Bacon and Brussel Sprout Salad

I’m sneaking bites of brussel sprout salad from the fridge every 3 minutes. I think that means I’m a grown up now.

Brussel sprouts in and of themselves are kind of fun, but really, how fun are shaved brussel sprouts? This salad is full of fun things. Like using a nifty mandoline, making your house smell like bacon, and whisking emulsions. Just try saying that. Emuuuulsion.

But it’s not fun to get cut with the mandoline, eat all the bacon impulsively, and whisk dressing onto your new shirt, so don’t do any of that.

DO make this salad and be happy with your crunchy little self, because it is a flavor and texture wonderland. There’s so much to love: smoky bacon, chopped almonds, sharp shredded cheese, citrus and shallot vinaigrette, and those cute green balls of joy – brussel sprouts – shaved into adorable, um, shreddings.

My crazy adorable brothers are proof that this salad is serious YUM. Even these wild ones looooved the sprouts.

Speaking of new shirts with oil on them, remember that other shirt that I told you about? The Mossimo swim cover-up that I thought was a REAL shirt, and then made fun of myself for buying more Mossimo? It all came full circle yesterday. As I was making this salad, Bjork asked me where I got my new (oil-stained) shirt. After giving myself a minor neck injury trying to see the tag when I really could have just asked him to look for me, good ol’ Mossimo made its second appearance in my life within, like, 48 hours.

Does Mossimo make you think of a suave middle-aged man with dark longish wavy slicked back hair?

I don’t know. I just try to be honest.

Now let’s eat bacon.

Bacon and brussel sprout salad in a bowl.

PST! I’ve since made an updated version of this recipe that is just barely slightly tweaked and has new pictures. Check it out here!

AND WAIT! Here’s the mandoline that I’ve used for this recipe for the last three years – works like a charm every time. I also use this for thinly sliced potatoes (I’ve got a recipe for those coming up that I am oh so excited about – eeeeeeh!) and thinly sliced apples for this cake, but honestly, this bacon and brussels sprout salad (and brussels sprouts salads in general) is the thing I use my mandoline for the most often. And even if that was all I ever used it for, it would be well worth the $14! It’s an early Merry Christmas to your brussels sprouts loving self.