Vegan Brussels sprouts Caesar salad

Vegan Brussels sprouts Caesar salad

vegan Brussels sprouts Caesar salad

Jingle bells, jingle bells…Is it me or has this whole festive period malarkey come a bit early this year? Although maybe it just seems like that to me as I lost an entire month to sanding and painting…Anyway, I am acutely aware that our American friends are all gearing up for Thanksgiving already (and it feels like they have something big to be thankful for this year, wink wink!) and Christmas is not far behind…Although I do wonder what it’s going to be like this year. A bit quiet I think. We are not allowed to travel (and even if we were we feel like it’s too risky given the current climate, so we are certainly staying home – would hate to gift someone the virus) so it’s going to be just Duncan, Tina and I celebrating Xmas this year.

Anyway, quiet or not, I’m committed to putting a good vegan spread on the table. My house, appropriately, smells of cinnamon as I type this as I have been testing some Xmas cookies on repeat the last couple of days. That recipe is almost nailed and I’m really excited to share it with you, but before I do, I have a cracking vegan Brussels sprouts Caesar salad that I hope will shake up your festive salad repertoire a bit.

It’s full of Brussels sprouts goodness but far from boring. It has creaminess and heaps of flavour from the tangy and cheesy sunflower seed dressing, satisfying crunch from garlicky, oven-baked croutons, sweet, salty and smoky pops of flavour from almond bacon and juicy freshness from pomegranate seeds. It also happens to be easy to make and it fits in with the festive colour palette too, what’s not to like? We’ve enjoyed it a lot and I hope you will too.

vegan Brussels sprouts Caesar salad almond bacon

vegan Brussels sprouts Caesar salad dressing

vegan Brussels sprouts Caesar salad sprouts shredded

vegan Brussels sprouts Caesar salad macro

vegan Brussels sprouts Caesar salad mixed

serves
4
PREP
25 min
COOKING
45 min
serves
4
PREPARATION
25 min
COOKING
45 min
INGREDIENTS

ALMOND BACON

  • 20 ml / 4 tsp olive oil
  • 20 ml / 4 tsp maple syrup or sugar
  • 40 ml / 2½ tbsp all purpose soy sauce or tamari (if GF)
  • 1 tsp tomato concentrate
  • 1 tsp smoked sweet paprika
  • 100 g / 1 cup almond flakes

DRESSING

  • ½ cup raw sunflower seeds OR cashews, soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes
  • ½ roasted head of garlic or 1-2 raw cloves, finely grated
  • 2 tsp yellow / shiro miso (optional)
  • 1½ tsp wholegrain mustard*
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp capers in salty brine, drained
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 150 ml / ½ cup + 2 tbsp unsweetened plant milk (I like soy)
  • 1 tsp maple syrup or sugar
  • sea salt, to taste
  • black pepper, to taste

CROUTONS (optional)

  • 30 ml / 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, minced finely (optional)
  • 120 g / 4 cups cubed bread (GF if needed)
  • fine sea salt, to taste

REMAINING INGREDIENTS

  • 500 g / 1 lb Brussels sprouts
  • a handful of parsley, finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp pomegranate arils or dried cranberries rehydrated in warm orange juice

METHOD

ALMOND BACON

  1. Heat up the oven to 120° C / 250° F (regular setting, no fan).
  2. Mix up all of the almond bacon marinade ingredients (apart from flaked almonds) in a medium bowl until homogenous. Mix the almond flakes in and stir well to coat.
  3. Spread marinated almonds on a large baking tray and bake for about 25-30 minutes, giving the almonds a good stir at the halfway point. The almonds will be a little soft when hot but they will crisp up once out of the oven.

DRESSING (makes approx. 240 ml / 1 cup)

  1. While the almonds are baking, make the dressing by placing drained sunflower seeds (or cashews) and the remaining ingredients in a blender and blend until super smooth. Hold off with adding salt until the end as both miso and capers add saltiness. I recommend using a small batch blender, like this Ninja one I own, to make a dressing like this. If using a regular upright blender you may need to double the amount.

CROUTONS (optional)

  1. Once the almonds are out of the oven, increase the temperature to 170° C / 340° F (regular setting, no fan).
  2. Place olive oil and a minced garlic clove in a mixing bowl, whisk until well combined. Stir in your cubed bread and quickly mix well to make sure every cube is evenly coated. Spread the cubes on a large baking tray. Season with a bit of salt if you wish.
  3. Bake for about 10-15 minutes, giving the croutons a stir halfway through. Be aware that if you are using stale bread, the croutons will be done much quicker. Once done and cooled off, you may want to smash some of the croutons in a pestle and mortar and leave some whole for varied texture.

ASSEMBLY

  1. Clean and dry your Brussels sprouts, removing outer leaves if they are looking a bit battered.
  2. Using a food processor with a shredding attachment, a mandolin with a finger guard or a sharp knife and your knife skills, shred the sprouts as thinly as possible.
  3. Combine shredded sprouts and chopped parsley in a large mixing bowl. Stir some of the dressing through the salad, leave the rest aside.
  4. Stir some of the croutons, almond bacon and pomegranate arils through the salad. Place everything in a serving bowl, dot with some more dressing and decorate with more croutons, almonds and pomegranate.

NOTES
*Double check the ingredients as some wholegrain mustard brands are not vegan.

This recipe is based on my two previous recipes, this one and this one.

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NUTRITIONAL INFO
calories
562
28%
sugars
14 g
16%
fats
37 g
52%
saturates
5 g
23%
proteins
20 g
39%
carbs
48 g
18%
*per serving
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5.0
5 reviews, 11 comments
REVIEWS & QUESTIONS
Dawnyka:
Thanks! Can't wait to try this recipe!
On a side note, gotta say I absolutely LOVE your logo and blog name. 😻
    Ania
    Ania:
    Aw thanks, that's lovely to hear - my lazy (winter mode) cat in my lap as I write this :) ...and she also hopes you will enjoy this recipe! x Ania
Linde:
Amazing recipe! We love it here!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you, Linde! I'm so happy to hear that it's a winner in your house and many thanks for letting me know. x Ania
Georgia Dickinson:
We absolutely adored this recipe! I made a few edits and changed the almond bacon for some vegan crispy bits and 'chickn'. Super simple and seriously delicious!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you, I'm very happy to hear that, Georgia! And many thanks for taking the time to review - much appreciated. Ania
Kristi:
This looks amazing, thank you for inventing it!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you, Kristi! I hope you'll enjoy it! x Ania
Olga Veiga:
I love all your meals and I am a big fan of yours!
Ania, I would love to ask you: Where did you get those beautiful bowls and spoons?
Thanks!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks Olga, I'm really touched! This bowl was an off cut (it's not quite round) from a local potter and the spoons are from a charity shop :) x Ania
Sue:
Great recipe Ania. We loved all the components individually, and together they were even better! Thank you so much. ❤️
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks so much for your kind words, Sue! I'm delighted that you enjoyed it. x Ania
Karen:
Hello Ania, When you list tomato concentrate are you referring to tomato paste, or something more liquid like Passata?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Karen,
    Yes, I mean tomato paste that tends to come in a tube or a very small tin. Ania
Socorro Quinteros:
Me encantó la receta de ensalada navideña y otras, muy didáctico todo, se comprende bien el procedimiento aun cuando no seas super buena cocinera😀😀
    Ania
    Ania:
    Muchas gracias. Espero que disfrutes esta ensalada.
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