Quick Summary
This shaved Brussels sprouts salad is crisp and refreshing, with just the right hint of sweetness. It’s a perfect veggie side dish for your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner table.
Brussels sprouts sometimes have a bad reputation, but they’re one of my favorite vegetables. They’re a go-to veggie in the fall and winter, and in my opinion should be included on any Thanksgiving or Christmas menu. This Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad is a great way to add a fresh element to a holiday meal.
The key to this dish is that the Brussels sprouts are served raw, along with raw apple. Holiday meals can be pretty heavy, and the last thing I want for my veggie side is another dish that’s roasted or braised. The raw Brussels sprouts and apples are fresh, crispy, and bring a light and refreshing element to the dinner table. The bitterness of the Brussels sprouts is balanced by the sweetness of the apples, dried cranberries, and a maple syrup dressing.
This salad is unlike any you’ve ever tried, and I think you’ll love it.
Table of Contents
Salad Ingredients
Here’s everything you need to make this refreshing salad. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page to see the exact amounts for each ingredient.
For the Dressing:
- Olive oil– avocado oil will also work.
- Lemon juice – You should use fresh-squeezed lemon juice for this dressing.
- Apple cider vinegar– pairs nicely with the fall flavors!
- Maple syrup – Make sure to use pure maple syrup, rather than a syrup that’s been diluted or has artificial flavors.
- Dijon mustard – Not only does mustard add a nice flavor to this dressing, but it serves as an emulsifier, so the acid will mix with the oil.
- Garlic– always garlic!
For the Salad:
- Brussels sprouts – Make sure you wash the sprouts well before using.
- Apples – I like to use honeycrisp apples for this recipe, because they’re sweet and juicy. You can use other types of apples if you prefer, but the salad is best with apples that are more sweet and less tart.
- Dried cranberries– for a pop of sweetness!
- Sunflower seeds– you can also use almonds, pecans, walnuts, or pepitas!
- Parmesan cheese – Shaved parmesan cheese works best for this salad, but you can also use freshly grated Parmesan cheese. If you want to mix up the cheese, feta, goat cheese, blue cheese, or white cheddar are good options.
What Do Raw Brussels Sprouts Taste Like?
Usually Brussels sprouts are served roasted or fried. But they’re actually quite fantastic when served raw. The texture and flavor are similar to raw cabbage. They’re bitter but mild, a little bit sweet, and have a wonderful crunch to them.
How to Shave Brussels Sprouts
One of the keys to this salad is the shaved Brussels sprouts. They should be shaved fairly thin, as that gives them the best flavor and texture. There are three different ways that you can shave Brussels sprouts.
- Use a knife. If you have a sharp chef’s knife, and are comfortable with your knife skills, you can shave the Brussels sprouts by hand. Working slowly and carefully, cut the Brussels sprouts as thinly as you can. You can make it easier by first cutting the Brussels sprouts in half, so that they lay flat when you cut them into shreds.
- Use a mandolin. Mandolins are great tools to have for salads like this one. If you have a mandolin, use the thinnest setting to cut the Brussels sprouts. Just be very careful not to cut your fingertips!
- Use a food processor. Finally, you can shave the Brussels sprouts in a food processor with a slicing attachment. Just place the vegetables in the food processor, and pulse until they are shredded.
How to Make Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
This salad is quick and easy to make. It only takes about 15 minutes! Here’s how to do it.
- Make the dressing. Combine the oil, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, and garlic in a bowl, and whisk until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Make the salad. Place the Brussels sprouts, apples, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and parmesan cheese in a mixing bowl or salad bowl.
- Toss. Pour the dressing on top of the salad. Toss until well combined, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
Tips and Tricks
Here are a few tips to help you make this shaved Brussels sprouts salad.
- Make the dressing in advance. If you’re making this salad for the holidays, then you probably want to find as many ways as possible to save time when prepping. One thing you can do is make the maple syrup dressing in advance. Follow the instructions for the dressing, then place it in an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Shred the Brussels sprouts in advance. You can also shred the Brussels sprouts ahead of time! Shredding these veggies can take a little while, so if you’re worried about the timing, just shred them ahead of time, and store them in the fridge in an airtight plastic bag. They’ll last for up to 2 days.
- Mix up the ingredients. This is an easy recipe to customize. Are there dried fruits that you like in salads more than cranberries? Use them instead! You can replace the sunflower seeds with pumpkin seeds, or toasted almonds or walnuts. You can try different types of apples, and even different types of cheeses. Have fun with it!
How to Store Leftovers
You can keep this brussels sprouts salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Serve the leftovers cold, straight out of the fridge.
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
I do not recommend freezing this salad. Raw salads take on a funny texture and flavor when frozen and thawed.
