Fresh Brussels Sprout Salad is full of crunch, color, and the best flavors of Fall. This salad is so easy to make but feels special enough to serve on Thanksgiving (p.s. there’s a make-ahead option).

We love brussels sprouts recipes, from Roasted Brussels Sprouts with crispy bacon to creamy Brussels Sprouts in Alfredo. Even my kids love them, which means they must be really great recipes (wink-wink).

Shaved Brussels sprouts salad in white bowl

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How to Shave Brussels Sprouts

In a pinch, you can buy a bag of shaved brussels sprouts, but slicing your own will give you the freshest tasting salad. Start by trimming the ends then chop them up using one of these methods:

  • Mandoline Slicer this will give the Brussels a restaurant-quality appearance and a super consistent texture. To protect your hands, use safety gloves.
  • Knife – Use a sharp knife to slice the sprouts as thinly as possible. A little tedious, but it gets the job done. 
  • Food Processor (EASIEST) – If you don’t have the patience for slicing the brussels with a knife, use your food processor with the slicing disk attachment. Add the whole brussels sprouts into the feed tube and push through using the feed tube pusher.
Ingredients for Brussels Sprouts Salad

Ingredients for Brussels Sprout Salad

  • Brussels sprouts – If you can, buy brussels on the stalk (they have the most flavor)
  • Sunflower seeds – Opt for roasted sunflower seeds versus raw for a nice crunch (you can also substitute with pine nuts, chopped walnuts or pecans, pumpkin seeds, or slivered almonds) 
  • Dried cranberries – Cranberries add a nice tang, but raisins also work
  • Honeycrisp apple – Honeycrisp apples add a nice punch of tart and sweet (you can also use Fuji or your favorite crisp apple)
  • Parmesan cheese – Parmesan shredded straight off the block has the most flavor (feta cheese, blue cheese, and shaved romano are great options as well)
  • Chives – definitely opt for fresh chives (not dried) 

For the Salad Dressing

  • Extra virgin olive oil – use the best quality oil you can get
  • Lemon juice – squeeze fresh lemon juice (avoid concentrate) 
  • Dijon mustard – a little mustard goes a long way to add depth of flavor
  • Salt & black pepper – adjust to taste
Ingredients for the salad dressing

How to Make Brussels Sprout Salad

  1. Prepare Brussels sprouts – Rinse, dry and shave brussels sprouts with your desired method (see the options above)
  2. Toppings – Add apples, cheese, seeds, green onions and cranberries to the bowl
  3. Make the Dressing – In a separate bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together until well-combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  4. Toss the Salad – Pour the dressing over the salad, toss to combine, and serve immediately.
Tossed Brussels Sprouts salad with salad servers

Make Ahead

If you don’t plan on serving the dressing right away, store the chopped salad in an airtight container separate from the dressing. Slice and add the apples just before serving so they don’t discolor. Only toss the salad right before serving to prevent it from turning soggy.

Common Questions

Is it safe to eat raw brussels sprouts? 

Raw brussels sprouts are safe to eat and are packed with fiber and nutrients. Shaving makes them easier to chew. 

How long do shaved brussels sprouts stay fresh? 

When stored in an airtight container, shaved brussels sprouts will keep fresh for up to two weeks. 

How do you know if shaved brussels sprouts are bad? 

You’ll know they have gone bad when they turn brown or moldy. They will also have a more sour flavor and smell. 

Do you need to soak brussels sprouts before using them?

Soaking isn’t necessary. If they look unusually dirty, you can soak them in cold water for 20 minutes. It’s usually sufficient to just rinse and remove the wilted and dry outer leaves.

What else can you add to this salad? 

A couple of other welcome additions include bacon bits, minced garlic, red onion, or shallots. It’s a pretty versatile dish, so feel free to get creative.

Tossed brussels sprouts salad

If you haven’t tried fresh shaved Brussels Sprouts in a salad, I hope you’re feeling adventurous because you are in a for a treat.

