Brussels Sprout Caesar Salad

This Brussels sprout Caesar salad came out of a private dinner at a Newport vacation rental, late July, when the client came home from the farm stand with an unexpected pound of sprouts.

She’d spent the morning at the farm stand on West Main Road in Middletown and came back with a bag of peaches and, somehow, a pound of Brussels sprouts. Of course, the peaches made sense. I’d already planned the whole main around them. The Brussels sprouts, however, were a surprise. Her exact words were, “I saw them and thought of you.” I love that. Honestly, I have no idea what it means, but I took the sprouts and started thinking.

This Brussels sprout Caesar salad was the first thing I put on the table that night. Specifically, roasted garlic dressing from scratch, sourdough croutons, shaved parm. The peach bourbon pork tenderloin came after. Rich, a little smoky, fruit-forward. The salad was supposed to open the meal and set the tone. What I didn’t expect was that two of the four guests would still be talking about it after the pork was gone. Not the main. The salad. That’s what happens when you give a side the same attention as the rest of the menu.

This is the kind of private dinner that makes the job worth doing. Four people, a beautiful rental in Newport, a kitchen that actually had decent equipment, and a client who trusted me to figure it out. If you’re thinking about doing something similar, Partum Events works with private chefs for exactly this kind of evening. Intimate, personal, specific to what you actually want. Not a restaurant, not catering. Something else entirely.

Why This Brussels Sprout Caesar Salad Recipe Works

Most people’s issue with Brussels sprouts is texture. They either get steamed into mush or roasted without enough heat and come out soft in the middle with none of the char that makes them interesting. Fortunately, the fix is simple. High heat. Hot pan or hot oven. Give them room so they’re roasting, not steaming.

The other thing most people get wrong with Caesar salad, Brussels sprout version or otherwise, is the dressing. Granted, bottled Caesar dressing is fine for a Wednesday night. It is not fine when the dressing is the reason the dish works. The roasted garlic here changes everything. Roasting mellows the sharpness and brings out a sweetness in the garlic that you just cannot get from raw. It also makes the emulsification easier because the cloves break down into a paste that blends without any effort.

The combination of warm sprouts, cold creamy dressing, and the crunch of real sourdough croutons is what makes this Brussels sprout Caesar salad worth talking about the next morning. Which, based on that night, apparently it is.

What You Need

Brussels sprouts. Trimmed and halved. The cut side is what you want against the hot pan or oven rack. That flat surface is where the char happens. I trimmed and halved about eight cups that night, which was right for four people as a side.

Garlic. One whole head. Not a clove. The whole thing. You roast it low and slow at 400°F until it’s caramelized and soft enough to squeeze out like toothpaste. This is the backbone of the dressing and it cannot be skipped or replaced with garlic powder. It just cannot.

Anchovy fillets. I know. Stay with me. Eight fillets go into the dressing and by the time everything is blended, you will not taste “fish.” You will taste depth. Richness. Something you can’t quite place. That’s the anchovy. If someone at the table has a real anchovy aversion, leave them out. The dressing will still be good. But it won’t be as good.

Egg yolks. Pasteurized if you’re nervous about raw eggs. I use them as-is because the acid from the lemon juice does real work here, but use pasteurized if that’s where you land.

Sourdough bread. Artisanal, thick-cut. The kind with some chew to it. Pre-sliced sandwich bread will not hold up in the oven. It’ll just turn to powder. Get a real loaf and cut it yourself.

Parmigiano-Reggiano. Not the green can. Not “parmesan blend.” The real thing, finely grated into the dressing and shaved on top at the end. It costs more and it’s worth it every single time.

How to Make Brussels Sprout Caesar Salad

Roast the Garlic

First, I started the garlic the moment I got into that kitchen. That’s the first rule of roasted garlic: give it time. I sliced the top off the head, drizzled it with olive oil, wrapped it tight in foil, and put it in the oven at 400°F. Thirty-five to forty minutes. It sat there doing its thing while I did everything else. By the time I needed it for the dressing, it was done. Soft, golden, caramelized all the way through.

💡 Roast the Garlic First: Start the garlic before anything else because it takes 40 minutes and you can build everything else around it while it roasts.

Make the Sourdough Croutons

Meanwhile, while the garlic was going, I got the croutons ready. I cubed four slices of sourdough, tossed them in a bowl with olive oil, a teaspoon of minced garlic, and a pinch of flaky sea salt. Then I spread them on a sheet pan in a single layer and put them in the oven at 375°F. Eight to ten minutes. I watched them at the eight-minute mark. Once they start turning golden they go from done to burnt faster than you’d expect. I pulled them out when they were golden and just slightly firm, not rock hard. They’ll crisp up more as they cool.

