Why you’ll love this
After a week of traveling, and eating my weight in food, I was really craving a big salad. This one is inspired by a restaurant salad I had a few years ago.
Instead of the kale that one had, I decided to massage some Brussels sprouts instead. They breakdown just like kale does and it leaves them soft and tender.
This salad keeps well for a few days, even with the dressing on, making it a great grownup lunchbox option. In fact, I had the leftovers of this photoshoot for dinner and it was just as delicious.
→ If you like this recipe, you should try these: sautéd Brussels sprouts with bacon / crispy roasted Brussels sprouts / kale and Brussels sprouts salad / honey sriracha Brussels sprouts
Ingredient notes:
- Brussels sprouts
- Apple – Any apple will do, but I like a honeycrisp or a pink lady for their color and crunch.
- Green onions
- Sesame seeds – I use a mix of white and black sesame seeds for this recipe, but either way, I recommend getting pre-toasted sesame seeds if you can find them.
- Cashews – If you don’t like cashews, or you can’t have them. Feel free to sub a different nut, or even pepitas.
- Dried cranberries
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Frequently asked questions
Absolutely! These cute little veggies are similar to cabbage, making them perfect for a slaw style salad.
You can shave Brussels sprouts with a mandolin or a food processor if you want to speed up the process, but we shredded the Brussels sprouts for this salad with a sharp knife and cutting board.
If your Brussels sprout stem is turning brown prior to cutting them, they have started to go bad. If your Brussels sprouts aren’t looking the bright green they were, or just looking a little lackluster, you can submerge them in an ice water bath to revive them.
More dairy free salads
Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 pound shaved Brussels sprouts*
- 1 large apple, chopped
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup sweetened, dried cranberries
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup chopped toasted cashews
- 2 cooked pan seared chicken breast, sliced or chopped*
For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk the oil, sesame oil, Dijon, vinegar, minced ginger and garlic together until smooth. Season the dressing with salt & pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Sear the chicken. If you need to, pound the chicken to an even thickness and season it with salt & pepper. Then, heat a large skillet to medium-high and add some olive oil.When the oil is heated, cook chicken for about 5 minutes per side, or until it's cooked through. I like to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature – it should be 165˚F.Remove the chicken and let it rest (while you prep the salad) before slicing or chopping.
- Prep the sprouts. In a large bowl, drizzle the shaved Brussels sprouts with olive oil and add a pinch of salt. Use clean hands to massage the Brussels sprouts until they have softened.
- Mix the salad. Add the rest of the salad ingredients (except the chicken) to the bowl and stir in the dressing. Toss the salad until it's evenly coated in dressing. Then, top the salad with seared chicken before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Amazing!