Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
If you’re craving a refreshing salad that will leave you satisfied, you are going to love this shaved Brussels sprouts salad. It’s filled with all the delicious things – like crisp apples, crunchy cashews and sweetened cranberries – tossed in a sesame ginger vinaigrette and topped with perfectly seared chicken.
Why you’ll love this shaved Brussels sprouts salad
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.
Ingredients & substitutions
- 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 below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
How to make this Brussels sprouts salad
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.
Make the dressing. Mix the oils with the Dijon, vinegar, minced ginger and garlic together until smooth. Season the dressing with salt & pepper to taste.
Prep the Brussels sprouts. Add the shredded Brussels sprouts to a big mixing bowl. Drizzle them with one tablespoon of olive oil and a nice pinch of coarse salt. Massage the Brussels sprouts with clean hands until they become nice and tender.
Mix the salad. Add the rest of the salad ingredients 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.
Everything you need to know about raw Brussels sprout salad
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 could be, or just looking a little lackluster, you can submerge them in an ice water bath to revive them.
You can go ahead and wash Brussels sprouts prior to cutting them. Remove any loose leaves
You can clean, trim and shred your Brussels sprouts ahead of time if you want, they are a hearty little vegetable.
More Brussels sprouts recipes you will love
- Sautéd Brussels sprouts with bacon
- Crispy roasted Brussels sprouts
- Kale and Brussels sprouts salad
- Spicy honey sriracha Brussels sprouts
More dairy free salad recipes you should try
Ingredients
- 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*)
- 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
- 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.
- Add the remaining salad ingredients (except the chicken) to the bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mix the dressing together. Add to the salad bowl and toss the salad until evenly coated.
- Top with seared chicken before serving.
Video
Amazing!