Roasted Brussels Sprouts And Carrots
Sweet maple glazed roasted Brussels sprouts and carrots tossed together with wholesome freekeh, nutty walnuts, creamy goat cheese, and balanced with the freshness of peas. This is our warm Brussels sprouts salad side dish that is insanely flavoursome.
Why You’ll Love Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Carrots
I love roasted Brussels sprouts. I love roasted carrots. Add a maple glaze, and I am in heaven.
To be honest, I probably could have left the side dish with just the two vegetables as they are delicious by themselves. But of course, we like to do things a bit more fancy, don’t we?
By tossing the roasted glazed Brussels sprouts and Dutch carrots with freekeh, peas, walnuts and topping it with creamy goat cheese, the end result is a comfortingly satisfying side salad.
The combination of this roasted Brussels sprouts salad is hearty and flavoursome. I can tell you this roast dutch carrots dish was devoured in seconds as I served it on the family dinner table.
Whether you serve it warm or cold, this is an excellent roasted Brussels sprouts salad for scrumptious roast dinner or potluck gatherings.
Plus, this Dutch carrot recipe will fit in perfectly with all your holiday entertaining such as Christmas or Thanksgiving dinners. You can prepare most elements in advance and toss together when you need to—no fuss and so easy to include in a busy day of cooking.
Are Brussels Sprouts Healthy?
That is a definite YES! Brussels sprouts might be small, but they are packed with health benefits.
According to Medical News Today, they bring a range of vitamins and minerals to your health, plus antioxidants that may help reduce cancer growth, decrease inflammation and promote heart health.
Low in carbs and calories, Brussels sprouts are also often included in low carb salad recipes and keto salad recipes. Try our raw Keto Brussels Sprouts Salad for something different. They are a good source of plant protein as well, which is fantastic for vegetarian diets.
Different Ways to Cook Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts are not everyone’s cup of tea. My family is probably an odd bunch as we all love Brussels sprouts.
If you mention serving Brussels sprouts, the first response you might get may not be all that positive. However, after you master the technique of roasting Brussels sprouts, I guarantee they will be coming back for more.
Roasting Brussels sprouts bring out the naturally sweet flavours compared to other ways of cooking them. Plus, the few charred crispy bits adds extra texture and flavour that is so delicious.
You can then start on other ways to cook (or not cook) Brussels sprouts. I find them all delicious.
Shredded Brussels sprouts are fantastic in salads or stir through in pasta. Another option is to pan fry with bacon as a tasty side dish or throw them in the oven and make a cheesy Brussels sprouts bake.
One I have yet to try but will be testing soon is the new crunchy smashed Brussels sprouts trend in the air fryer.
And if you do come across purple Brussels Sprouts, you will have to try our Roasted Purple Brussels Sprouts Salad.
Tips To Roasting Brussels Sprouts And Carrots
- Be sure to trim the Brussels sprouts well. Remove any bad leaves, cut the base and then cut in half, ready for roasting.
- Roast Brussels sprouts cut side down.
- You do not need to line the baking sheet with foil; roast straight on the open pan.
- Dutch carrots can be roasted whole but if you prefer to use other carrots, cut them up in large chunks.
Recipe Overview
Flavour/Texture: The roasted Brussels sprouts and carrots deliver sweet earthy flavours with nutty freekeh and walnuts. The peas give balance with freshness plus a creamy goat cheese to match.
There is no official dressing for this warm Brussels sprouts salad as the maple glaze adds sufficient sweetness and flavour. To finish, I add a good squeeze of lemon juice and olive oil for a zesty balance.
With different elements such as roast vegetables, nuts and cheese, this roast Dutch carrot recipe delivers a whole lot of interesting textures.
Ease: A few steps need to be conquered in this salad but are not overly complex. The oven will do most of the hard work by roasting Brussels sprouts and carrots.
Time: With the various elements required, you will need to allow at least 60 minutes. However, it can be shortened as you can prepare some elements of the salad whilst the Brussels sprouts and carrots are roasting. You can serve this salad warm or cold.
Ingredients
These are the ingredients you need in Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Carrots.
Brussels sprouts: Choose Brussels sprouts that are dense, firm and tightly packed when you hold them. The leaves are green and have not turned yellow or browned.
Dutch carrots: Also known as baby carrots, Dutch carrots are smaller and sweeter than the common carrot. You can find dutch carrots in varying colours like orange, red, purple and even black! They are generally sold with their tops on.
Maple syrup: To help elevate the flavours of roasted Brussels sprouts and carrots, natural maple syrup adds a deep caramel sweetness. Perfect in roasting vegetables. Try to find one that is 100% maple syrup and not filled with cornstarch or plain sugar.
Dijon mustard: Originated in Dijon, France, Dijon mustard is slightly more intense than yellow American mustard and has a delicious tang to it. A great combination with maple syrup to create glazed Brussels sprouts and carrots.
Freekeh: Freekeh is an ancient grain fast becoming a popular alternative to oats and rice in recipes due to its health benefits and unique nutty taste. You can purchase whole freekeh or cracked freekeh. Cracked freekeh will cook quicker than whole freekeh.
