Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad
Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad is a a delicious side dish to add to a weeknight dinner or to your holiday meal. The combination of raw Brussel sprouts, dried cranberries, pecans, dijon lemon salad dressing, and goat cheese just seems to work together. This brussel sprout salad has a nice tangy and sweet flavor followed with an added crunch.
Brussels Sprouts sometimes get a bad reputation as the smelly vegetable, but I promise you that sulfur smell only intensifies when sprouts are boiled.
Even so, if you prepare it correctly even those picky eaters will enjoy this vegetable. If you have picky eaters you should give this salad a chance and consider adding this to your holiday table and to your menu throughout the year.
Table of Contents
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS BRUSSEL SPROUT SALAD RECIPE
If you love a tangy salad with a bit of crunch to it, then this is the one for you to try. This salad I made as a side dish the other night, but it would make a great meal by itself as well if you wanted to add in some protein.
Easy to Make – This salad recipe is perfect to make when are looking for a side dish that is simple to make. No chance of over boiling or roasting the sprouts up since the shredded sprouts are not cooked.
Easy to find ingredients – All of these ingredients are easy to find in your local grocery store.
Great as a side dish or as a meal – If you want to make this recipe as a full meal, make sure to add some protein for a heartier meal.
Fresh and flavorful – This salad is not only full of nutrients (fiber, Vitamin K and C) from the veggies but it has a vibrant color to it as well.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED TO MAKE THIS BRUSSEL SPROUT SALAD RECIPE
- large mixing bowl and a serving bowl
- knife and cutting board
- colander
- food processor – No food processor? You can slice each brussel sprout with a sharp knife, mandoline slicer or boxed grater.
INGREDIENTS FOR YOUR SHAVED BRUSSEL SPROUT SALAD
The ingredient list for this recipe is short and may have some of these ingredients on hand already. After one quick trip to the grocery store, you will be ready to enjoy a crunchy and tangy salad.
- Lemon juice – You’ll need 1-2 medium to large size lemons. Fresh lemons make the best tasting dijon lemon vinaigrette.
- Dijon mustard
- Small shallot – You will want 2 tablespoons of minced shallot
- Garlic – Use fresh garlic if you can. If you use garlic powder, then you will need 1/8 teaspoon in place of the fresh garlic.
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh Brussel sprouts – 1 lb. will give you about 6 cups of shredded Brussel sprouts. If you are picking your own from the produce stand, try to get the same size or as close as the same as possible.
- Goat cheese – You could also use feta or blue cheese. I use goat cheese crumbles, which was convenient. However, it’s just as simple to crumble a log of goat cheese yourself with a fork.
- Toasted pecans – I toast on the stovetop. Watch closely. Pecans can burn easily and that can be an expensive mistake if you get side tracked.
- Dried cranberries or cherries. You can even use raisins if you like them.
HOW TO MAKE A SHAVED BRUSSEL SPROUT SALAD
STEP 1: CLEAN AND TRIM THE BRUSSEL SPROUTS
To clean brussel sprouts rinse under cold water, then place in a large bowl filled with water. Stir several times before draining in a colander. Since this vegetable is very dense, the outside of the sprout is the only area that may have some dirt on it. Trim the ends of the brussel sprouts and remove any loose or bruised outer leaves.
STEP 2: SHAVE THE BRUSSEL SPROUTS
The best way to shred raw Brussel sprouts is to place them in a food processor with the S shape blade or shredding disc. Small Brussel sprouts can be placed in the food processor whole. Slice large Brussel sprouts in half before placing in the processor.
Pulse 3-4 times or until shredded to the texture you like. Depending on the size of the food processor, shred in batches.
STEP 3: TOAST PECANS
Place pecans in a large skillet over medium heat. Shake the skillet as it begins to toast to ensure it doesn’t burn. Once you see the pecans are browning and smell fragrant then turn off the heat. Cool before chopping.
Note that you can plump up your dried cranberries while toasting the nuts. This optional step is a simple alternative to soaking dried cranberries in water. Otherwise, just add the dried cranberries in step 6 below.
STEP 4: MAKE YOUR DRESSING
In a large mixing bowl add lemon juice, mustard, minced shallot, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Whisk ingredients together. Remove half of the dressing and place it in a separate container.
