Thinly sliced Brussels sprouts are jazzed up with crisp apples, juicy pomegranate arils, crunchy pecans, and white cheddar in this festive Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad. The perfect fall inspired salad, make it a meal by add chicken or shrimp!
I created this Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Thanksgiving in mind, but it’s really too delicious to save for one day a year. This is a salad you’ll want to eat all season long! Everything about it is dreamy. (But then again, I am a sucker for shaved Brussels sprouts, as you can see from this Autumn Kale & Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad.) The sprouts are tossed with peppery arugula, tart pomegranate seeds, sharp white cheddar, crisp Granny Smith apples, and sweet candied pecans. Then it’s drizzled with a homemade lemon vinaigrette, which adds a bright flavor to bring it all together. Hello, yum!
Why This Brussels Sprout Salad Is a Sure Hit
This is a salad worth getting excited about! Here’s why I love it and why you will too.
- Adds that little extra something to your holiday table. This shaved Brussels sprout salad is the perfect flavorful side dish for Thanksgiving and Christmas, plus it’s just pretty to look at!
- Fantastic flavors and textures. This salad is poppin’ with crisp, crunchy, and tender textures and all kinds of contrasting flavors, from sweet to bitter to peppery and tart.
- Easy to make. Even though it’s a total show-stopper, this is a recipe you can whip up for a weeknight too.
What You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need for this shaved Brussels sprout salad. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Brussels sprouts – I like to make things easy and buy a bag of shredded sprouts, or you can thinly slice them yourself.
- Arugula – Arugula adds a nice complement to the Brussels sprouts.
- Pomegranate seeds – From a fresh pomegranate or keep it easy and buy a container of them!
- Granny Smith apple – I love the tartness of Granny Smith in this salad, but another firm apple variety like Honeycrisp would work too.
- Shaved white cheddar cheese – I used aged cheddar for an extra punch of flavor.
- Candied pecans – You can make your own or use store-bought.
- Lemon vinaigrette – I make my own with fresh lemon juice, olive oil, honey, Dijon, and garlic.
How to Make Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
Let’s get started! Here’s what you’ll need to do.
- Make the vinaigrette. Whisk the lemon juice, honey, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Then, slowly drizzle in the oil while whisking until the dressing is emulsified.
- Assemble. Add all of the salad ingredients to a large bowl.
- Dress the salad. Add the vinaigrette to the salad and toss to coat.
Tips and Variations
I’ve got a few more pointers and some ideas for changing up this shaved Brussels sprout salad if you want to put your own spin on it.
- Get a head start. If you want to make this for a holiday or party, you can mix the vinaigrette ahead of time and prep the salad except for the apple. Refrigerate the vinaigrette and salad separately; before serving, let the vinaigrette come to room temperature and whisk it to re-emulsify, add the apple to the salad, and toss it all together.
- Try a different green. Instead of arugula, you can use kale, which would also pair well with the flavors in this salad.
- Swap out the pomegranate. When pomegranates aren’t in season, you can use dried cranberries instead.
- Use a different cheese. Parmesan, feta, goat cheese, or even something like gouda would work in this shaved Brussels sprout salad.
Serving Suggestions
This salad makes a light weeknight dinner when paired with Juicy Air Fryer Chicken Breast, or a fancy weeknight dinner with a dish like my Mustard Crusted Pork Chops with Bourbon Glazed Apples. It also works well with any of your favorite holiday dishes, from Dry Brine Turkey to Sweet Potato Casserole.
How to Store Leftovers
When the dressing and salad are stored separately, the dressing will last up to a week and the salad will last up to 3 days (although the apple will go brown). If you’ve added the dressing to the shaved Brussels sprout salad, it will last a day or two in the fridge.
More Recipes for Brussels Sprout Lovers
Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6-8 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mix
- Cuisine: American
Description
Brussels sprouts are jazzed up with apples, pomegranate, pecans, and white cheddar in this festive Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad. So good!
Ingredients
Brussel Sprout Salad:
- 10 oz. shaved brussels sprouts
- 2 cups of arugula
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1 granny smith apple, thinly diced
- 1/3 cup shaved white cheddar cheese
- 3/4 cup candied pecans, roughly chopped
Lemon Vinaigrette:
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoon dijon
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make Lemon Vinaigrette – to a small bowl add fresh lemon juice, honey, mustard, garlic clove, salt, and pepper to a small bowl. Using a whisk, stir until mixed together. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil and whisk until dressing is emulsified. Set aside.
- Make the Salad: To a large bowl, add shaved brussel sprouts, arugula, pomegranate, granny smith, shaved white cheddar cheese, and candied pecans.
- Top with dressing. Gently toss. Serve.