💡 Single Layer Matters: If the croutons are piled on the sheet pan they’ll steam each other and go soft instead of crisping up the way you want.

Roast the Brussels Sprouts

Then, the Brussels sprouts went in at 400°F with a little olive oil and sea salt, cut side down on the pan. The key is not overcrowding. I used two sheet pans that night because the sprouts needed space. If you pile them in they steam instead of roast and you lose the whole point. Fifteen to eighteen minutes. I was looking for golden edges and a little char on the flat cut side. Once they came out of the oven I hit them with a squeeze of lemon juice immediately. That acid brightens everything and it does the most good when the sprouts are still hot.

💡 Lemon Goes on Hot: Adding lemon juice to the Brussels sprouts right out of the oven lets the acid absorb into the surface while they’re still porous and open, instead of just sitting on top.

Blend the Roasted Garlic Caesar Dressing

Next, the dressing came together while the sprouts were finishing. I squeezed the roasted garlic cloves directly into the blender. Every single clove, all of it. Added the anchovy fillets, the egg yolks, the dijon, the lemon juice, and the lemon zest. Blended it smooth. Then, with the blender running, I streamed in the olive oil slowly. This is where the emulsification happens. Go too fast and it breaks. Steady stream, let the blender do the work. Once it came together I stirred in the Parmigiano-Reggiano by hand and seasoned with salt and cracked black pepper. I tasted it and adjusted. It was sharp, garlicky, a little funky from the anchovy. Exactly where I wanted it.

💡 Stream the Oil Slowly: The emulsification only works if the olive oil goes in gradually while the blender is running. Add it all at once and the dressing breaks and you’re starting over.

Plate and Serve the Brussels Sprout Caesar Salad

Finally, to assemble, I tossed the warm Brussels sprouts with a few generous spoonfuls of the dressing in a bowl. Not drenched. Lightly coated. The sprouts were still warm and the dressing was cool and the contrast was exactly right. I arranged them in shallow bowls, scattered the croutons across the top, and finished with a heavy dusting of finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. A little extra lemon zest over the top, and it was done.

One of the guests came into the kitchen while I was plating it. She looked at it and said, “That’s a salad?” I told her it was. Her face said otherwise. By the end of the meal, though, she wasn’t skeptical anymore.

Chef’s Notes

Plating: Use a shallow wide plate or a low bowl. You want the sprouts spread out so the croutons and garnish sit on top and don’t get buried. Grate the Parmesan fresh and fine right before serving. In turn, it makes a difference in how it looks and how it melts slightly into the warm sprouts.

Wine: Vermentino or a crisp white Burgundy. Something with enough acidity to stand up to the richness of the Caesar dressing without fighting the lemon. If you’re pouring red, go for a lighter Grenache. Anything too heavy will flatten the dish.

Roasting is the move that makes Brussels sprout Caesar salad work. Prep ahead: The roasted garlic dressing can be made up to three days ahead and kept in the fridge. The croutons can be made the day before and stored at room temperature in an open container. Roast the Brussels sprouts fresh. They don’t reheat well and they’re fast enough that there’s no reason to do them in advance.

Scaling. This scales well. Double it without any changes for eight people. If you go beyond eight, roast the Brussels sprouts in batches so you’re not crowding the pans.

Swaps. No anchovies, no problem. The dressing will be milder but still good. Add a teaspoon of Worcestershire if you want a little of that depth back. Gluten-free croutons work fine if someone at the table needs it. And if you can’t find good sourdough, a rustic white bread with some structure will do.

Brussels Sprout Caesar Salad

Roasted Brussels sprouts tossed in a from-scratch roasted garlic Caesar dressing with sourdough croutons and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano, the side dish that outshone the main at a late July private dinner in Newport.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Calories: 285

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Roasted Garlic Dressing

• 1 head garlic
• 1 tbsp olive oil (for roasting garlic)
• 8 anchovy fillets
• 1 egg yolk (pasteurized if preferred)
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

Brussels Sprouts

• 8 cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tsp lemon juice
• pinch sea salt
• shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano, for garnish
• microgreens, for garnish

Sourdough Croutons

• 4 slices artisanal sourdough bread, cut into small cubes
• 4 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• pinch flaky sea salt

Equipment

• Vitamix 5200 Blender for emulsifying the roasted garlic dressing
• Cutco 1738 Gourmet Prep Knife for halving sprouts and cubing sourdough
• Microplane Zester Grater for parmesan and lemon zest finish

Method

 