More Fall Side Dishes

Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad

4.99 from 104 votes
Author: Natalya Drozhzhin
shaved Brussels sprouts salad
Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad is full of crunch, color, and flavor. It highlights all the best fall flavors and is definitely holiday worthy.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 6 people as a side salad
  • 4 cups brussels sprouts, shaved (from 1 lb) or buy pre-shaved
  • 1 medium honeycrisp apple, chopped (or any crisp apple)
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded or shaved
  • 1/3 cup sunflower seeds, toasted, (or pine nuts)
  • 1/3 cup chives, chopped

Dressing

Instructions

  • Rinse and pat dry brussels sprouts. Trim off the stems and remove and discard any dry or wilted leaves. Shave brussels sprouts with your desired method* and place them in a large bowl.
  • Top the shaved Brussels sprouts with chopped apple, cranberries, parmesan cheese, sunflower seeds, and chives.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients: olive oil, lemon juice, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
  • Just before serving, pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.

Notes

*To shave Brussels sprouts:
  1. By hand – cut in half and shave with a knife
  2. With a mandolin slicer
  3. With a food processor fitted with a slicing disk

Nutrition Per Serving

221kcal Calories20g Carbs6g Protein15g Fat3g Saturated Fat3g Polyunsaturated Fat8g Monounsaturated Fat4mg Cholesterol309mg Sodium337mg Potassium4g Fiber12g Sugar604IU Vitamin A57mg Vitamin C103mg Calcium1mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
Amount per Serving
Calories
221
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
15
g
23
%
Saturated Fat
 
3
g
19
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
3
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
8
g
Cholesterol
 
4
mg
1
%
Sodium
 
309
mg
13
%
Potassium
 
337
mg
10
%
Carbohydrates
 
20
g
7
%
Fiber
 
4
g
17
%
Sugar
 
12
g
13
%
Protein
 
6
g
12
%
Vitamin A
 
604
IU
12
%
Vitamin C
 
57
mg
69
%
Calcium
 
103
mg
10
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: brussels sprout salad, shaved brussels sprouts salad
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $$
Calories: 221

Natalya Drozhzhin

Natalya is a food blogger who founded Momsdish.com to make cooking easier. Growing up on a farm in Ukraine, Natalya was inspired by the amazing dishes that were prepared using simple ingredients. Natalya is most notably known for making cooking approachable for any person.

Read more posts by Natalya

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Dawn
    January 31, 2024

    I love the combination of ingredients but the dressing was inedible. I am so glad I tasted it before adding it to the salad. I will use a light Cole slaw dressing instead as another commenter suggested.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 31, 2024

      Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Dawn! We believe we found the perfect balance with this recipe. Was there anything specific that stood our in the dressing to you?

      Reply

  • Memee
    December 27, 2023

    Made for Christmas Eve meal along with Beef Tenderloin and Garlic Mashed Potatoes. This salad was a hit! Guests were impressed. I cut by hand and was easy enough to get thin strips.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 27, 2023

      That’s so great, Memee! Thank you for your awesome review!

      Reply

  • Kristin
    December 26, 2023

    Made this for Christmas dinner with a wide variety of salad preferences. It was a huge hit! Everyone loved it! We will definitely be making it again, and I can see it quickly becoming a new family favorite.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 26, 2023

      So great to hear that this recipe was a huge hit! Thanks so much for sharing.

      Reply

  • Patty
    December 26, 2023

    Loved this! I used pine nuts, but otherwise, followed the recipe. Except I forgot the cheese (don’t think we even missed it). We ate it 2 days later for leftovers and it was still crunchy. And the flavors were even better. Next time I make this, I will mix it up earlier in the day adding the apple and pine nuts at the last minute.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 26, 2023

      So glad that you enjoyed it!

      Reply

  • Rachel
    December 24, 2023

    Absolutely love this recipe! This has been well-loved at large gatherings with family and friends-foolproof!! Sometimes I use 2 lemons instead of one.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      December 24, 2023

      Thank you for sharing, Rachel!

      Reply

  • Candace
    March 13, 2023

    Very good use of this veg besides roasting, etc. I did use red onion and bacon. Also a bit of stevia to dressing. Yum!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      March 13, 2023

      Hi Candace! Thank you for sharing. I’m glad you loved the recipe.

