If the thought of eating raw Brussels Sprouts has you ready to click away, let me beg you to give my Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad a try before you judge!
I first got the inspiration for this recipe around Christmastime, a couple of years ago. I was experimenting with various recipes I could make with lots of red and green foods, and the idea of shredded Brussels Sprouts caught my attention.
The results were so tasty that I have since made my “famous” Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad so many times, in all 4 seasons, for so many different meals and functions. It has become one of my staple recipes (and, believe it or not, I almost always get asked for the recipe!)
Seriously, even if you hate Brussels Sprouts, I have a feeling you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how tasty this Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad is.
I know I was personally shocked, and I actually enjoy the taste of roasted Brussels Sprouts!
The flavor of the raw Brussels Sprouts is very mild, the crunch is fantastic, and the mix of different flavors and textures (sweet, salty, savory, crunchy, chewy) is amazing!
The dressing has just the right tang, and best of all, it’s an easy recipe to mix up in advance — even a day or so before you plan to eat it.
NOTE: you may just want to tell people it’s a new recipe for “coleslaw”… and drop the Brussels Sprouts bomb AFTER they try a few bites!
If you’re looking for another super easy, make-ahead salad or side dish, pick up some Brussels Sprouts the next time you’re at the store and give my recipe for Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad a try!
Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad
If you're looking for another super easy, make-ahead salad or side dish, pick up some Brussels Sprouts the next time you're at the store and give my recipe for Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad a try!
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 pound Brussels Sprouts (about 20); shredded or thinly sliced
- 1 c. chopped broccoli florets
- 2 green onions; thinly sliced
- 1/2 red onion; diced
- 5 radishes; diced
- 1/2 Granny Smith apple; diced
- 1/4 c. sunflower seeds or any type of seed
- 1/4 c. bacon crumbles
- 1/2 c. Craisins
For the Dressing
- 1/4 c. olive oil *(see notes below)
- 1/4 c. vinegar (red wine or apple cider are my favorites for this salad)
- 1 T. maple syrup (or honey or sugar)
- 1 T. Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic; minced (or 1/4 tsp. garlic powder)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine shredded Brussels Sprouts, chopped broccoli, sliced onions, diced radishes, apples, seeds, nuts, bacon, dried fruit, and any other ingredients you'd like to add.
In a smaller container with a tight-fitting lid (or in a blender) combine all dressing ingredients. Shake or blend to combine.
Taste dressing by dipping a piece of broccoli in. Add more seasoning to your taste.
Pour dressing over salad and stir to combine.
Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving (I often make this in the morning if we're eating it for dinner -- or sometimes even the day before).
Store leftovers in the fridge -- they will easily stay fresh for a few days (if they actually stick around that long!)
Notes
All ingredients are "optional" -- seriously, you can add in (or omit) whatever veggies, dried fruits, nuts, seeds, you like.
Also, if you 100% will not eat Brussels Sprouts, you can make it using 3 cups broccoli florets!
About the Vineagrette... technically, a true "vinaigrette" uses THREE times the amount of oil as vinegar -- however, that's a lot of extra fat and calories.
I always cut back on the oil and increase the vinegar. I really like a stronger vinegar taste.
In my opinion, this salad tastes fantastic as written! However, feel free to adjust the oil/vinegar ratio as your taste buds prefer.
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 225Total Fat 14gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 11gCholesterol 3mgSodium 324mgCarbohydrates 24gFiber 5gSugar 15gProtein 5g
Nutritional information is approximate and does not account for additional ingredients or added toppings.
We regularly enjoy this “coleslaw-type salad” as a side dish to a variety of meats. It’s amazing with burgers, pulled pork, or beef brisket!).
However, I also enjoy it as a “topping” to a bed of spinach or salad greens.
If you think about it, this salad is essentially composed of a variety of salad toppings WITH the dressing already included!
I just scoop a few spoonfuls on top of whatever greens I have in the house, add a sprinkle of Feta or fresh Parmesan, and maybe another drizzle of vinaigrette and I have a DELICIOUS lunch salad without chopping or prepping anything extra!
Doesn’t that look tasty!
I make this non-lettuce salad at least once a month and Dave and I enjoy the “leftovers” for a few days in a row — mixing up how we eat them each time.
It’s extremely satisfying with all the yummy crunchy ingredients. It’s also more exciting than eating plain raw veggies, and it’s quite nutritious.
Add my Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad to your salad rotation, or bring it to your next pot-luck. Either way, try it out! You might be surprised how much you like Brussels Sprouts!
