Thanksgiving is just around the corner, which has gotten me thinking about some of my favorite dishes. Turkey is great, but at least for me, Thanksgiving is all about the sides. Honestly, if my turkey got burnt in the oven or I just forgot about it, I would still have a fabulous dinner and probably wouldn’t notice much.
One dish I can’t go without, however, is my trusty Brussels sprouts. Now, before you go thinking I’m some kind of health nut who only eats veggies at Thanksgiving, I love my fair share of stuffing, potatoes, and pie. There’s just something about Brussels sprouts to me that really rounds out the meal, and roasting them and adding goodies like dried cherries and goat cheese makes them feel more worthy of the Thanksgiving table.
I first came across a similar recipe to this one when I was dining at an amazing restaurant in San Luis Obispo called Granada. I don’t think it’s on the menu any longer, but those Brussels remained with me for years until my family and I tried to replicate something similar for Thanksgiving one year. And just like that, a new holiday staple was created.
pickled mustard seeds?
The thing that really gets me about this dish are the pickled mustard seeds. You wouldn’t think it from just hearing those words, but they are SO GOOD. Although I love creamy mustard sauces, I don’t think I had every really worked with whole mustard seeds before this recipe. They always seemed intimidating, and frankly, not that good.
Pickling them is super easy. It just takes simmering the seeds in a mixture of vinegar, water, sugar, and salt, until they get nice and plump. Then, you mix in some sliced shallots at the end, and you have pickled mustard seeds. You can keep them in the fridge and use them for other recipes, as well.
So basically, once you have the pickling down, this recipe is super easy. You basically just roast some Brussels (which are always good enough on their own, TBH) and mix in the mustard seeds, dried cherries, and goat cheese. Voilà–you have yourself a new Thanksgiving favorite.
⟶ the recipe
brussels sprouts with dried cherries and pickled mustard seeds
ingredients
16 ounces of Brussels sprouts, chopped in half
½ cup dried cherries
½ cup pickled mustard seeds
4 ounces crumbled goat cheese
Drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
For pickled mustard seeds:
½ cup white wine vinegar
½ cup water
3 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup yellow mustard seeds
1 small shallot thinly sliced into rings.
Prep time
40 minutes
Cook time
20 minutes
Total time
1 hour
4 servings
instructions
Start by pickling the mustard seeds. In a saucepan, combine vinegar, water, sugar, and salt over medium heat.
Bring to a simmer and stir in mustard seeds. Turn heat down and cook until seeds are tender and plump, about 30 minutes. Stir in shallots and remove from heat. Bring to room temperature or refrigerate until ready to use.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix chopped sprouts in a bowl with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast for about 20 minutes.
Once sprouts are tender and starting to crisp, remove from oven and let cool. Transfer to a serving dish and stir in pickled mustard seeds, dried cherries, and goat cheese. Serve immediately.
⟶ modifications
- Not a fan of the dried cherries? You can easily substitute dried cranberries, chopped apples, nuts, or skip them altogether
- Make these vegan by skipping the goat cheese or substitute with a plant-based cheese of your choice
⟶ make it ahead
- Mustard seeds can be pickled ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 2 months
- Store Brussels in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy leftover for up to 3 days
