Brussels Sprout and Brown Rice Salad
Easy and flavorful sautéed Brussels Sprout and Brown Rice Salad that makes the perfect side dish loaded with garlic, bright lemon flavor and crunchy walnuts!
This recipe is my take on brussels sprouts, but make it a salad! This dish is garlicky, lemony and the warm fluffy rice tastes amazing with the tender brussels sprout leaves and crunchy walnuts. I am well aware that not everyone is a fan of brussels sprouts (haters where are you??), but I actually find this dish to be a little more palatable for those who don’t really love brussels when the leaves are separated more like a salad. I lightly sautéed them in a little olive oil and garlic, then tossed the brussels sprouts together with warm brown rice, crunchy walnuts and drizzled with some fresh lemon juice + zest! Simple, yet so delicious. You can also use my lemon dijon dressing on this salad as well for even more flavor!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Easy to make with just a few simple ingredients.
- Can easily be prepared ahead of time for quick assembly.
- Makes a great holiday side dish or even a light and flavorful lunch.
- Healthy and delicious!
- Super versatile and would taste great with some roasted butternut squash, dried cranberries or a variety of other nuts.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Brussels sprouts – the star of this salad and you’ll want to rinse them well, trim off the ends and separate all the leaves
- Brown rice – you can also use plain white rice, wild rice, quinoa or even cauliflower rice
- Vegetable broth – this adds extra flavor to the brown rice, but feel free to use chicken broth or even water if that’s all you have on hand
- Lemons – this brightens up the salad and you’ll want to use the zest too!
- Olive oil – I like to use a good olive oil that doesn’t have to be expensive, just make sure it’s cold-pressed and organic for the most flavor (in my opinion)
- Garlic – you can use fresh chopped garlic or minced garlic from the jar
- Salt and pepper
- Walnuts – I made these candied walnuts which add a nice crunch to the salad and a little sweetness, but you can also use chopped pecans, almonds or cashews
Other Fun Additions
- Roasted butternut squash would taste great in this salad
- A sprinkle of parmesan cheese
- Dried cranberries or raisins
- Other chopped nuts or pepitas
- My lemon dijon herb dressing would taste amazing on this salad!
- Added protein such as chickpeas, shredded chicken or even lentils
- You could also swap the brown rice for some quinoa, wild rice or cauliflower rice
How to Make this Brussels Sprout Salad
I just love how simple it is to throw this side dish together, however I will give you one little warning. The ONLY time consuming part is chopping and separating all the brussels sprout leaves. A little bit of pain, but the end result is so worth it and makes such a beautiful side dish!
- Make brown rice. I made the brown rice right in my Instant Pot which is hands down my favorite way to make brown rice because it comes out perfectly fluffy every time and you can just set it and forget it. Feel free to make the brown rice using whatever method works best for you.
- Prepare brussels sprouts. Wash and trim the brussels sprouts then separate all the leaves. Alternatively, you could simply chop up the brussels sprouts for more of a shredded salad to speed up the process, but I just personally prefer the look of the leafy brussels sprouts in this dish!
- Saute. This not only adds flavor to the brussels sprouts, but makes that vibrant green color really pop! Drizzle a little olive oil in a large skillet and add brussels sprout leaves, garlic and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for only 1 to 2 minutes, just enough to get them coated with garlic and warmed through. We want a vibrant green color and a good crunch, not charred brown leaves!
- Toss the salad. In a large bowl, mix together brussels sprouts, warm brown rice, walnuts and add lemon juice plus the zest. Season with additional salt and pepper, as needed, and enjoy!
Prepping and Storage
To Make ahead: To prepare this salad ahead of time, cook the brown rice and wash, trim and separate the brussels sprout leaves. Store the rice and brussels in separate containers and when you are ready to make the salad, simply warm up the brown rice and sauté the brussels sprouts with olive oil and garlic as per the instructions.
To-Store: This salad can be stored in a sealed, airtight container for about 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Feel free to enjoy the salad cold or re-heat it in a skillet or microwave for a bit.
More Brussels Sprouts Recipes You’ll Love
Hope you all enjoy this Brussels Sprout and Brown Rice Salad and if you love this recipe as much as we do, please leave me a five-star rating below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I love seeing all your delicious recreations!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 55 mins
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked brown rice
- 1 3/4 cups vegetable broth (or water)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups brussels sprout leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- juice of 1 lemon + zest
- 1/4 cup candied maple walnuts
Instructions
- You can make the brown rice in your Instant Pot or in a medium saucepan on medium to high heat, bring vegetable broth and brown rice to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 45 minutes until the rice is cooked and the vegetable broth is absorbed. Remove from the heat and let it sit, covered for 10 more minutes, then fluff with a fork.
- Wash and trim the brussels sprouts then separate all the leaves. Drizzle olive oil in a large skillet and add brussels sprout leaves, garlic and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for only 1 to 2 minutes, just enough to get them coated with garlic and warmed through. We want a vibrant green color and a good crunch, not charred brown leaves!
- In a large bowl, mix together brussels sprouts, warm brown rice, candied walnuts and add lemon juice plus the zest. Season with additional salt and pepper, as needed, and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts:
- Serving Size: 1/4th of recipe
- Calories: 278
- Sugar: 4.2 g
- Sodium: 225.7 mg
- Fats: 9.8 mg
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 45.1 g
- Fibers: 5.6 g
- Proteins: 6.6 g
* Please note that all nutrition information is just estimates. Values will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for the most accurate results.