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).
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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 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
How to Make Brussels Sprout Salad
- Prepare Brussels sprouts – Rinse, dry and shave brussels sprouts with your desired method (see the options above)
- Toppings – Add apples, cheese, seeds, green onions and cranberries to the bowl
- Make the Dressing – In a separate bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together until well-combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Toss the Salad – Pour the dressing over the salad, toss to combine, and serve immediately.
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
Raw brussels sprouts are safe to eat and are packed with fiber and nutrients. Shaving makes them easier to chew.
When stored in an airtight container, shaved brussels sprouts will keep fresh for up to two weeks.
You’ll know they have gone bad when they turn brown or moldy. They will also have a more sour flavor and smell.
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.
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.
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
- Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Baked Cauliflower
- Oven-Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
Ingredients
- 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
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, from 1 large or 2 medium lemons
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
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
- By hand – cut in half and shave with a knife
- With a mandolin slicer
- With a food processor fitted with a slicing disk
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Hi! I’m Natasha Kravchuk, a New York Times bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, food photographer, and writer. Here you’ll find delicious, reliable recipes made with simple ingredients, plus easy step-by-step photos and videos to help you cook confidently at home. 
Just made this salad as I needed to do something with a giant bag of Brussels sprouts I had. I did make some modifications that turned out great. I don’t like sunflower seeds so I used sliced almonds. And I added honey and garlic to the dressing. It was awesome! Will definitely make again. It’s pretty versatile, so I felt like I could add to it. Thanks for the great recipe!!
This is delicious. Was looking for something different to do with Brussels and this recipe did not disappoint. A couple changes due to my pantry.. raisens and green onion. Sub’s worked great. Made as side with salmon and will use this recipe over and over again. BTW, I always stop to look at Natasha’s recipes as I have never been disappointed. Have you tried the guacamole….yum.
Hi Darla! I’m so glad you’re enjoying my recipes. Thank you for the feedback.
I had my doubts this was going to be anything worth while, but boy0-boy did I do a 180. After making this for the 8th time I learned to use less oil to make it better and also a bit more cranberries.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Jim! I’m so happy you stuck with it!
Never heard of this salad before but it sound’s amazing, can’t wait to make it!!