Food & Drink

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Mustard Vinaigrette

Katie Workman, author of Dinner Solved, shares her recipe for brussels sprouts with bacon & mustard vinaigrette.

As parents, we often fall into the trap of assuming our kids won’t like something, and therefore we either don’t serve it (not a good solution) or state aloud, “I don’t think you’re going to like this, but . . .” (also not a good solution). Brussels sprouts are high on the list of foods that many of us think will not be met with good cheer at the dining table. Often this is because when we were kids we were served an unappetizing version, probably overcooked and possibly underseasoned, and that’s the way brussels sprouts have been cemented into our memories. Poor little brussels sprouts, so unfairly maligned. It’s like if you went to a job interview with a terrible cold, and were not your best self, and that was the impression that you left on your prospective boss, and no matter what you said or did, that was how he was going to think of you forevermore. So very sad.

Those of us who love brussels sprouts will find these irresistible, and for those who are still on or nowhere near the fence, this recipe could make them converts. The bacon certainly doesn’t hurt. I’ve used turkey bacon in this dish, and found it quite satisfactory. Once my son Jack and I ate the entire batch for lunch. And then the next time I made them, he forgot he liked them. Hashtag sigh.

Warm Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Mustard Vinaigrette

Print Recipe

Serves: 8 as a side dish

Ingredients

4 strips bacon
4 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup minced onion
2 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
⅔ cup chicken or vegetable broth, preferably low-sodium
4 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crispy, about 4 minutes per side. (Or see How to Bake Your Bacon, on the facing page.) Drain on paper towels.

Discard the fat in the skillet. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onion and brussels sprouts and cook, stirring only occasionally, until the onion is tender and turning golden

and the brussels sprouts begin to brown in spots, about 8 minutes.

Add the broth and cover the pan. Let the liquid come to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium. Steam the brussels sprouts until you can easily slide a sharp knife into them and the broth is almost evaporated, 7 to 10 minutes more.

You can continue with Step 5 or see the Fork in the Road for mustard-free sprouts.

To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, the vinegar, and mustard in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Pour the vinaigrette over the cooked brussels sprouts in the pan and toss to coat with the vinaigrette. Crumble the bacon, add it to the vegetables, and toss one more time before transferring to a serving dish. Serve hot or warm.

Notes

What the Kids Can Do: Trim and halve the brussels sprouts with an age-appropriate knife, crumble the bacon, whisk together the vinaigrette, and dress the brussels sprouts. Make Ahead: You can cook the brussels sprouts up to 2 days ahead of time (remove them from the heat just before they are tender). Reheat them on the stove just before serving and dress them while they are still warm or hot. Reheated leftovers (over low heat on the stovetop or in the microwave) are pretty delicious, too. Fork in the Road: Skip the mustard vinaigrette altogether for a very simple pan-roasted and braised brussels sprouts dish. (Or skip the bacon for a vegetarian side.

Dinner Solved!
by Katie Workman

From the bestselling author of The Mom 100 Cookbook (named one of the Five Best Weeknight Cookbooks of the Past 25 Years by Cooking Light) comes Dinner Solved! 100 Ingenious Recipes That Make the Whole Family Happy, Including YOU! With this cookbook, flexible recipes promise no more cranky eaters, no more dinner table strife, and no more unsure or stressed-out cook.