Charred Brussel Sprout Salad with a Tahini Beet Dressing

You don’t need a sweetheart to enjoy a wonderfully colorful and festive meal! This salad comes together quickly and easily, yet brings contrasting flavors for a sophisticated dish that makes a great side or main dish!

Creamy, rich, and…vegan?! For those of you that grew up on meat and potatoes, the word ‘vegan’ can be incredibly daunting. Shoot, for anyone it can be! When I started cooking for friends with various dietary preferences, one of the challenges was textures that replicated dairy products. The blender became my friend. In this dressing, swapping out yogurt or mayo for tahini not only replaces that creamy texture, but brings a hearty, nutty flavor that supports the beet without overpowering it. Combined with just a hint of citrus from the lemon, and acidity from the vinegar, this dressing will have you rethinking your go-to condiments!

The Black and Blue. The concept behind the pairing of ‘black and blue’ is typically found in a steak restaurant, playing off of the heavy seasoned char accomplished with a seared steak, and the creamy flavor of warmed blue cheese on top. By roasting at high heat, the leaves of the sprouts get a nice char throughout, and emulate that flavor combination. This texture contrast is a fabulous solution when favoring a lower carb diet, and by using pepitas and crispy onions, you will not miss the crunch of croutons at all! If you would like stronger flavors, sprinkle a little of your favorite seasoning on the brussel sprouts prior to roasting for an additional kick!

Looking for other ways to use those brussel sprouts?! Try out these:

Shredded Brussel Sprout and Kale Salad with a Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon

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Enjoy!

Charred Brussel Sprout Salad with a Tahini Beet Dressing

Hannah

Not only a beautiful mix of colors, this salad packs some wonderful flavor and texture from the crunchy pepitas and brussel sprout leaves, to the nutty tahini dressing!

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Course Lunch, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine French, Italian, Mediterranean

Servings 2

Equipment

• Baking sheet
• Mixing bowl
• Kitchen knife

Ingredients

  

• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 8 large Brussel Sprouts
• Salt
• 4 handfuls Mixed Greens
• 1/2 medium Red Onion
• 1/4 cup Pepitas
• 2 tbsp Blue Cheese (omit if vegan)

Dressing

• 2 tsp Tahini
• 4 tsp Beet Juice
• 1/2 squeezed Lemon Juice
• 2 tsp Olive Oil
• 2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 clove Garlic
• Salt

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400. Clean brussel sprouts and slice in thin discs. Toss in olive oil and salt, laying on baking sheet. Place in oven for about 15 minutes, flipping throughout, until there is a crispy char to them. Remove and set aside.
• While the sprouts are cooking, in mixing bowl, combine dressing ingredients, finely chopping the garlic, and mix well. The desire is a fairly runny consistency, so add a bit more beet juice if needed. Adjust amounts to taste.
• Plate a serving dish with mixed greens and layer charred sprouts on top. Place sliced red onion and pepitas on top, drizzling the dressing over and finishing with crumbled blue cheese. Enjoy!

  Variation: to make a more complete meal, this is also great with chicken or grilled shrimp. For a vegan version, substitute a cheese substitute for the blue cheese!

Keyword Beet, Blue Cheese, Brussel Sprouts, Fresh, Healthy, Salad, Vegan, vegetarian