Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
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Made with simple ingredients, this shaved Brussels sprouts salad is an easy side dish that’s perfect for everything from weeknight dinners to holiday entertaining.
This shaved Brussels sprouts salad is one I come back to every fall. Packed with sweet apples, toasted walnuts, and nutty Parmesan, all tossed in a tangy apple cider vinaigrette, it strikes the perfect balance of sweet, savory, crunchy, and tangy. And because Brussels sprouts hold up so well, it’s an ideal make-ahead salad—the flavors only get better as they sit.
Serve it alongside butternut squash soup and grilled cheese for a cozy fall meal, or pair it with glazed pork tenderloin, roast chicken, or Thanksgiving turkey for an easy seasonal side. It also makes a delicious light lunch all on its own.
“This salad was the hit of our Thanksgiving meal. Perfect complement to the all the carbs. It will be on the menu next year and throughout the year as well.”
What You’ll Need To Make Brussels Sprouts Salad
- Brussels sprouts: Many grocery stores sell bagged, shaved Brussels sprouts, especially during the fall and winter, making this salad even quicker to prepare. If you can’t find them, don’t worry—it’s easy to shave Brussels sprouts yourself (I’ll show you how below).
- Red apple – Adds a refreshing, crisp bite and pop of sweetness to balance the savory flavors. My favorite varietal to use here is Honey Crisp.
- Minced shallots – Adds a mild, slightly sweet onion flavor that complements the dressing.
- Extra virgin olive oil & Vegetable Oil – Provides richness and a smooth base for the vinaigrette. Using a combination keeps the flavor light, so the dressing enhances the salad without overpowering it.
- Apple cider vinegar – Brings a tangy acidity that brightens the salad and balances the sweetness of the honey and apple.
- Honey – Adds a touch of sweetness to round out the vinaigrette and complement the apple.
- Walnuts – Brings crunch and earthy flavor, adding texture and healthy fats to the salad. Feel free to use pecans instead.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano – Adds salty, nutty richness that complements the sweet and tangy vinaigrette. Buy a wedge rather than pre-grated cheese and shave it yourself with a vegetable peeler or knife so the Parmesan remains a distinct element of the salad.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Shave the Brussels sprouts. If your grocery store carries pre-shredded Brussels sprouts, use them—they’re a great shortcut. Otherwise, trim the stem ends, remove any bruised outer leaves, and slice the sprouts as thinly as possible. A food processor fitted with the slicing blade makes quick work of the job, but a sharp knife or mandoline works well too. (If using a mandoline, be sure to use the hand guard and watch your fingertips.)
Step 2: Toast the walnuts. Don’t skip this important step—it makes a big difference. Toasting brings out the walnuts’ natural oils, making them crunchier, more fragrant, and much more flavorful.
Step 3: Toss and let the salad rest. Once everything is combined, let the salad rest before serving. As it sits, the dressing gently softens the Brussels sprouts and the flavors come together. Even 30 minutes makes a noticeable difference.
Step 4: Finish and serve. Just before serving, toss in the toasted walnuts and shaved Parmesan. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, then serve. if needed, then serve. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for 1 or 2 days, but keep in mind that the flavors will dull the longer the salad sits. You can add a little more cider vinegar and vegetable oil to perk it up.
Variations
This Brussels sprouts salad is easy to customize. Here are a few of my favorite ways to change it up:
- Nuts: Swap the walnuts for pecans, sliced almonds, pistachios, or sunflower seeds.
- Fruit: Try dried cranberries, dried cherries, pomegranate arils, or thinly sliced pears instead of apples.
- Cheese: Use Pecorino Romano for a sharper flavor or crumbled goat cheese for a creamy, tangy twist.
- Protein: Top the salad with grilled chicken or crisp bacon to turn it into a satisfying main course.
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Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds Brussels sprouts, shredded
- 1 large tart-sweet red apple, such as Honey Crisp, cored and chopped (no need to peel)
- 3 tablespoons minced shallots, from 1 large shallot
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ cup walnuts, toasted if desired and coarsely chopped
- ¾ cup thinly sliced and crumbled Parmigiano-Reggiano
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- Place the walnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake, checking frequently, until lightly toasted and fragrant, 6 to 10 minutes. Transfer immediately to a plate and let cool.
- In a large bowl, combine the shredded Brussels sprouts, apples, shallots, olive oil, vegetable oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper; toss well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours to allow the sprouts to soften and the flavors to marry.
- When ready to serve, toss the walnuts and Parmigiano-Reggiano with the salad. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, then serve. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for 1 or 2 days but keep in mind that the flavors will dull the longer the salad sits; add a little more cider vinegar and vegetable oil to perk it up.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Hi! Can this be made a day ahead? Thanks!
Sure, you can get away with it. I’d just taste it before serving and refresh the seasoning if necessary.
Made exactly as written – absolutely delicious. Hubs doesn’t like ‘fruit’ but didn’t realize there was apple in here 😉 I will be making this over and over!
What a perfect combination of flavors and texture. I especially loved the dressing. Thank you for sharing such tested, solid recipes!
Made this salad for a small group gathering and my guests really enjoyed it. I let it marinate for 3 hours and the texture was perfect. I wasn’t sure how small to chop the apples and I went a little too small. Next time I will leave the apples so they are small chunks, maybe about an inch and half. I bought the Brussel Sprouts already shredded so the salad came together fast and easy. Will definitely make this again.
Not crazy about raw brussels sprouts, very crunchy, maybe it will taste better tomorrow, only had 30 minutes to marinate. Would like to try it with goat cheese and the pomegranate molasses I have might on hand might be an interesting addition to the dressing. I halved the amount, only used olive oil.
Maybe the salad was a little tough? I can’t remember if I read it here (I looked at a lot of Brussels salad recipes before making this one), but take off more of the root end when trimming for a more tender salad. I shaved my Brussels sprouts in the food processor, and, depending how the sprout hit the slicer, the root end held the slices together, which I think made some of the pieces more tough – I’ll cut more off next time. I also read somewhere (here?) that cabbage can be substituted, maybe a more tender cabbage like well trimmed Savoy or Napa.
Brussel sprouts at their best! My husband wretches at the thought of them, but some how I got him to taste this salad and he was amazed. I made almost exactly per the recipe; I only used 1/2 of the oil and thought it was fine. I would add a second apple next time.
I’m having visions of this with strawberries and blue cheese, or pineapple…seems like it would be very flexible and adaptable to the other fruits, nuts and cheeses.
I made this for myself and enjoyed it as lunch or a side to dinner for a few days. Then made it for a family Christmas dinner. There were a few picky eaters who refused to try it, but those who tried it loved it and even asked for the recipe! It brought some fresh zing and really tied the plate together (beef tenderloin, roasted potatoes and carrots, and green beans). I think it’s great for a holiday dinner because it’s easy to serve and doesn’t take up too much room on the plate. It’s also just delicious. I make it exactly as the recipe says to (even weighing out the sprouts) and it’s perfect. I like to shave the sprouts on a mandolin for freshness (rather than pre shredded) and recommend using jumbo Brussels if you can find them!
This salad is fantastic. There were only 6 adults at dinner (including a couple who are usually less than thrilled about brussel sprouts) and we finished off the bowl. So good. No changes recommended. Great as written.
Wonderful flavor combination, my better half said it was even better left over. Thank you for sharing, I will make this again.
Delicious and easy, but makes a lot! The next time I will try blue cheese instead of parmesan.