Vegan Balsamic Brussels Sprout Tarte Tatin

For this Vegan Balsamic Brussels Sprout Tarte Tatin recipe, all I can say is:

Now THIS is the way to eat brussels sprouts!!!

Yes!

Just imagine these tangy, sweet, rosemary-infused sprouts baked to perfection with a flaky, “buttery” crust. It’s a taste combination you won’t believe!

And don’t worry, it only looks and sounds fancy!

If you can sauté up some brussels sprouts and bake ’em in the oven, you can make this recipe happen! You can prepare any or all portions of this recipe ahead of time and then just put it in a preheated oven when you are ready.

Holiday life saver all the way 🙂

Speaking of holiday life savers, have you checked out my Kale, Quinoa, and Pomegranate Stuffed Butternut Squash? That bad boy is cozying itself up right next to this tarte tatin at our table this year!

Basically the process here is to give everything a nice flavor and texture in a sauté pan, then bake it together. In the end, we will be flipping this guy over for a beautiful presentation for your guests! (Hey, even if they’re 7 and 10 years old and HATE brussels sprouts like my kids, hah).

You’ll need 1 1/2 – 2 lbs. of fresh brussels sprouts. I like my tartin nice and big, so I of course go for 2! Make sure they are all clean and any hard portions of the stems (or wilting leaves) are cut off.

Next, cut half of your sprouts in half lengthwise and quarter the other half. Sauté them all with 1.5 teaspoons of salt, 3/4 teaspoons black pepper, 3 tablespoons vegan butter (like Earth Balance), 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, and 3 teaspoons fresh rosemary, for about 2-3 minutes.

I used my cast iron skillet and split these up into 3 batches, sautéing on medium-high heat and I split the ingredients easily into thirds ( 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1 tablespoon vegan butter, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, and 1 teaspoon rosemary per batch).

We are just trying to give these a nice browning on the outside, we want them still firm.

Set aside. Wipe out your skillet and reduce to medium heat.

Next, saute your sliced onion, garlic, 1 tablespoon vegan butter, 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon organic sugar for about 7-8 minutes, until soft but not caramelized.

Set aside with your brussels sprouts and wipe out your pan one last time.

Melt 1 tablespoon of vegan butter, 1 teaspoon rosemary, and 2 tablespoons white cooking wine (or vegetable broth).

Simmer on medium heat for about 5 minutes, until thickened and reduced.

Gah! I could just dip bread in this and call it a day!

Pour this yummy mixture into the bottom of a glass pie pan and turn to coat evenly.

Create a layer of brussels sprouts on the bottom of your pan, using the sprouts you cut in half to do so. They don’t have to be in any particular shape, as long as they are cut side down.

Top evenly with your onion mixture and press onions into any crevices. Careful not to mess up your sprouts underneath! In the end, we will flip this tartin and the bottom will become the top!

Finally, pour the remainder of your sprouts in your pan and press evenly with flat fingers to make your last layer!

Oh my gosh yummy! Doesn’t this look delicious already?

Now we need to take a rolled out pie crust and place it right over the top of this, just like a pie. You can use a home made or store bought pie crust, the decision is up to you!

Fold the extra edges inward and use a fork to pierce the dough evenly. Again, this will eventually be the bottom so it doesn’t have to look any certain way. I just got carried away for art’s sake 🙂

Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes until the inside is hot and bubbly, and the crust is nice and golden brown.

Remove from oven and cool for about 10 minutes, uncovered.

Run a sharp knife around the inside edge of the tart to loosen from pan. Now we are going to flip it over onto our serving plate! Cover your tart with your serving dish, hold firmly with both hands, and invert!

Isn’t it gorgeous? Because we baked the crust upside down, it is SO flaky and delicious, not soggy!

I decided to keep it simple and just garnish with a bit of fresh rosemary. It really doesn’t need anything else! Just slice and enjoy!