Goat cheese: Goat cheese will not only add creaminess to the dish but will help cut through the richness with its sharp, tangy flavours.
Variations and Substitutions
Dutch carrots substitution: If you can’t find Dutch carrots, regular carrots work fine as well. Use 2-3 carrots and cut into smaller pieces.
Nut free option: Remove walnuts if you prefer a nut-free salad. It works without.
Walnut substitution: Try glazed pecans instead of glazed walnuts.
Alternative to goat cheese: Switch to feta if you prefer something less sharp. The creaminess of feta will pair well with Brussels sprouts and carrots. Or for a stronger flavour, go blue cheese.
Vegan option: Substitute goat cheese for a vegan cheese replacement.
Lemon juice alternative: I’ve seen a few recipes use balsamic vinegar as a flavouring for roasted Brussels sprouts and carrots. Balsamic vinegar can be used as a substitute here instead of lemon juice.
Instructions
Follow these instructions on how to make Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Carrots.
Preheat the oven to 200°C or 400°F.
Give Brussels sprouts a good rinse, then trim stalks and cut each Brussels sprout in half lengthwise.
Rinse Dutch carrots under water and scrub off any excess dirt, especially around the top. Trim off the green tops.
In a large mixing bowl, place olive oil, maple syrup and Dijon mustard together and whisk well until glaze is combined.
Add Brussels sprouts and Dutch carrots in the bowl, then salt & pepper to taste. Toss well with maple syrup glaze until all is coated.
The Brussels sprouts will take a little longer than the Dutch carrots to roast, so we will start with them first.
Lightly brush a roasting dish or sheet pan with olive oil. This is just to help with cleaning later as the caramelisation of maple syrup will cause sticking to the pan.
Place the Brussels sprouts cut side down on one side of the sheet pan, leaving some space for the Dutch carrots. If the outer leaves fall off, that’s ok. They will char and crisp up, which are delicious to add to the salad.
Place in a hot oven and roast for 10 minutes.
Remove the Brussels sprouts from the oven and toss them around, so they brown evenly.
Add Dutch carrots to the pan. Place back into the oven and continue to roast for another 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are tender and browned.
My carrots were quite small, so they didn’t take long to roast. If you have larger carrots, it might take slightly longer.
Remove from the oven and set aside to assemble.
In a medium saucepan, add ½ cup of freekeh, 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Bring the water to boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 35-40 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Once the water has been absorbed, remove the pan from heat and then drain freekeh. Give it a rinse under cold water to loosen up the grains. Set aside for assembly.
Bring 2 cups of water to boil in a small saucepan, then add frozen peas. Cook for about 1 minute, then drain peas and immerse them in a bowl of cold water to stop the peas from further cooking.
Over medium-high heat, heat up a large frypan. Add walnuts to a dry pan and toast for 5 minutes. Stir walnuts constantly and keep an eye on them. Walnuts can burn quickly. Remove from heat when walnuts are golden brown.
How to Assemble the Salad
Place maple glazed Brussels sprouts, Dutch carrots, freekeh, peas and walnuts in a large mixing bowl and squeeze lemon juice and drizzle olive oil into the bowl.
Toss all ingredients together, ensuring everything is well covered. Add salt & pepper to taste.
To serve, tumble ingredients into a large platter and top with dollops of creamy goat’s cheese around the salad.
How to Serve
Here are some main dishes that will go well with Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Carrots.
So versatile, Brussels sprouts makes for a great side dish to so many main dishes. Try this venison backstrap recipe which you can grill to perfection after an overnight marinate or comfort dishes like lasagna with cottage cheese.
For the ultimate Thanksgiving and Christmas fare, here’s a fantastic prosciutto wrapped stuffed turkey. Make it a holiday showstopper with this Brussels sprout salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is not necessary to blanch Brussels sprouts before roasting. You want the Brussels sprouts to soften but still hold shape after roasting. I find blanching them first will overcook the Brussels sprouts.
You can peel Dutch carrots, but mine were small, so I didn’t need to. As long as you wash them well, they should be fine to roast with the peel on.
Dutch carrots do not need to be cut before roasting. I normally roast them whole. However, if you are using larger regular carrots, I would cut them first. Slice on a diagonal 1-2 cm apart.
Can easily prepare roasted Brussels sprouts and carrots ahead of time. It is a great recipe for meal prep as well. If you prefer to serve warm, gently heat up without goat cheese in the oven before serving. Add goat cheese at the end.
Yes, you can definitely serve Brussels sprouts and carrot salad warm or cold. I prepared mine during the early afternoon and served it warm at dinner time.
An ancient grain originating from the Middle East and North Africa, freekeh is fast becoming a popular alternative to oats and rice in a variety of recipes. It is similar to bulgur wheat, farro and spelt but with its own distinctive taste.
The chewy, nutty texture makes this healthy wholegrain fantastic for salads, pilafs or stews, where it can fully absorb the flavours from the salad dressings or liquid in these freekeh recipes.
