This shaved Brussels sprout salad is such an easy side dish recipe. Easy enough for weeknight dinners, but fancy enough for holidays, this will become a family favorite.
Like so many people, I wasn’t a fan of Brussels sprouts when I was a kid. I thought they looked funny and tasted worse. But now I know the truth. Not only are they delicious, but they are good for you too!
Today I’m going to show you how to make an easy Brussels sprout salad. I love the way all of the different flavors in this recipe come together to create an elegant side dish fit for a holiday table.
How to Make Brussels Sprouts Salad
One of the reasons this recipe works so well is because we prepare the Brussels sprouts for it by shredding them. This results in almost a slaw-like salad that is so delicious. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full recipe including all measurements.
- Shave the Brussels sprouts. Read more on how to do this below.
- Make the dressing. Combine the ingredients for the salad dressing in a small jar and whisk or shake to combine.
- Marinate the Brussels sprouts and shallots. Put the shaved Brussels sprouts and shallots in the dressing to marinate. This step helps soften them making them the perfect consistency for a salad.
- Toast the walnuts. Spread the walnuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10 minutes. They add such great flavor and crunch to this salad!
- Put all of the ingredients together. In a large bowl, combine the Brussels sprouts mixture, Parmesan cheese, dried cranberries, and roasted walnuts. Stir to combine. Enjoy!
Pro tip!
The amount of salad dressing for this recipe is perfect. That being said, if you know you or your guests like an extra dressed salad, make a double batch of the dressing. Use half to marinade the sprouts and the shallots and reserve the rest for serving.
How to Shave Brussels Sprouts
As mentioned above, we shave the raw Brussels sprouts for this salad recipe. It makes eating the Brussels sprouts raw totally doable, where we would normally need to roast them first.
To shred them, I put my shredding blade in my food processor. It made very quick work of shredding a pound of Brussels sprouts.
Another great method would be to use a mandoline. If you don’t have either in your kitchen, don’t let that stop you from making this delicious salad recipe. Just do your best to slice the Brussels sprouts and shallots thin.
Food Processor
Dressing for Brussels Sprout Salad
We are making a really delightful and light vinaigrette for this salad that also acts as a marinade. We combine lemon juice and orange juice with some olive oil, honey, and ground mustard. This delightfully light dressing pairs perfectly with the other ingredients in the salad.
Storing This Salad
You could definitely make this salad the day before, but the Brussels sprouts won’t be as bright green when you serve it.
This salad recipe will last for about four days in the refrigerator. Keep the salad at its best by storing it in an airtight container. I would not recommend freezing leftovers of this salad.
Variations
- Change up the nuts. I love walnuts in this salad but of course you could use pecans, pine nuts, or almonds. Around the holidays, I like to swap them out for candied pecans.
- Switch up the cheese. Parmesan tends to be a crowd-pleaser, but you could definitely use some feta cheese instead.
- Incorporate some seeds for protein. Seeds make a great boost to any salad. Pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds would work so well in this salad.
Other Great Brussels Sprouts Recipes
If you are totally sold on Brussels sprouts now, here are some other great recipes you should try:
- These Crispy Brussels Sprouts are super easy to make and can be done many different ways.
- I love this Baked Brussels Sprout Casserole. It is creamy and delicious!
- And of course, bacon makes everything better. Especially in my Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon!
If you make this amazing Brussels sprout salad recipe or any of my other recipes, I’d be so thankful if you left me a comment to let me know what you think!
Brussel Sprout Salad
Ingredients
Brussels Sprout Salad Dressing
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons orange juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Brussel Sprout Salad
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts sliced thin (see note)
- 2 medium shallots sliced thin
- 1 cup walnuts toasted
- 1/2 cup Parmesan shredded
- 1 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- In a small jar combine the ingredients for the salad dressing. Shake to combine. Taste the dressing and adjust the seasonings if desired. If it is too acidic, add more honey. If it is too sweet, add more lemon juice. Adjust the salt according to taste. While this is plenty of dressing for the salad, but if you like you could double the recipe and reserve half for those who want more dressing at the end.1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons orange juice, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Add the shaved brussel sprouts and thinly sliced shallots to a large mixing bowl. Pour the dressing over the top and let it marinade for 30 minutes.1 pound Brussels sprouts, 2 medium shallots
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the walnuts on it and toast in the oven for 10 minutes.1 cup walnuts
- Toss the brussel sprouts with the toasted walnuts, Parmesan cheese, and dried cranberries. Serve with the extra salad dressing if desired.1/2 cup Parmesan, 1 cup dried cranberries
Notes
Dorothy says
The Brussels sprouts cooked?
Nope, they are raw in this salad, but because they are shredded and dressed with dressing, they are delicious.
Sue says
It was even better the next day! My company raved about this salad! I used sour cherries instead of cranberries.
I used a mandolin which shaved the Brussels sprouts really thin.
Awesome taste! Also, used six tablespoons orange juice in recipe because we like orange.
I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe as much as me!
Jennifer kamholz says
Hi How many servings is this recipe?
As a main dish I would say two big salads. As a side salad, roughly six servings.
Marie says
Is the ground mustard the dry type?
Yes