Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
This Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad is fresh, crunchy, and full of sweet-savory flavor and texture. It’s a great make ahead salad and the perfect light side dish to add to your fall, winter, or holiday spread.
We love winter and the holidays for hearty comfort food, but sometimes we like something on the lighter side to balance the rich, heaviness — which is why we love this Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad so much. Full of fresh, bright, sweet, tangy flavor and crunchy texture, this salad is delicious, beautiful, and it’s great for meal prep, so it’s perfect for holiday entertaining or an easy side dish.
This Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad combines crisp raw shaved Brussels sprouts with sweet-tart apple, chewy dried cranberries, salty cheese, and toasted nuts all tossed in a bright, citrusy homemade vinaigrette. It’s quick to make, and packed with the perfect balance of sweet, savory and tangy, so it’s the ideal pairing to heavier, heartier dishes. My husband, who isn’t a salad lover, devours this Brussels sprouts salad with every bite, it’s that good!
If you like this easy, fresh side dish, be sure to try a few of our other holiday favorites. We love these 5 ingredient Maple Glazed Carrots and this festive Cobb Salad Christmas Tree.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ready in under 20 minutes. With simple ingredients and an easy process, this salad comes together fast, in just about 15-20 minutes with no cooking required.
- Great make-ahead salad: Sturdy shaved Brussels sprouts don’t wilt like lettuce, so this salad can hold up for hours in the fridge without turning soggy.
- Balanced combination of textures and flavors. This salad truly has the perfect balance of flavor and texture — it’s crunchy, sweet, salty, and tangy in every bite.
- Easily customizable. Make this salad however you’d like, with whatever you’d like. It’s easy to customize with different fruits, nuts, cheeses, and dressings.
Ingredients
For The Salad:
- Brussels Sprouts: Hearty and earthy, shave these thinly for the best crunchy texture.
- Honeycrisp Apple: Sweet and crunchy. We like these best, but use any sweet apple variation.
- Pine Nuts: Rich, buttery and nutty, these add the perfect crunch.
- Dried Cranberries: Sweet and tart, for the perfect chewy bite.
- Pecorino Romano: Sharp, tangy and salty.
- Chives: Fresh onion flavor for a nice finishing touch.
For The Lemon Dijon Dressing:
- Olive Oil: Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil for the base.
- Lemon Juice: Tart and bright, freshly squeezed is a must.
- Honey: For a touch of sweetness to balance the acid in the dressing.
- Dijon Mustard: Hot and sharp, to balance out the sweetness, and to emulsify the dressing.
- Garlic: For bold flavor.
How To Make Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
1. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and black pepper to a small bowl or jar. Whisk or shake until the dressing is smooth and well combined.
2. Place the shaved Brussels sprouts in a large serving bowl. Pour about half of the dressing over the Brussels sprouts and toss to coat.
3. Using clean hands, gently massage the Brussels sprouts for 1–2 minutes to help soften them and work in the dressing. Let them sit for about 10 minutes.
4. Add the sliced Honeycrisp apple, dried cranberries, toasted pine nuts, Pecorino cheese, and chopped chives to the bowl.
5. Pour the remaining dressing over the salad and toss until everything is evenly coated.
6. Taste and season with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Top with extra Pecorino and toasted pine nuts, if desired, and serve.
Expert Tips
- Massage the shaved sprouts with olive oil and salt. Do this with a little bit of oil and good pinch of salt for a few minutes before adding in the other ingredients to help soften their raw bite.
- Dress the salad at least 15-20 minutes before serving. This will help allow the sprouts time to soften slightly and absorb the vinaigrette.
- Keep the dressing separate for meal prep. If making this ahead of time, keep the dressing separate and toss with the salad just before eating to keep everything crisp.
- Toast nuts just before serving. For the best crunch and flavor.
- You can shave the Brussels sprouts yourself rather than buying them pre-shaved. Use the blade on the food processor or carefully use a mandoline with a guard.
Variations & Substitutions
- Try another dried fruit. Swap dried cranberries for dried cherries, chopped dates, or pomegranate arils for a different sweetness.
- Add crispy bacon or pancetta. For a smoky, savory version with extra protein.
- Try another cheese. Use feta or goat cheese instead of parmesan or pecorino for a creamier, tangier profile.
- Make it a heartier main dish. Beef up the salad and serve it as a main by adding shredded rotisserie chicken or chickpeas.
Storage
You can store leftover salad that’s already been dressed in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. The quicker it’s eaten, the fresher it’ll be. If you have leftover salad ingredients and leftover dressing, store the components separately in airtight containers and combine when you’re ready to serve again.
This is a great salad to prep in advance. You can prep and shave the sprouts and the salad ingredients, as well as the dressing, up to a day ahead; toss everything together with the dressing right before serving for the best texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, absolutely! Bagged shaved or shredded Brussels sprouts work great and cut back on prep time.
No, this salad uses raw shaved sprouts, which have a pleasant, crisp texture when thinly sliced and lightly massaged with the dressing.
You can shave the sprouts and prep the other ingredients, including the dressing, up to a day ahead; toss everything together with the dressing right before serving for the best texture.
You can try a dairy-free parmesan alternative or simply omit the cheese and add extra toasted nuts for richness.
Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 4 cups shaved Brussels sprouts
- 1 small Honeycrisp apple thinly sliced or julienned
- ½ cup pine nuts toasted
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup grated Pecorino cheese
- ¼ cup chopped fresh chives
For the Lemon Dijon Dressing
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small garlic clove finely grated or minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and black pepper to a small bowl or jar. Whisk or shake until the dressing is smooth and well combined.
- Place the shaved Brussels sprouts in a large serving bowl. Pour about half of the dressing over the Brussels sprouts and toss to coat.
- Using clean hands, gently massage the Brussels sprouts for 1–2 minutes to help soften them and work in the dressing. Let them sit for about 10 minutes.
- Add the sliced Honeycrisp apple, dried cranberries, toasted pine nuts, Pecorino cheese, and chopped chives to the bowl.
- Pour the remaining dressing over the salad and toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Taste and season with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Top with extra Pecorino and toasted pine nuts, if desired, and serve.
Notes
- Store leftover salad that’s already been dressed in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. The quicker it’s eaten, the fresher it’ll be. If you have leftover salad ingredients and leftover dressing, store the components separately in airtight containers and combine when you’re ready to serve again.
- You can prep and shave the sprouts and the salad ingredients, as well as the dressing, up to a day ahead; toss everything together with the dressing right before serving for the best texture.
- Massage the shaved sprouts with olive oil and salt. Do this with a little bit of oil and good pinch of salt for a few minutes before adding in the other ingredients to help soften their raw bite.
- Dress the salad at least 15-20 minutes before serving. This will help allow the sprouts time to soften slightly and absorb the vinaigrette.
- Keep the dressing separate for meal prep. If making this ahead of time, keep the dressing separate and toss with the salad just before eating to keep everything crisp.
- Toast nuts just before serving. For the best crunch and flavor.
- You can shave the Brussels sprouts yourself rather than buying them pre-shaved. Use the blade on the food processor or carefully use a mandoline with a guard.
