Shaved Brussel Sprout and Chorizo Zucchini Pasta with Toasted Pine Nuts
Try this Shaved Brussel Sprout and Chorizo Zucchini Pasta with Toasted Pine Nuts recipe.
Try this Shaved Brussel Sprout and Chorizo Zucchini Pasta with Toasted Pine Nuts recipe.
- Carbohydrate 3.0675150013534 g
- Cholesterol 52.8 mg
- Fat 29.9068575085217 g
- Fiber 0.448050007964553 g
- Protein 15.4264800014165 g
- Saturated Fat 9.35756400070675 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (72g)
- Sodium 815.538572916903 mg
- Sugar 2.61946499338885 g
- Trans Fat 1.86318600113971 g
- Calories 343 calories
Step-by-step
- Prepare your brussel sprouts. Chop the hard bottoms off and remove the outer leaves, if they look browned. Slice the brussel sprout length-wise, almost as in strips. Do this for all of the sprouts and set aside.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat and add in 1/4 tbsp of the olive oil. Once the oil heats, add in the chorizo. Cook for 1 minute, add in the garlic and cook for another minute. Flip the chorizo over and cook for another 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the chorizo and transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
- In the same skillet, add in the red pepper flakes, cook for 30 seconds, and then add in the brussel sprouts, paprika and season with salt and pepper. Stir to cook for 5-7 minutes or until they soften and start to brown slightly.
- While the sprouts are cooking, place a small skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet heats, add in the pine nuts. Cook for about 3 minutes, flipping twice, until the pine nuts brown slightly. Set aside.
- Once the brussel sprouts are done, add in the zucchini noodles and the rest of the olive oil, season lightly with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Cook for about 2 minutes or until zucchini softens. Add the chorizo back in and stir to combine.
- Once combined, pour the brussel sprouts, chorizo and pasta into a plate and top with pine nuts!
The Heavy Lifter
Cured chorizo does the structural heavy lifting in this dish by rendering rendered fat that acts as the primary cooking medium for the vegetables. Instead of adding raw oil to a cold pan, heating the chorizo over medium heat for precisely one minute allows its paprika-infused oils to coat the skillet surface. Minced garlic added immediately after requires only one additional minute of heat before the spices risk burning and turning bitter. Removing the meat with a slotted spoon preserves the fat in the pan for the brassicas.
Managing Moisture and Heat
Zucchini strands release water rapidly when exposed to heat, threatening to steam the crisp Brussels sprouts rather than brown them. Adding the zucchini noodles during the final two minutes of cooking prevents structural collapse while warming them through. Shaving the Brussels sprouts uniformly into long strips ensures they soften within five to seven minutes without requiring added liquid. Medium heat provides sufficient energy to evaporate surface moisture instantly.
Nutrient Toasting and Assembly
Pine nuts contain high oil content that burns quickly without constant attention. A dry skillet heated over medium requires only three minutes of total contact time, with two manual flips ensuring even browning across the seed surfaces. Transferring the nuts away from direct heat immediately stops the cooking process. Combining the ingredients in reverse order—sprouts first, zucchini second, and toasted nuts last—maintains textural contrast.
