Arugula, Apple & Brussels Sprouts Salad with Lemon Shallot Vinaigrette

My favorite go-to salad right now is this one made with peppery arugula, thinly sliced Brussels sprouts, crisp sliced apples, fresh parsley leaves, nourishing almonds, shredded Parmesan cheese, and the easiest-ever lemon, shallot, and Dijon mustard vinaigrette. Sounds fancy, but it’s super easy, super flexible, and incredibly delicious. Eat as is or top with your favorite protein — shrimp, salmon, grilled chicken or steak, hard-boiled eggs — and dinner is served.

I gave a cooking class a few weeks ago as part of a worksite wellness day with Chestnut Realty employees here in the Boston area. I wanted to teach the group about some basic cooking techniques like how to hold a chef’s knife, how to make a vinaigrette, and how to easily add more vegetables to the diet. This was one of the recipes I demonstrated, and now I’m sharing it with you. 🙂

I’m all about convenience, so I don’t feel guilty when I buy a bottled salad dressing. But it’s just as easy to make from scratch. For this dressing, I go with two parts extra virgin olive oil to one part lemon juice. And I boost the flavor with shallot, Dijon mustard, and kosher salt and pepper. You can also add a drizzle of maple syrup for a bit of sweetness.

My favorite thing about this recipe is the flexibility. You can substitute the arugula with baby kale, the apples with pears, the almonds with pecans or walnuts, the Parmesan cheese with goat cheese or feta, and the Brussels sprouts with just about any other veggie under the sun. Since asparagus is in season right now, you can roast or blanch some spears and add those to the salad. This recipe is a guide. Have fun with it.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Arugula, Apple & Brussels Sprouts Salad with Lemon Shallot Vinaigrette

 

Author: Liz Weiss

Recipe type: Salad

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I first discovered this recipe last summer when I was pretty much living on salads. The original recipe was on Epicurious and featured a combo of Brussels sprouts and kale. I've changed it up quite a bit over these past few months, so I consider this new version my own. To turn this into a complete meal, top with your favorite protein: hard-boiled eggs, shrimp, salmon, chicken, grilled steak.

Ingredients

• ¼ to ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Drizzle honey or maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt plus more for seasoning
• Freshly ground black pepper
• One 5-ounce bag baby arugula
• 2 cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed, outer leaves removed, cut in half lengthwise, and thinly sliced with a knife
• 1 small apple, thinly sliced or cut into ½-inch dice
• A generous handful of fresh parsley leaves
• ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• ¼ to ⅓ cup lightly toasted almonds or pecan pieces

Instructions

1. Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, shallot, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper to taste in a small bowl or Mason jar. Stir or shake to blend; set aside to let flavors mellow and meld.
2. Combine the arugula, Brussels sprouts, apple, parsley and Parmesan in a large bowl.
3. Season dressing to taste with additional salt and pepper. {Other flavor enhancers: a drizzle of Balsamic vinegar.} Drizzle over the salad and toss. Use as much of the dressing as you choose and store any extra in the fridge. Garnish with the almonds or pecans.

3.5.3251

Do you have a favorite salad or vinaigrette recipe? Do tell.