Maple Bacon Brussels, Pear and Blue Cheese Salad. {Video!}
Salads are all up in Monday!
I don’t mind being cliché when things taste good.
Hi hi hi . How was your weekend? Did you happen to eat a whole plate of burrata and buy four cans of truffle salt at Trader Joe’s like I did? Or maybe you watched Love Actually three times because I certainly didn’t do that. I also didn’t forget that I had on a face mask and tried driving to the grocery store.
Interesting.
Something I definitely did was continue my Brussels sprouts binge. If you told me five years ago that I’d be buying these little green nuggets in bulk, I’d have laughed in your face. On Tuesday I asked Eddie if he could stop at the store on his way home and buy five containers of them.
Oh yes I did.
I can’t even fully describe my love for Brussels sprouts right now. It’s like a moth to a flame. Last week, for three days in a row, I ate almost an entire POUND at dinnertime. I’d be all sneaky and prep them for our side dish but I would start early… accidentally on purpose. Which meant that by the time my husband got home, I had devoured spoonful after spoonful of roasted sprouts and then before I knew it, they’d be gone.
I don’t know what that means. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH.
And the darn thing is that you wouldn’t even BELIEVE how I have managed to trash them up. I’ve made three Brussels recipes that I can hardly wait to share with you. They’re pretty embarrassing. I’m wondering… is there anything I won’t put Brussels sprouts in? At this point, probably not.
Except for cookies. Not cookies. Promise.
My favorite thing about this salad is that it works well when served warm or cold – just depends on your preference. It’s low maintenance. Which is so unlike me. Pears are so perfect and ripe right about now that I left them completely plain, sort of just accompanying the salad. A hint of salt and pepper goes a looooong way when sprinkled on top.
The Brussels are cooked in bacon grease (gah, you should see the mason jar full in my fridge – it’s a collection I’m proud of) then tossed with pure maple syrup and crumbled blue cheese. It’s almost embarrassingly easy to make but the flavors POP.
Plus it’s sorta pretty. And pretty food always wins.
Maple Bacon Brussels, Pear and Blue Cheese Salad
Ingredients
- 4 sliced thick-cut bacon chopped
- 1 pound brussel stems, stems removed and sliced
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 large ripe pear, thinly sliced
- 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat and add the bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crispy, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and place it on a paper towel to remove any extra grease.
- Add the brussels to the bacon grease still in the skillet and stir to coat. Cook until the sprouts begin to soften, about 5 minutes, then stir in the maple syrup. Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, then season with the salt and the pepper. Add the bacon back into the skillet and add half of the cheese, stirring to combine.
- Add the brussels to a plate or bowl and add the pear slices on top. Add a sprinkle of pepper if desired and crumble the remaining. blue cheese over top.
Did you make this recipe?
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I appreciate you so much!
It’s also reeeeeally good with chicken on top. Swear.
83 Comments on “Maple Bacon Brussels, Pear and Blue Cheese Salad. {Video!}”
I love Brussels sprouts! This looks so delicious, Jessica. I smiled when I read you have a mason jar of bacon drippings in your fridge, cause I do, too!
I just grew to have a brussel sprout obsession! Plus bacon…plus blue cheese…plus pears…plus maple…? Doing the math here and that can only equal oh-my-gosh-get-in-ma’-face! This looks so delish Jessica!
These pictures are gorgeous! I am with you on the Brussels. I could eat them every day at every meal for the rest of my life. Obsessed. Also your face mask story is so funny…almost as bad as me running to a yoga class and realizing I wasn’t wearing a BRA. Almost.
I would definitely eat this in bulk. I’m sure my stomach would love that.
What a great recipe. Can’t wait to make this salad! Brussels sprouts rock.
If only you could re create this for me everyday, I will be very happy girl. I swear your photography is mouth watering even on something as simple as salad
Did ya know a Trader Joes sells them already shredded?! :-) YUM!!!
This salad looks AMAZING!
I didn’t do some of the weekend activities you listed this weekend, BUT I did also eat nearly a pound of Brussels sprouts in one meal! And you have just reminded me that it’s Love Actually season. I WILL be watching it (perhaps multiple times) next weekend!
It IS pretty! Love it!
Yes to truffle salt at TJ’s! Love this salad…and the fact that I’m not the only hoarder of bacon grease!
Give me all the Brussels Sprouts and blue cheese, I love them!! This salad is so pretty and the flavors sound spot on perfect!
Your salad is just beautiful! Love the addition of blue cheese!!! I am so craving Brussels sprouts right now!!
Sorta pretty? I don’t think so. This salad is supermodel material.
So this is like the Kate MIddleton of salads – beautiful, refined, and with some humble beginnings (uh bacon grease, what?) that give it flavor…I mean, character. I’m all about it.
Even if brussels sprouts do make me bloat up like I”m in my third trimester. Worth it.