Roasted Garlic Dressing

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Slice the top off the head of garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle with olive oil, wrap tightly in foil, and roast for 35 to 40 minutes until the cloves are caramelized, soft, and golden all the way through.
Start with Garlic: Put the garlic in the oven before anything else. It takes 40 minutes and everything else in this recipe builds around it.
2. Squeeze the roasted cloves out of the skin directly into a blender. Add the anchovy fillets, egg yolk, dijon mustard, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Blend until completely smooth.
3. With the blender running, stream in the extra virgin olive oil slowly and steadily until the dressing emulsifies and comes together.
Stream the Oil Slowly: The emulsification only works if the olive oil goes in gradually while the blender is running. Add it all at once and the dressing breaks.
4. Stir in the finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano by hand. Season with salt and cracked black pepper. Taste and adjust. Set aside.

Sourdough Croutons

1. Toss the sourdough cubes with olive oil, minced garlic, and flaky sea salt in a bowl until evenly coated. Spread in a single layer on a sheet pan.
Single Layer Only: Crowded croutons steam each other instead of crisping. Use the whole sheet pan and give them room.
2. Toast in the oven at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown and just firm. Pull them at the 8-minute mark to check. They go from golden to burnt quickly. Let cool slightly before using.

Brussels Sprouts

1. Toss the halved Brussels sprouts with olive oil and sea salt. Spread cut side down in a single layer on a sheet pan. Use two pans if needed to avoid crowding.
2. Roast at 400°F for 15 to 18 minutes until the edges are golden and the cut sides have some char. The flat surface against the pan is where all the color happens.
3. As soon as the sprouts come out of the oven, drizzle with lemon juice while they’re still hot.
Lemon While Hot: Adding lemon juice to the sprouts right out of the oven lets the acid absorb into the surface while they’re still open and porous, instead of just sitting on top.

To Assemble

1. Toss the warm Brussels sprouts with a few generous spoonfuls of the roasted garlic dressing in a bowl until lightly coated. Not drenched, just enough dressing to coat every sprout.
2. Arrange on a shallow plate. Scatter the sourdough croutons across the top.
3. Garnish with shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano and a small handful of microgreens. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of fresh lemon zest.

Notes

Plating: Shallow wide plate, warm from the oven so the sprouts don’t flatten. Sprouts spread in a loose single layer, cut-side up where possible, about a third of the plate uncovered at the edges. Croutons scattered on top, not folded in, five to seven per plate. Anchovy dressing spooned in a zigzag across the sprouts, not drowned. Parmesan grated fine directly over the plate at the pass, a heavy dusting that covers the top like snow. Lemon zest across the top, one pass of the Microplane.

Wine: Vermentino or a crisp white Burgundy. Something with enough acidity to stand up to the richness of the Caesar dressing without fighting the lemon. If you’re pouring red, go for a lighter Grenache. Anything too heavy will flatten the dish.

Prep ahead: The roasted garlic dressing can be made up to three days ahead and kept in the fridge. The croutons can be made the day before and stored at room temperature in an open container. Roast the Brussels sprouts fresh, they don’t reheat well and they’re fast enough that there’s no reason to do them in advance.

Scaling for service: To 8: double cleanly, roast sprouts on one sheet pan spread in a single layer. To 12: triple the dressing, roast sprouts on two sheet pans rotated halfway through. Crowding pans is the fastest way to ruin this dish, sprouts steam grey instead of charring. Toss dressing through warm sprouts no more than 3 minutes before plating. Parmesan shaved to order at the pass, the wisps go soft in the bowl within 5 minutes.

Dietary swaps: GF as written if you skip the croutons or sub GF sourdough cubes (Canyon Bakehouse works). To make it DF: sub cashew cream plus a teaspoon of miso for the parmesan in the dressing, and skip the shaved parm at the pass. The dressing loses some depth, the anchovy and lemon carry it. For anchovy-free or vegetarian: skip the anchovies and add a teaspoon of Worcestershire (confirm vegetarian, most Worcestershire has anchovy). Nut-free as written (check your croutons).

Filed Under: Equipment

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Vitamix 5200 Blender

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Cutco 1738 Gourmet Prep Knife

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Microplane Zester Grater

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About the Chef

Paige Gilbert

I started Partum Events because I wanted to cook the way I believe food should be experienced: personal, intentional, and built around the people at the table. The Chef Files is where I write down every dish I develop for real client events in Newport, Cape Cod, and Boston so you can cook them at home exactly the way they were plated.

Every case file is a solved problem. A dish that earned its place because it worked at a real table, not because it performed on social.

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