Brussels sprouts pasta… Definitely not the most photogenic recipe I’ve posted on here but it’s definitely one of my favorites!
Brussels sprouts are definitely one of those foods that as a child you automatically put in the disgusting category without even trying them but then try as an adult and you’re like: “woah, what have I been missing all these years??” At least that’s what happened to me. B sprouts are little gems that soak up flavor! So if you marinate or cook them in delicious flavors then they become even more DELICIOUS. In this recipe for example…. the brussels sprouts are cooked in bacon grease and finished off with chicken stock, red vinegar, dates, and bacon. So many great flavors that all somehow fit together in a cohesive way! 🙂
Let talk about dates. No, not first or second or third dates, like the one Tom and I had where he showed me his gnome collection. HA. True story. But gooey medjool dates that are mixed into everything nowadays, from cookies, truffles, and ice cream to soups and pasta recipes like this one! Dates have slight caramel-y flavor when cooked that adds the ideal amount sweetness to this pasta dish which balances the savory bacon and bitter brussel sprouts. Basically, this recipe is sweet and savory and full of carbs… need I say more??
charred brussels sprouts pasta with bacon and dates
Ingredients
- 12 oz bacon sliced into 1/4 inch wide matchsticks (I used center cut and cut them vertically with kitchen shears)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 lbs brussels sprouts trimmed and halved lengthwise
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt + a healthy pinch for pasta water
- healthy pinch of black pepper
- 1 heaping cup pitted medjool dates minced in a food processor for about 30 seconds (until only small bits remain)
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 12 oz pasta
- shaved parmesan cheese garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot half full with water + sea salt to boil over high heat. This is for cooking your pasta in step 4!
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, add bacon and cook until bacon is slightly brown (about 15-18 minutes). The bacon should still be juicy but have rendered most of its fat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a separate bowl, leaving the bacon grease in the skillet.
- Add one tablespoon oil olive (to the bacon grease) and halved brussels sprouts to the pan, season with 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and a healthy pinch of black pepper then cook for about 14-16 minutes, stirring occasionally . Try rotating the sprouts every 5 or so minutes so they get equally charred. You really want the sliced side of the brussels sprouts to be charred well.
- While the brussels sprouts are charring, cook your pasta according to the package instructions! Once it’s cooked, let drain into a colander then place back in the pot with a splash of chicken stock (so the pasta doesn’t stick together) and keep warm until step 5.
- Once the sprouts are charred well, reduce the heat to medium then add in minced dates and bacon and stir until well combined. Next, slowly pour in the chicken stock then add in the vinegar. Let simmer for about 5-7 minutes. The sauce should thicken up and start to coat the sprouts. If the sauce isn’t thick enough after 7 minutes, let it simmer a few minutes more. If the sauce gets too thick (and sticky), add in an splash of stock or water.
- Once sauce is to your liking, stir pasta into the brussels sprout-bacon-date mixture until well coated.
- Split pasta between four bowls, top with shaved parmesan cheese then EAT.
You survived Monday friends!!! Hopefully this recipe makes your Tuesday better. OH and Happy Fat Tuesday!!! Sorry this recipe has nothing to do with Mardi Gras… though, these cardamom rose beignets look amazing!
Lastly, did y’all watch the Oscars!? That mix up at the end was redonk…..!
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment or tag a photo #appetitesanonymous on instagram!! I’d love to see your pasta bowls in action. Peace, friends!
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