Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad

This beautiful Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad is the perfect salad when you want something a little different for a weeknight dinner or for a holiday meal.

This unique salad is full of thin slices of Brussels sprouts (raw), spicy onion, sweet crunchy pomegranate seeds and almonds. It's a really great salad anytime.

Unlike roasted Brussels sprouts this shredded Brussels sprouts salad a slightly peppery or bitter flavor to wake up your palate making it a perfect side dish for roasted meats or our Instant Pot Turkey Breast or Air Fryer Cornish Hens. The flavor of the shredded sprouts are complemented by the sweet, tart pomegranate and herbaceous parsley.

As much as we love the crunchiness of the freshly prepared salad it's also great a couple days later. The Brussels sprouts soften and soak in the dressing which mellows the flavor too.

When you are considering Thanksgiving side dishes this shaved Brussels sprout salad recipe is a great addition. Full of fresh ingredients, bold flavors, it's a great combination of flavors to add to your next holiday dinners. 

Jump to:

•  What makes this skinny?
• Recipe Ingredient Notes
• 3 Ways to shred Brussels sprouts
• How to make Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
• Variations
• Frequently Asked Questions
• How to Store
• More recipes you'll love!
• Recipe

 What makes this skinny?

• The salad is full of fresh vegetables and fruits which have great nutrition value as well as low calorie.
• The nuts add healthy fats, a nice crunch and we've limited the amount to keep the calories in check.
• The dressing amount is pared down to coat the salad ingredients without overwhelming them which also reduces the calories.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Brussels Sprouts. You'll use 1 pound of raw Brussels sprouts.

Red onion. A small red onion peeled and diced.

Pomegranate seeds (arils). One cup of pomegranate arils (seeds) are used. You can purchase fresh pomegranate seeds or remove them from a pomegranate.

Slivered almonds. These crunchy almonds add a wonderful texture.

Italian parsley. Some freshly chopped parsley adds great flavor.

White balsamic vinegar. This type of balsamic vinegar is milder and slightly less sweet than regular balsamic vinegar. It adds great flavor to the dressing.

3 Ways to shred Brussels sprouts

There are three ways to shred the sprouts. Before cutting rinse and pat the raw sprouts dry with paper towels. Trim the bottom of each sprout and remove any blemished outer leaves.

Food processor

This is our favorite method to slice them and the quickest option. Fit the food processor with a shredding blade or a thin (2mm) slicing blade. Add the Brussels sprouts and the food processor will do the work for you.

Mandoline Slicer

These are a handy tool for slicing vegetables to any thickness. Set the thickness to ⅛-1/4 inch thick. Be sure to use a guard to protect your fingers from the slicing blade.

Sharp knife

You can also slice the Brussels sprouts by hand with a sharp knife. Using a larger sharp chef's knife is easiest.

Freshly cut Brussels sprouts taste best in our opinion but you can also purchase shaved sprouts. We used 7 cups of shredded sprouts in the salad.

How to make Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

STEP 1. Combine salad ingredients

In a large bowl add the sprouts. Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl: diced onion, pomegranate arils, parsley and almonds. Toss to combine (photos 1-2).

STEP 3. Make salad dressing

In a small bowl combine the dressing ingredients: olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder and honey. Whisk to combine (photo 3).

STEP 4. Toss and sit

Add the dressing and toss to coat the salad ingredients (photo 4). Allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

Variations

Toast the almonds. For some different flavor you can toast the almonds. Heat a large skillet on medium to medium-high heat. Add the almonds (no oil) and cook, stirring often, until they become golden brown and fragrant. Remove from heat to cool then add to the salad. This really brings out the flavor of the almonds!

Dried cranberries. The pomegranate seeds can be replaced with dried cranberries. They have more calories so if tracking calories be sure to measure this swap in.

Add chopped apple. To enhance the sweetness, crunch and add more fresh ingredients add some chopped apple. We love honeycrisp apples but use your favorite sweet apples.

Swap in shallots. Shallots have a flavor cross between an onion and garlic and aren't as strong in flavor. You can swap them in for the red onion.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Store

Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The salad will continue to soften as it's stored.

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