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Tahini-Caesar Roasted Brussels Sprouts

5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Yield 6 servings
Category Side Dish
Cuisine American
Author Lauren Grant

Description

Savory roasted Brussels sprouts tossed in a homemade tahini Caesar dressing and finished with crunchy whole-wheat croutons and sunflower seeds. A show-stopping side dish! 

Ingredients

Brussels Sprouts:

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 ½ pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
  • Kosher Salt and black pepper

Tahini Caesar Dressing: 

  • 3 oil-packed anchovy fillets, chopped
  • 1 large garlic clove, chopped
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons tahini, if you don’t have tahini, you can also use 1 egg yolk
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, finely grated

Breadcrumbs: 

  • 2 cups hearty whole-wheat bread, broken into craggy pieces
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons roasted sunflower seeds

Instructions

Brussels Sprouts

  • Heat oven to 500°F with racks set in middle and lowest positions.
  • Toss sprouts with 2 tablespoons oil to evenly coat; season with salt and pepper. Transfer sprouts to a baking sheet and arrange cut side down in a single layer. Tightly cover sheet with foil and roast 10 minutes on lowest rack. Remove foil from sheet and continue to roast on lowest rack 7–10 minutes more until sprouts are deep golden brown. 

Tahini Caesar Dressing

  • Mound anchovies, garlic, and ¾ teaspoon salt on a cutting board. Using chef’s knife, mince the anchovies, garlic and salt together until well combined. Continue to work mixture, mashing and scraping with the side of the knife, until a smooth paste forms. (Alternatively, you can use a mortar and pestle to do this or use grated garlic and anchovy paste instead.)
  • Whisk tahini, lemon juice, and Dijon in a large bowl. Place the bowl on a damp kitchen towel or paper towel to hold in place. 
  • Start slowly dripping oil into tahini mixture while whisking constantly and vigorously. Continue, slowly adding oil and whisking vigorously, until mixture looks slightly thickened and glossy. Continue to gradually add oil in a slow, steady stream until all oil has been added and mixture looks like mayonnaise. 
  • Add a dash of water and whisk, adjusting with more water as needed, until dressing is the consistency of heavy cream. Add anchovy mixture and Parmesan and whisk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Transfer cooked Brussels sprouts to bowl with dressing and toss to coat. 

Breadcrumbs

  • For the breadcrumbs, toss bread pieces with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper; arrange in a single layer on sheet pan. Roast on the middle rack until golden brown and crunchy, about 5 minutes. 

Assembly

  • Transfer dressed Brussels sprouts to a serving platter and top with breadcrumbs and sunflower seeds. 

Notes

Anchovies: When buying anchovies, look for them in the canned fish aisle next to the tuna and salmon. You can find them in jars or tins, and seek out anchovies packed in oil. You can use anchovy paste (about 1/2 teaspoon = 1 anchovy), but I prefer the flavor of the whole anchovy filets over paste. 
Caesar Dressing: I love this tahini Caesar, but you can also use your fav homemade recipe or store-bought Caesar dressing.
Can you use frozen Brussels sprouts? No, frozen Brussels sprouts have too much moisture (thanks to broken cell walls) that inhibit adequate browning. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6 of the recipeCalories: 262kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 9gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 496mgFiber: 8gSugar: 5g
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