Winter Pasta Salad with Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Healthy and delicious, this winter pasta salad with roasted Brussels sprouts is super quick to throw together and it’s a great way to get your daily dose of vitamins! 

Pasta salads are usually associated with summer because they are an easy make-ahead meal you can throw together in a bowl and take along to a BBQ or gathering. However, why limit pasta salads only to then? This brussels sprouts pasta salad is the perfect winter pasta salad for the cooler months which is when brussels sprouts are at their best.

The cooler months are also when citrus is in abundance, and it’s the perfect time to give your immune system an extra dose of vitamin C!

Brussels sprouts

Brussels sprouts are a powerhouse of goodness. Full of fibre, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, they are small but mighty. They get a pretty bad reputation a lot of the time, but I think that’s all in the way they are prepared. If you prepare your sprouts properly then they are so good.

In my opinion, nothing beats roasted sprouts. Crispy and caramelised on the outside, and melt-in-the-mouth soft on the inside. It’s the best way to eat them and that’s how they’re prepared in this vegetable pasta salad. 

The Ingredients

There’s not a huge list of ingredients in this winter pasta salad, it’s fresh and simple with a few key flavours to make it shine. 

• Brussels sprouts – Roasted to perfection. Don’t under-roast this step or the flavour just won’t be as good! They should be browned and crispy on the outside and nice and soft on the inside. 
• Lemon – There’s lemon in the dressing and also roasted alongside the sprouts. Roasted lemon is delicious if you’ve not tried it before! It takes on caramelised notes too, the zest especially. The tartness of the lemon is reduced once it’s baked, so fresh lemon juice is also added through the dressing to lift the salad.
• Garlic – Garlic is roasted in unpeeled cloves. The peel adds a layer of protection to the garlic while it roasts and lets the middle cook and soften without burning. The soft garlic is added later to the dressing.
• Toasted Pine nuts -The pine nuts add a great crunch to offset the soft pasta.
• Feta cheese – for a little extra salt
• Fusilli pasta – This is the pasta type I’ve used but you can use whatever shape you like!
• Olive oil + maple syrup, parsley – these are combined with fresh lemon juice and softened garlic into a tangy dressing. 

Substitutions and Additions 

• Slivered almonds or walnuts can be added instead of pine nuts to bring the crunchy texture 
• Crumbled feta can be substituted with goat’s cheese or shaved parmesan
• Baby spinach leaves can be tossed through the still warm salad to add more greenery 

Method

Wash the Brussels sprouts halve them if they’re small or chop them into quarters if they’re big. Thinly slice a lemon, then cut each slice into halves or quarters depending on the circumference of the lemon.

Layer the Brussels sprouts, lemon slices and unpeeled garlic cloves on a large baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.

Bake in a hot oven for approximately 20-25 minutes until the edges of the sprouts have crisped up and the lemon slices have caramelised. The garlic cloves should be soft inside the skins. If you’re using small garlic cloves, they may cook too fast and risk drying out while baking. You can either remove them from the oven earlier or wrap the cloves in foil to protect them further. You’ll need the softened garlic for the dressing later.

Cook the pasta in boiling water until it is al dente, according to package directions, then drain it and drizzle with olive oil. Set it aside.

In a jar, combine all the dressing ingredients. Squeeze the garlic from the skins onto a plate, mash it a little with a fork, and then add it to the jar. Screw a lid on the jar and shake it well to combine the dressing. 

In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, Brussels sprouts and lemon. Crumble over feta cheese and add the toasted pine nuts. Drizzle the salad with the lemon vinaigrette and toss it together to combine.

Serve the salad warm or cold. The salad can be stored, and covered in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Wanting a summer salad instead? Try this Mediterranean Couscous Salad.

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