      Reply

  • Michal Longfelder
    March 3, 2023

    Excellent salad (although I reduced the amount of oil to keep it a bit more diet-friendly). I also had this as a main dish with grilled shrimp on top and it was great! Is there a way to save certain recipes on this site?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      March 3, 2023

      Hi Michal! Yes, there is a heart in the lower right corner of the page when you’re on the recipe blog. You need to create a login in, but after that you can save your recipes by clicking on the heart.

      Reply

  • Amy
    December 26, 2022

    Made this for a Christmas side and it was so good! I loved having something lighter and crunch on our table!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 26, 2022

      Isn’t it the best? I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Amy!

      Reply

  • Kd26
    November 2, 2022

    Very good! Added pistachios because I did not have pine nuts and it was delicious!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      November 2, 2022

      That’s great! Thank you for the review. I’m glad you enjoyed it.

      Reply

  • Paulina
    September 18, 2022

    Outstanding. I used pecorino instead of parmigiano and pine nuts instead of sunflower seeds. My 16 year old who refuses to eat roasted sprouts, loved this salad

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      September 18, 2022

      Sounds good and happy to know that you both enjoyed this recipe!

      Reply

  • K
    May 26, 2022

    Excellent! I do not like cooked sprouts but raw are so tasty.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 26, 2022

      Thank you so much for sharing that with me!

      Reply

  • Southern Cook
    December 20, 2021

    Salad is decent but not something I would serve company. Dressing does not do it for me at all IMHO. I switched to coleslaw dressing recipe and found it more to my tastes. I had hopes to take to Christmas gathering but thought better of it.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 20, 2021

      Thank you so much for sharing that feedback with me.

      Reply

  • Mary Demerjian
    November 24, 2021

    I haven’t made this yet, but it looks delicious. I’m wondering if I can prepare it today and toss it with the dressing tomorrow. (Thanksgiving) I’m afraid the apples and the sprouts will lose their color and crunch. Anyone know?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 24, 2021

      Hi Mary, please see the “Make Ahead” section in the recipe where we address this! I hope you love this recipe!

      Reply

  • Yelena Gergalo
    November 22, 2021

    Hi Natasha! Just want to say thank you for sharing the wealth of food preps. I always go first to check if you have any new or new for me way to cook food.
    I am the cabbage lover- any and all kind of recipes. I remember trying this one before. So, I improvise this time. I did sauté for a bit and what it did – removed bitterness and it is not as chewy as raw. Love it! All I did Brussels sprouts and bacon. Taste amazing. Thank you and wish you a Happy Holiday! Yelena

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 22, 2021

      I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Yelena! Happy Holidays!

      Reply

  • karen
    November 19, 2021

    your recipes are all so good Everyone of them I have tried come out excellent.I cook each one of them more than one time I wish you mailed out news letters so you could keep them in a notebook . I am not good with this new Technology My favorite back in the day was Gloria Pitzer ‘s newsletters. I love watching you on video though.You always smile and have so much Energy Happy Holidays

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 20, 2021

      Hi Karen, thank you so much for that suggestion! I send newsletters weekly electronically to your email if you subscribe! You’re welcome to subscribe to my Insider newsletter HERE.

      Reply

  • Elizabeth
    November 16, 2021

    I’m 12, and my (7yr old) sister loves brussel sprouts!
    I am willing to try this recipe out.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      November 17, 2021

      Please do, we’d love to know how it goes!

      Reply

  • Andrea Thueson
    November 16, 2021

    I have been dreaming about this salad since I made it! It is so yummy and refreshing!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 16, 2021

      It really is so good! I’m happy to read your great review, Andrea!

      Reply

  • Fran Capfield
    November 16, 2021

    This salad is so yummy! I am definitely making this again for Thankgiving!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 16, 2021

      This will be the perfect addition to Thanksgiving dinner!

      Reply

  • Erin
    November 16, 2021

    I love roasted Brussels Spouts, so this recipe was a bit outside my comfort zone. Good news! I love it!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      November 16, 2021

      I’m so happy to hear that! I love the crunch of freshly shaved brussels sprouts.

      Reply

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