You will use half of the dressing to coat the Brussel sprouts, and the remaining dressing can be used right before serving (add a tablespoon at a time to get your desired consistency). I also like to have extra salad dressing for the option to freshen up the salad if there are leftovers.
STEP 5: MARINATE THE BRUSSEL SPROUTS
Add shredded Brussel sprouts to the bowl and gently fold them into the half of the dijon vinaigrette. Cover and place in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours.
STEP 6: ASSEMBLE THE SALAD
Remove from refrigerator and fold in the rest of the ingredients; goat cheese, pecans, and cranberries. Season with salt and pepper and transfer into a serving bowl.
SUBSTITUTIONS & ADDITIONS
Vegan: To make this recipe vegan, leave out the goat cheese.
Pecans: Instead of toasting your own pecans, you can also buy them pre-toasted at the local grocery store to save time. Also feel free to try a different variety of nuts like walnuts, sunflower seeds, pine nuts or sliced almonds.
Bacon: Add in some cooked and crumbled bacon for a nice smoky flavor.
Protein: You can make this salad a full meal by adding your favorite protein.
Fresh Fruits: Consider adding diced crisp apples or pears.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH YOUR BRUSSEL SPROUT SALAD
I like to serve my brussel sprouts salad with grilled or baked salmon. However, you can also serve this dish with chicken thighs for a complete meal.
Interesting Shaved Brussel Sprouts Salad Fact: One cup of Brussel sprouts have about 11 grams of carbohydrates, however 4 grams are fiber, which can help keep you full.
SHAVED BRUSSEL SPROUT SALAD FAQS
I like to marinate the brussel sprouts to soften them and create a creamy texture.
You can marinade the brussels ahead but I don’t recommend assembling the rest of the salad until you are ready to eat it.
No, you don’t need to cook the brussels first. By shaving them they are already tenderized, so it just adds more flavor once they are marinated.
Store Brussel Sprout Salad in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator. The salad will remain fresh for up to 3 days. However, you may want to add additional dressing and toss with fresh toasted pecans to enjoy again.
OTHER RECIPES WITH BRUSSEL SPROUTS YOU’LL LOVE
Hope you enjoy this Shaved Brussel Sprouts Salad recipe as much as my family has. Let me know if you use different nuts or fruits. I would love to hear if you customized this recipe to your preference.
Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons 1 1/2 lemons lemon juice, fresh squeezed
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 small shallot 2 Tablespoons, minced
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- Black pepper to taste
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salad
- 1 pound Brussel sprouts trimmed
- 2 ounces goat cheese
- 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
- 1/4 cup chopped dried cranberries
Instructions
- To clean Brussel sprouts rinse under cold water, then place in a large bowl filled with water. Stir several times before draining in a colander. Give them a final rinse. Trim the ends of the Brussel sprouts and remove any loose or bruised leaves.
- Slice large Brussel sprouts in half and place in a food processor with the S shape blade or shredding disc. Pulse 3-4 times or until shredded to the texture you like. Depending on the size of the food processor, you may need to shred in batches.
- Toast pecans in a large skillet over medium heat. Watch closely and gently shake pan to move the pecans around so they don't burn. Toast until light brown and fragrant. Turn off heat and cool before chopping.
- In a large mixing bowl add lemon juice, mustard, minced shallot, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Whisk ingredients together until well incorporated. Remove half of the dressing and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Add shredded Brussel sprouts to the bowl with the dijon lemon vinaigrette and gently fold into the dressing. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
- After the dressing and Brussels sprouts have marinated remove from refrigerator and fold in the goat cheese, pecans and cranberries. Season with salt and pepper. Add additional dressing if desired.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Please note that the nutritional information provided are guidelines and may vary based on the brand of products used. For your specific nutritional goals use My Fitness Pal or Verywell Fit recipe calculators. All content within this site is not intended as medical diagnosis or treatment and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical expertise.
PIN TO YOUR RECIPE BOARDS
This looks and sounds delicious! I am the only one who will eat it though. Do you think the dressing will break down over a few days? I won’t dress the sprouts until I am ready to serve myself.
The dressing will be fine for at least a week if not longer. Enjoy!