Recipe Roasted Brussels Sprouts Panzanella Salad
Don't let the longer ingredients list deter you—this hearty salad is perfect for fall family meals!
October 08, 2020
Move over, croutons! Our Roasted Brussels Sprouts Panzanella Salad shows off another way that sprouted whole grain bread can make a salad sing. Hailing from Italy, Panzanella salad was historically a rustic dish, meant to use up leftover bread. Countryside homes would soak day-old bread in water and mix it with garden vegetables to make a hearty dish out of simple ingredients. Today, Panzanella salads still embrace simplicity, but have been evolved to add different dish compositions and flavours.
You’ll love our take on a classic. This Roasted Brussels Sprouts Panzanella Salad boasts a range of textures from toasted sprouted whole grain bread and candied pecans that add contrast and crunch alongside the delicate chew of sprouted whole spelt. Its earthy flavours are brightened by fresh apple, tomato, and a zippy vinaigrette—all balanced with spicy, bitter greens.
Now technically, brussels sprouts aren’t sprouts—but we won’t hold it against them! Overcooked brussels sprouts are a but a sad, grey relic of meals long past. In this dish, we’ve roasted them to bring out a nutty and savoury crunch in a delicious celebration of Fall!
This recipe calls for The Big 16™, our popular high-fibre sprouted whole grain bread packed with 16 different seeds and grains. Featuring oat flakes, sunflower seeds, and millet, torn and toasty morsels of this wide slice loaf add a nutritious and delicious crunch to this Panzanella salad. As much as we think The Big 16™is a mighty nice choice in this recipe, any Silver Hills Sprouted Bakery bread you choose will be equally tasty. But if you’re using a smaller-sliced variety like Squirrelly, throw in a an additional slice or two for good measure.
Croutons and Panzanella salad aren’t the only ways to use up the odd slices at the end of the bag! Check out our infographic, How to Use the Whole Loaf: 8 Recipes to Inspire Any Meal for more ideas.
Ingredients
For the roasted brussels sprouts:
- 1 pound brussels sprouts (about 20 small), , sliced in half (or quartered if large)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- to taste salt and pepper
For the toasted bread:
- 4 slices Silver Hills Sprouted Bakery The Big 16™ bread (or your favourite Silver Hills Bakery sprouted whole grain bread), each torn roughly into 4 or 5 large pieces
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- to taste salt and pepper
For the candied pecans:
- 1 ½ cups pecans
- 2 Tbsp non-dairy buttery spread
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp chili flakes (optional)
- to taste salt and pepper
For the salad:
- 1 apple (any variety), sliced into bite-sized pieces
- ½ pint cherry tomatoes (about 1 cup), sliced in half
- ½ head frisée lettuce (about 2 cups), torn into bite-sized pieces
- ½ head radicchio (about 1 cup), cut or torn into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup whole spelt kernels (or wheat berries), soaked overnight (or sprouted)*
For the dressing:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp grainy mustard
- 1 tsp balsamic reduction (or maple syrup)
Featured Product The Big 16®
Instructions
For the salad and dressing:
- Soak whole spelt overnight or sprout for 2 – 3 days*.
- Tear lettuces and slice apples and tomatoes.
- Add to bowl and set aside.
For the roasted brussels sprouts:
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Halve or quarter brussels sprouts. Toss in oil, salt and pepper, and spread on a baking sheet.
- Roast until crisp or golden brown (about 25 minutes). Remove from oven and set aside.
For the toasted bread:
- Tear bread, then season and toss in olive oil, garlic, and salt and pepper.
- In a large frying pan over medium-low heat, cook until the bread has browned (about 10 minutes), remove from pan, and set aside.
For the candied pecans:
- Give the pan you used for toasting the bread a quick wipe and return it to the stove over medium-low.
- Toast pecans lightly in a dry pan until fragrant (about 3 minutes).
- Add non-dairy butter to the pan and melt. Add sugar and spices, stir to let sugar dissolve, and toss to coat the pecans. Remove pan from heat.
- Cautiously spread the candied pecans on parchment paper or a heat-proof non-stick kitchen mat and allow to cool, being careful not to burn yourself. (Molten sugar sticks and stays hot enough to burn your skin longer than you’d expect. Use a utensil to test whether candied pecans have cooled completely—not your finger!).
To serve:
- Prepare dressing by whisking together all ingredients. Or, add the ingredients to a mason jar, seal, and shake until all ingredients are well combined.
- Combine all ingredients in a large salad bowl and toss to coat with dressing immediately before serving.
- Enjoy!
Try these handy tips!
- *Learn more about the benefits of sprouting—and get a complete how-to for soaking and sprouting whole grains and seeds at home—in our Why Sprouted Handbook.
- Don’t have time to candy the pecans? No problem! Store-bought candied pecans—or plain or toasted pecans (or any other nut or seed you like)—work just as well to add crunch to this dish.
- Can’t find frisée or radicchio, or prefer less-bitter alternatives your whole family will enjoy? Swap in arugula, baby kale, or spring mix.
- Need a make-ahead dish to complement a larger meal? To hold your pre-prepared Panzanella salad while you finish other dishes, layer moist ingredients like apples and tomatoes on the bottom of the serving bowl, followed by cooled roasted brussels sprouts, greens (make sure they’re dry), nuts, and toasted bread. Keep the dressing on the side, then toss it all together tableside when you’re ready to serve.
- Got a growing collection of lonely single slices of bread in your freezer that haven’t found a sandwich-worthy partner yet? Panzanella is a perfect way to use them up! Size, shape, and bread variety don’t matter—mix them up!
![How to Use the Whole Loaf: 8 Recipes to Inspire Any Meal</br> [Infographic]](https://silverhillsbakery.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/WholeLoafHeader_BLOG.jpg)
