Brussels Sprouts With Paneer and Lime Dressing
One of my go-to side dish hacks is sprinkling crunchy, cracked whole spices onto a pan of vegetables before roasting. The spices toast in the oven, releasing their fragrance and flavor, which can be absorbed by the likes of the brussels sprouts, cherry tomatoes or sweet potatoes sharing the pan. Adding paneer to the pan in this recipe, adapted from “Dinner in One: Exceptional & Easy One-Pan Meals” (Clarkson Potter, 2022), turns a side dish into a light and tasty meal, one that’s easily filled in with a little yogurt and some flatbread served on the side.
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- ½teaspoon coriander seeds
- ½teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½teaspoon fennel or caraway seeds
- 1pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (about 4 cups)
- 1bunch scallions, thinly sliced, whites and greens separated
- 2to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- ½teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal), plus more as needed
- 8ounces paneer cheese, crumbled (about 2 cups)
- ¼teaspoon smoked paprika
- Large pinch of ground cayenne (optional)
- ¼cup cilantro or mint leaves and tender stems, torn
- Lime wedges, for serving
- 1large garlic clove, finely grated or minced
- 1 ½tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus more to taste
- ½teaspoon ground cumin, plus more to taste
- Salt and black pepper
- 5tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
Step 1
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Using a mortar and pestle or the flat side of a chef’s knife and a cutting board, lightly crack the coriander, cumin, and fennel or caraway seeds.Step 2
Place brussels sprouts and scallion whites (save the greens for garnish) on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil to coat and sprinkle with the cracked spices and salt. Stir to combine everything, then spread into an even layer in the pan. Roast for 15 minutes, until golden brown.Step 3
While sprouts are in the oven, make the lime vinaigrette. In a small bowl, combine garlic, lime juice, cumin and a big pinch each salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Taste and adjust salt, cumin and lime; it should be tangy.Step 4
Raise oven temperature to 475 degrees and sprinkle paneer over the brussels sprouts. Lightly drizzle with more olive oil (another 1 to 2 tablespoons) and sprinkle with another pinch of salt, paprika and cayenne, if you like. Roast until cheese gets slightly brown and sprouts are browned and tender, 9 to 12 minutes.Step 5
Remove from oven and drizzle lime vinaigrette on paneer and sprouts when still hot right out of the oven (it will absorb it immediately). Sprinkle cilantro and scallion greens on top. Drizzle with a little more olive oil if you like, and serve with lime wedges for squeezing.