That is an absolutely beautiful salad with some lovely flavors! Great job :)
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
brussels sprouts are seriously the most bizarre obsession – you literally cannot kick it!!! I’ve been eating them like an animal myself and it is seriously offensive. though [thankfully] it is much less offensive then say, my smoked gouda obsessions of yore.
This salad is GORGEOUS!!! I’ve become a Brussels sprouts lover over the last couple of years, too. I’m questioning my sanity.
And Love Actually….in my top 3 movies. Maybe top 1. LOVE! Play the soundtrack all the time!!!
WOW that looks so delicious! i love he first picture!
Brussels are my favorite veggie and I get strange looks when I tell people this! I am totally making this next week. Is it bad to throw some roasted turkey on top? Also, I keep a can of bacon grease in my freezer for situations exactly like this! :)
I’m having a love affair with the sprouts right now too! I feel like you and I are a lot alike, so I know that you won’t judge me if I face-planted into these pictures right now. K, great :)
Wow, this looks amazing! I can’t wait to give it a try. Thanks for sharing!
I’m thinking of doing a brussels sprouts salad this Christmas, in lieu of the overcooked boiled/steamed afterthought they usually are, since I don’t think anyone will miss them that way. (Plus I need to get more bacon on to the table, because clearly pigs in blankets aren’t enough). So I was wondering what the makeaheadability of this kind of thing is?
Also, do you have a recommended substitute for blue cheese (since there are some blue cheese haters in my household, and apparently at christmas you have consider the feelings of others)?
Holy moly this flavor combination sounds to die for. You’ve got my wheels spinning for what to make on Turkey Day!
Oh yum!! This sounds amazing!! Will definitely be trying this one!
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I have been practically inhaling brussels sprouts all fall; I used to hate them, and then, enter bacon grease. It’s a game changer.
Mine have been sauteed in bacon grease, topped with bacon bits, pomegranate seeds, an over-easy egg and parmesan shavings. So good!
For the past month, TJ’s in my area has been selling these brussels sprout stalks. They are huge. We’re talking at least 200+ sprouts on each for 2.99! I have no idea how they even sell them so cheaply but I have been going nuts on them! Like a pound a day too. I was actually doing some reading about them and they’re really quite a little miracle food so I say keep it up :)
Your styling and images in this post are stunning! I love the plate, the silverware, the lighting, and the recipe! Pinned
This looks absolutely amazing!!
I love that you love Brussels sprouts. And that you don’t think they taste like trees.
How did you know about the Burrata?? You have spies everywhere!!!
Looks delicious! I might actually get my husband to eat brussels sprouts if I make them this way!
You can never have enough Brussels sprouts! I I love buying them on the stalk–they look like ancient torturing devices or something :)
I loved this post. Your humour always makes me giggle! I was planning a quinoa fried ‘rice’ for dinner but I think this may very well become the craving of the day! Brussels Sprouts are my favourite vegetable, have been for about a decade! Now, even my 4 year old loves them. And bacon, that’s like my candy! I’m a nomnomnomnivore when it comes to that stuff! :) Thanks for another awesome post!
This sounds AMAZING and I can’t wait to try it! So many of my favorite things in one salad and my family will love it too. :D
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after a rather indulgent weekend, salads NEED to be happening early this week for me! and this one looks great.
That salad is SO pretty! I love the combination of pears with blue cheese…so good!
This sounds so good! I don’t even really like blue cheese, but I want to make this.
I’ve been loving sprouts lately too! I ate about a pound for dinner tonight, roasted. :) This salad looks delicious!
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Always looking for new salad ideas and this one looks so delicious! Thanks for sharing!
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Is it okay if I punch this salad with my mouth?
Hey Jessica this recipe looks amazing, follow your blog daily its wonderful! I’m considering a Brussels sprout salad for Thanksgiving and this looks perfect, can you use frozen Brussels sprouts or do you recommend fresh? Any frozen recipes you have on the blog? Mainly because I’m also obsessed and have bought so many that I was forced to freeze two bags because I over purchased which was accidental lol if not no biggie more than willing to buy more they are quite delicious! Thank you!!
Well, no, I only watched ‘Love Actually’ once as a matter of fact; unless you count the number of times that I re-winded it to watch Hugh dance by himself. That I watched 1, 432, 515 times. :)
Great salad; I’m already ready!
I made this for dinner tonight. If its possible, it tastes better than it looks. So good!! Thanks for another great recipe!
Brussels sprouts and goat cheese is my current obsession but this salad sounds amazing with blue cheese. Bring on the other recipes. I love Brussels sprouts.
Yep. This was absolutely delicious. Can’t stop thinking about it.
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We made this as a Thanksgiving side dish and it was great! We didn’t have maple syrup so we used honey. Thanks for sharing!
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