What is your favorite way to enjoy Brussels Sprouts?
Click here for more of my favorite salad recipes.
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Rachel says
I’ve had a pound of brussel sprouts in my refrigerator that needed to be eaten, but in this summer heat, I did NOT want to turn on the oven or stove. So I remembered this salad, made it today using the veggies & seeds I had on hand, and it was delicious! I added chickpeas to my individual plate for some added protein because I didn’t have any bacon, and boy, was it filling! I also reduced the amount of apple cider vinegar by 1 Tbsp and used regular mustard instead of Dijon because it’s what I had. I was expecting quite a bite to the dressing given the vinegar and mustard; however, it all blended together surprisingly well with no single flavor overpowering another. My husband likes it too, so I will definitely make this again!
Andrea says
yay! This makes me so happy to read. I’m thrilled you enjoyed this recipe (and that you made changes based on what you already had in the house!)
Debbie says
Andrea, how do you shred the brussel sprouts? I’m imagining using a typical shredder but those brussel sprout pieces are sometimes small and would be time consuming to shred each one.
Andrea says
I just chop them thinly with a knife! It really doesn’t take much time at all.
Beth says
Oh my gosh. I made this salad last night and it is really amazing! I am having the leftovers for lunch today and it is even better the next day! My husband only likes salad with lettuce, cucumbers and cheese with ranch dressing, but he devoured this salad and said it’s one of the best he has had. This salad will be made weekly at our house! Thanks so much so sharing!
Andrea says
oh yay — this makes me SO happy to read!!!
I’m thrilled you (and your hubby) loved this “salad”!!
Olga says
Oh, I’m one of those people who actually hate Brussels sprouts, sigh….
I honestly tried many recipes cooking them myself, and ordered in high-end restaurants –no luck yet. But maybe raw Brussels sprouts don’t have that stinky odor and bitter flavor?… I’ll try your recipe and will let you know if my love relationship with Brussels had begun… For some weird reason i want to like them, eventually… 🙂
Andrea says
This honestly tastes like shredded cabbage in coleslaw — so if you like coleslaw, you should like this!
Also, it might be worth mentioning that cooked/roasted Brussels sprouts really shouldn’t be “stinky” — that might mean they were “bad” and maybe THAT’S why you didn’t like time!
And finally, I totally understand your desire to like a food you currently don’t. I have this with olives and pickles (Dave and I can not stand them and our kids devour them.) I force myself to eat an olive every so often, I’ve given up on pickles for now!
Jenny says
Did you mean they SHOULD be “stinky” or SHOULDN’T?
Andrea says
oh good grief — yes, they should NOT be stinky! I’ll go back and edit that comment to remove confusion! sigh!
shan says
Andrea, Your family is so fortunate (both immediate and extended!) to be fed with delicious, healthy and well-planned meals 🙂 I love brussels sprouts but in moderate amounts. I’ve had them in a soup from a cafe and it tasted great also. I recently found a sweet kale chopped salad kit at Aldi for $2 and it’s very good. BTY, what’s for dinner 🙂 I can almost smell it cooking in your house 🙂
Andrea says
Thanks Shan 🙂
You are the 3rd or 4th person to recommend the Chopped Kale Salad kids at Aldi in the last 2 weeks — Looks like I need to buy a couple this week!
As for our dinner tonight, we’re having Mexican — homemade guacamole, homemade refried beans, black bean and rice casserole, and chicken quesadillas (with all the toppings!)
Shan says
How do I make reservations for dinner tonight at Miss Andrea’s restaurant 🙂
Andrea says
haha — Dave says he’s already looking forward to it and the kids are always big Mexican fans (Clara eats guacamole by the spoonful!)
Lynn Arnsdorf says
Andrea, PLEASE report back after you buy that Aldi’s salad and tell us what you think. It’s a huge winner
Andrea says
will do!!
Annette Silveira says
I completely agree about the ratio of fat to oil. I always use equal amounts of both because, otherwise, the dressing just tastes way too oily.
Andrea says
oh good — glad I’m not alone! 🙂
Chris says
Do you shred them with a handheld shredder? Seems like it would take a long time and risk cutting your fingers a lot since they are so small. Or a food processor or mandolin?
Andrea says
I just chop them by hand — I guess I’m used to chopping and slicing veggies every day so it doesn’t seem like much extra work for me. However, you could definitely try other methods as well — especially if you’re making a really big batch!
Chris says
Thanks!
Amanda says
This looks GREAT! Can’t wait to try this, thank you for sharing!