An OSR Original Recipe

Summer’s Best Brussels Sprout Slaw with Manchego

Back in the day—a summer BBQ would not be complete without a heaping bowl of creamy potato salad. Thankfully, we’ve moved past that day, and now greener things are becoming menu standards at summer’s tastiest soirées. One salad that cannot be missed is a tart and tangy Brussels sprout slaw. Even those that scrunch their nose at the mention of green vegetables (especially Brussels sprouts), can’t resist this stuff! The dried cranberries and toasted almonds are a nice touch, but I gotta believe that it’s the rustic crumbles of Manchego cheese that take this salad over the top. And if you’re lucky enough to score one of the big crumbles, then hide your plate and whisper softly to yourself, “Jackpot!”.

OSR Recipe: Brussels Sprout Slaw with Manchego
Active Prep Time:
40 mins
Cook/Set Time:
2 hrs
Total Time:
2 hrs 40 mins
Print
Primary Course: Side Dish
Primary Cuisine: American
Serves/Makes: 6 to 8
Ingredients
Dressing:
  • 1/3 c. white wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 tbsp. honey
  • 1 tsp. whole grain or coarse ground mustard
  • 3 tsp. mild Dijon or Düsseldorf mustard (see TIP A below)
  • zest and juice of 1 lemon
Slaw Salad:
  • 1/2 c. blanched slivered almonds
  • 4 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper, divided
  • 16-20 oz. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced or shaved
  • 2-3 c. Tuscan kale, thinly sliced (or give Mann's® Power Blend a try, see TIP B below)
  • 3 green onions, finely chopped (white and green parts)
  • 2/3 c. dried cranberries
  • 2/3 c. crumbled Manchego cheese (see TIP C below)
  • 1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
Instructions
One: Prepare the Dressing:
  1. Whisk all 6 ingredients together in a large bowl. Set aside.
Two: Toast the Almonds:
  1. Heat 4 tbsp. olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat until glossy and easily coats the bottom of the pan. Add the almonds, ½ tsp. kosher salt, and 1/8 tsp. black pepper. Stir constantly until the almonds become fragrant and golden. Remove the almonds from the pan using a slotted spoon (set aside) and let the remaining oil cool slightly off the heat.
Three: Compose Salad:

  1. Add the Brussels sprouts, kale, green onions, cranberries, Manchego crumbles, and basil to the bowl with the dressing. Mix until ingredients are fully coated with dressing. Pour the reserved almond-infused oil and almonds over the salad mixture and add remaining black pepper and up to 1.5 tsp. kosher salt. Mix until ingredients are evenly dispersed. If time permits, let stand in the refrigerator 2-4 hours before serving.

Tips

TIP A: "Düsseldorf mustard" is just a more specific (and fancier) name for German-style or brown mustard. It's beginning to overtake Dijon as the mustard-of-choice for cooking because it tends to add a bright, complementary suite of flavors vs. the nose-tingling punch of some Dijon varieties. That being said, some Düsseldorf types are pretty punchy as well, so—for this recipe—I recommend looking for a smooth or creamy style. Koops'® is an excellent brand sold in my region and also available on Amazon.

 

TIP B: The one challenge to making this slaw (like most slaws) is all of chopping, slicing, and shaving. If you're a purist and like the process of preparing your own vegetables by hand, then have at it (I agree, fresh cut is usually the way to go). But, if you want a short-cut without being short-changed on freshness, give Mann's® Power Blend a try. Mann's is a generations-old, women-owned business out of CA—probably best known for their carrots and Broccolini®. I promised to share on this site the brands that I enjoy and trust most, and Mann's is one of them. They're my go-to in the fresh veg department, and their Power Blend is a perfect substitute for the kale in this slaw. Still add more fresh Brussels sprouts as the recipe indicates—they're the star of the slaw after all!

 

TIP C: I think of Manchego cheese as a Spanish Pecorino Romano, but that probably doesn't do justice to its surprisingly creamy characteristics (despite being considered a hard cheese). When cold, Manchego is extremely firm and crumbles easily. Keep the cheese in the fridge until right before you want to crumble it. Use a fork or clean hands to create mostly pea-size crumbles, but leave a few larger chunks for a bit of indulgence.

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Recipe Rating




  • Jessica · August 07, 2017

    Made this last night for a summer BBQ and it was such a hit!!! So delicious and easy to make (especially for a novice cook like I am!). Everyone was asking for “my” recipe…definitely a first for me. Thanks OSR for making me look good 😉

    Reply

    1. off-script recipes · August 07, 2017

      Any time, Jess! Thanks for giving the recipe a shot and so glad it was a success!

      Reply