More Salad Recipes to Try
- Simple Kale Salad
- Roasted Butternut Squash Orzo Salad
- Easy Spinach Salad
- Apple Pecan Salad with Creamy Lemon Dressing
- Citrus salad
- Easy Green Salad
More Brussels Sprout Recipes
- Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
- Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Lemon and Parmesan
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Brussels Sprouts Casserole
- Roasted Pear and Cranberry Brussels Sprouts
Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
Ingredients
For the Dressing:
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic minced
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
For the Salad:
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts ends trimmed
- 1 large Honeycrisp apple chopped (or 2 small apples)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/3 cup shredded or shaved Parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- First, make the maple mustard dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, pure maple syrup, mustard, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Next, shave the brussels sprouts. Use a food processor with the slicing attachment and pulse until the brussels sprouts are thinly sliced. You can also use a mandoline or sharp knife if you don’t have a food processor.
- Place the shredded brussels sprouts in a large bowl. Add the chopped apple, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and Parmesan cheese. Drizzle the salad with the dressing and toss well. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?
Leave a comment below and share a photo on Instagram. Tag @twopeasandpod and hashtag it with #twopeasandtheirpod
Very nice and different! I made it festive and refreshing by adding pomegranate arils and fresh, cut tangerine pieces. For nuts, I used toasted slivered almonds. I need to refine the dressing; raw garlic is too harsh…
Thanks for the recipe !
@twopeasandpod
#twopeasandtheirpod
We made this for NYE dinner and everyone who tried it loved it! We omitted the garlic and lemon juice from the dressing (used more ACV to compensate) and subtituted toasted pecan bits for seeds. Added some crumbled bacon. The leftovers disappeared quickly.
Love your variations. Thanks for sharing!
Absolutely tasty and already in my permanent cookbook. Just made your salad last night and my husband grabbed the leftovers for his lunch! Thanks also for hints on substitutions so no necessary trip to the grocery to make this wonderful salad.
What is the serving size for this recipe?
I did not make the vinegarette this go round as I had a jar of strawberry champagne dressing that needed to be used. I also added broccoli & subbed pecorino romano on hand. This was delicious! The bite from the cheese really tied the sweetness of the toppings together with the brussel sprout base. Highly recommend!
An awesome salad loaded with fresh fall flavors and tons of different textures.
I made this last night. Fantastic! I have bookmarked it with my other favorite recipes. Loved the dressing as well. It’s ramped up a similar one I used to make…used to because I am replacing it with the one! This salad has easy substitution potential to accommodate what’s in my pantry and fridge. Thanks for sharing.
I made this for Easter dinner 2019 (pre COVID) EVERYONE loved it—kids, teens, adults. Only tweak was to add some dried cherries along with the cranberries—only ‘cause I had them and needed to use them up. I’ll do exactly the same this year.
very healthy salad
hi! I can’t eat raw brussel sprouts on my diet and I’m wondering if you can roast them/cook them somehow before making this salad? I’d like to make this recipe for Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend!
Sure, you can sauté them briefly, just don’t over cook. You don’t want them to be soggy. Enjoy!
Really enjoyed this! Added some chicken for extra protein, but this is a really great salad! Will be making again. Thanks.
Love this salad! I used goji berries and pumpkin seeds instead of dried cranberries and sunflower seeds because that’s just what I had. I also added chia seeds to add some more texture to the salad and it was awesome! Can’t wait to make this again, thank you!!
So good, and so easy to make (although a food processor is KEY here). Made this for Thanksgiving and am super disappointed there weren’t any leftovers to take home. May need to make it again immediately!
It’s one of my favorites! Glad you loved it too!
Would this be good without the cheese? Making for people who can’t eat dairy
Yes, I think so!
My family even the young kids loves this salad. It is very easy to put together. I use a food processor so it takes no time at all. I do not put the maple syrup in with the apples and cranberries there is plenty of sweetness and I use vegan Parmesan cheese.
It was so good my whole family loved eating it. It was so delicious we could’nt stop eating it.
Yay!
My daughter made this for Thanksgiving and it rocked our table! This goes in our rotation.
YAY!
As a single person I just love to make this under a piece of seared salmon. I like using my knife to shred brussels, something soothing about it. Great balance of lemony fresh sweet and texture with the fish. My favorite brussel sprout salad recipe out there. And so easy to switch out with different nuts or fruit. I always add a bit of hemp seed. Thanks for sharing.
Fresh, light and delicious!
I made this salad on Christmas Day as written with no substitutions. Everyone loved it and asked for the recipe. Thank you for sharing. I’ll definitely make this again!
yay!
This salad is so easy and delicious!
Great thanksgiving salad! My family has been using it for several years and it has become a standard that is looked for each year. Cuts through the richness of all the other dishes. It is not at all bitter especially if you use the smaller sprouts.
Have served this several times this Spring and has been a hit! A different take on coleslaw.
It’s such a great salad.
This has become one of our staples. Even my kids love it. I do sometimes swap out ingredients, like using sprouted pumpkin seeds depending on what I have on hand.
Yay, awesome!