No, freekeh is not gluten-free because it is made from wheat.
I definitely loved all the ingredients together for this warm Brussels sprouts salad recipe. It may seem like many elements, but it’s what creates the delicious harmony. They make for great Thanksgiving Salad and also salads for beef.
With the nutty texture of freekeh and toasted walnuts along with sweet maple glazed Brussels sprouts and carrots balanced with the freshness of peas and then rounded off with creamy goat cheese, our warm Brussels sprouts salad is insanely flavoursome.
That’s all!
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Roasted Brussels Sprouts And Carrots
Ingredients
Salad
- 400 g Brussels sprouts
- 1 bunch Dutch carrots
- 6 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- ½ cup freekeh
- ¾ cup peas, hulled
- 50 g walnuts
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 50 g goat's cheese
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
Click on the toggle below for conversion to US Cooking Units.
Instructions
Salad
- Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F)
- Wash and trim Brussels sprouts and cut in half lengthwise.
- Wash and trim Dutch carrots. No need to peel, just make sure to give it a good scrub.
- In a large mixing bowl, place 5 ½ tbsp olive oil, maple syrup and Dijon mustard together and whisk well until glaze is combined. Add Brussels sprouts and Dutch carrots in the bowl, then salt and pepper to taste. Then toss well with maple syrup glaze until all is coated.
- Place Brussels sprouts on sheet pan and roast for 10 minutes, then remove and add Dutch carrots to the same sheet pan and continue roasting for 15-20 minutes or until tender and golden brown.
- In a medium saucepan, add freekeh and 2 cups of water. Bring the water to boil then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 35-40 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Once the water has been absorbed, remove saucepan from heat and then drain freekeh in a colander. Give it a rinse under cold water to loosen up the grains.
- Bring 2 cups water to boil in a small saucepan then add frozen peas. Cook for about 1 minute then drain peas and immerse them in a bowl of cold water to stop the peas from further cooking.
- Over medium-high heat, add walnuts to a small fry pan and dry toast for 5 minutes. Stir walnuts constantly and keep an eye on them. Remove when golden brown.
Assembly
- Place maple glazed Brussels sprouts, Dutch carrots, freekeh, peas and walnuts in a large mixing bowl and squeeze lemon juice and drizzle ½ tbsp olive oil into bowl.
- Toss all ingredients together ensuring everything is well covered. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- To serve, tumble ingredients into a large platter and top with dollops of creamy goat’s cheese around the salad.
Notes
- If you can’t find Dutch carrots, regular carrots work fine as well. Use 2-3 carrots and cut into smaller pieces.
- Remove walnuts if you prefer a nut-free salad. It works without.
- It can be served warm or cold. Can easily prepare ahead of time if you need to prepare other elements for dinner.
- Can substitute goat’s cheese with feta.
Nutrition
*Disclaimer: Nutritional information provided is an estimate only and generated by an online calculator.
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Been trying to sneak more veggies into the diet…and this dish was outstanding! Loved the goat cheese addition 🙂 so creamy and delicious!
Thanks Andrea! No better way to have more veggies I reckon!
Those dutch carrots are so precious! Love your photography! And the Brussels sprouts combo sounds dreamy :).
Thanks so much! Aren’t Dutch carrots just so fabulous! IF you love them do check out our Roasted Heirloom Carrots with Pearl Couscous recipe!
I would agree many people aren’t a fan of brussels sprouts (I was one of them) but I believe it’s all a matter of how it’s cooked/seasoned. I love the sound of maple with yours and will have to give this a go.
Exactly! Can’t go wrong with a little sweetness!
Came out so good and we lived this recipe. Even my friends lived munching on these when they stopped by for few minutes.
That’s great Gunjan! Thank you for your lovely feedback.
i love getting brussels into my salad. really excited to glaze these with maple!!
We love Brussels sprouts too! Enjoy!
Such a flavor packed and nutritious salad recipe! I have a lot of brussel sprouts on hand right now, such an amazing idea to use them up.
Oh you do? That’s perfect! Enjoy this recipe!
Yum, the maple and carrots are perfect additions to this Brussels sprouts salad! Love how unique it is!
Aren’t they just? A great marriage of flavours.
I really enjoyed this roasted Brussels sprouts and Dutch carrots salad! I made some extra to take to my coworkers and they loved your recipe too. Saving this recipe for roasted Brussels sprouts and Dutch carrots salad to make again soon.
That’s amazing Heidy! Thanks so much. Glad everyone enjoyed the recipe!
Okay….I’m sold on finally using that freekeh I bought that’s been in my pantry for way too long. I love all the veggies in this salad and I’m totally ready to go from all raw to some cooked veggies in the salads….it’s just too cold not to. Thank you!
A meal by itself. Lovely and healthy combination of veggies and perfect light Dinner option too.
I really like the sound of this, the combination of sprouts and sweet carrots with walnuts and freekeh, perfect winter food!
It sure is! With Australia’s summer coming to end soon, we’re gearing up for the cooler months!