. I always have mixed results with roasting them, some come out perfectly tender, others not quite so. So, ready cooked it is for me!
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Note!
Go to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions!
Ingredients overview
For the salad
- brussels sprouts - I used fresh brussels sprouts, I find that the frozen ones become way too watery and mushy when cooked. The fresh ones hold their shape even when they are tender and cooked perfectly well
- cooked chestnuts - add a festive touch and make the salad filling and nutritious
- beetroots - I used ready cooked beetroots with a milk vinegar touch, but you can also use plain boiled beets or roasted beetroots
- pecans - add a nice crunch and extra goodness, toast them lightly for a lovely nutty flavour. You can swap them for walnuts.
- mixed dried fruit - their sweetness contrast nicely with the balsamic vinegar dressing and beets; you can swap them for dried cranberries
- hot water - for cooking the sprouts
- vegetable oil - for frying the sprouts
For the dressing
- dijon mustard- adds a lovely sharp kick and balances out the sweetness of the honey
- ground black pepper - for a lovely peppery touch
- honey - adds sweetness and stickiness to the dressing
- balsamic vinegar - adds a deep colour to the dressing, can be swapped for lemon juice or cider vinegar for a more neutral colour
- olive oil - my absolute favourite oil to use in dressings, can be swapped for your preferred oil though
Step-by-step photos and instructions
- heat up the oil in a large frying pan
- trim and halve the brussels sprouts and arrange them in the pan in a single layer - work in batched in the pan isn't large enough to take them all at a time
- fry the sprouts for 2-3 minutes until the bottom of the sprouts is golden, pour the hot water over, place a lid on the pan and leave it to cook until the water is evaporated and the sprouts are tender
- add them to a large serving plate together with the chopped beetroots, cooked chestnuts, mixed dried fruit and toasted pecans
- to make the dressing, add all the ingredients to a small jar and shake well to combine
- pour the dressing over the salad and mix well
- serve warm
Expert tips
Choose evenly-sized Brussels sprouts so they can cook at the same time, otherwise some will be tender, while others will have a bite. Do not overcook the sprouts, as they can turn mushy.
Pan-fry cut-side down for a lovely golden and caramelised touch, they sprouts will have a lovely flavour. Do not fry for too long, or the will get a bitter, burnt taste.
Toasting the pecans brings out their natural flavour and makes them crunchy and delicious, I highly recommend not skipping this step.
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Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad with Chestnuts and Pecans
Ingredients
- 500 g brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (1.2 lb)
- 100 g cooked and peeled chestnuts (â…” cup)
- 50 g mixed dried fruit (â…“ cup)
- 50 g pecans, lightly toasted (½ cup)
- 150 g pickled cooked beetroot, cubed (â…” cup)
- 125 ml hot water (½ cup)
For the dressing
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat up the oil in a large frying pan set over a medium heat.
- Arranged the brussels sprouts in the pan in a single layer, cut-side down- work in batches if the pan isn't large enough to fit them all.
- Fry the sprouts for 2-3 minutes until the bottom of the sprouts is golden, then pour the hot water over, place a lid on the pan and leave it to cook until the water is evaporated and the sprouts are tender.
- Add the sprouts to a large serving plate together with the chopped beetroots, cooked chestnuts, mixed dried fruit and toasted pecans.
- To make the dressing, add all the ingredients to a small jar and shake well to combine.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well.
- Serve warm!
Notes
- Choose evenly-sized Brussels sprouts so they can cook at the same time, otherwise some will be tender, while others will have a bite. Do not overcook the sprouts, as they can turn mushy.
- Pan-fry cut-side down for a lovely golden and caramelised touch, they sprouts will have a lovely flavour. Do not fry for too long, or the will get a bitter, burnt taste.
- Toasting the pecans brings out their natural flavour and makes them crunchy and delicious, I highly recommend not skipping this step.
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