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This crisp and crunchy shaved brussels sprouts salad is full of fall flavor! Thinly shredded brussels sprouts, apples, dried cranberries, walnuts, and seeds are tossed in a tangy and refreshing vinaigrette to make this must-have fall, winter, or holiday side dish. Ready in just 30 minutes!
Why You’ll Love This Brussels Sprouts and Apple Salad
It seems like most people either love or hate brussels sprouts. I’m of the mindset that if you don’t like them, you just haven’t tried them in the right recipe!
The good news is that sprouts are incredibly versatile. From roasting them in the oven with these caramelized brussles sprouts to tossing them in a curry like this brussels sprouts curry to adding them in a shaved brussels sprouts slaw, there are all kinds of ways to learn to love them.
This vegan shaved brussels sprouts salad serves them in their simplest form: thinly shaved and tossed with cozy fall and winter toppings and a tangy dressing. It’s a wonderful winter salad that’s simple to make and always adds some freshness to the Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner table.
All you need are 10 ingredients, most of which may be in your pantry right now. Shave the sprouts, whisk the dressing, and toss everything together. You can even make it a few hours or even days ahead of time when you’re looking to save a little time (perfect for the busy holiday season!).
Enjoy this tangy, tart, and refreshing salad with your vegan Thanksgiving feast or vegan Christmas dinner. Even the brussels sprouts skeptics will be asking for seconds!
The Ingredients and Substitutes
Just 10 ingredients make up this wholesome fall salad. Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and quantities:
To save a little bit of time, use store-bought pre-shredded brussels sprouts instead of slicing them yourself.
What Else Can I Add to a Vegan Brussels Sprout Salad?
- Kale: A kale and brussels sprouts salad would be a healthy and hearty addition to your holiday table. Remember to massage the kale with a splash of the dressing to tenderize the leaves. Here’s a guide to kale to learn more tips!
- Different nuts and seeds: Swap the pumpkin seeds and walnuts for chopped almonds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, chestnuts, or hazelnuts.
- Lemon juice: The orange juice in the vinaigrette is optional, so go ahead and replace it with freshly squeezed lemon juice if you’d like.
- More dried fruit: Chopped dates, raisins, or apricots will add a nice sweetness here.
- Vegan cheese: Top each serving with vegan parmesan cheese or shredded vegan mozzarella.
- Cooked quinoa: Toss ½ cup of cooked quinoa into the salad to transform it into a hearty meal. Here’s a complete guide to quinoa to learn more!
- Vegan bacon: Add a handful of chopped or crumbled tofu bacon. It pairs so well with the sprouts!
How to Make a Vegan Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
Keep scrolling to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and recipe instructions.
Step 1: Make the vinaigrette by whisking the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, agave, mint, and orange juice together in a small bowl.
Step 2: Add the shaved brussels sprouts, sliced apple, walnuts, seeds, and dried cranberries to a large bowl.
If you can, make the dressing 20 to 30 minutes in advance to give the tangy flavors time to develop and get to know each other. You can even make it a few days before serving for even tastier results.
Step 3: Pour the dressing over the salad.
Step 4: Toss to coat in the dressing, then serve the brussels sprouts salad on the side of your main dishes of choice. Enjoy!
FAQs
Absolutely! Even though they come with a naturally bitter flavor (most raw cruciferous vegetables are naturally bitter-tasting), raw brussels sprouts become tender and delicious when tossed in the simple dressing.
There are a handful of techniques you can use to shave brussels sprouts: (1) thinly slice them with a sharp chef’s knife; (2) thinly slice them with a mandoline or box grater; or (3) pulse them in a food processor fitted with a shredding disk.
Yes, you can assemble the salad (without the apples to prevent browning) and make the dressing 1 to 2 days ahead of time. Keep them in separate containers in the fridge, then toss them together right before serving.
The salad will also hold up fairly well for a few hours when fully dressed. That’s the beauty of brussels sprouts! They’re much heartier than lettuce leaves, so they take longer to wilt in the salad.
Yes, these tiny sprouts have high levels of vitamins K and C, folate, and fiber and are a good source of vegan omega-3 fatty acids. What’s better is that they’re also known to have anti-cancer compounds and antioxidants and are especially beneficial for those fighting pancreatic cancer.
Pro Recipe Tips
- How to prepare brussels sprouts: First, tear off any outer leaves that look loose or have brown blemishes. Second, use a knife to chop off the woody stems from the base. And that’s it! The sprouts are ready for shaving.
- Taste the dressing first: Adjust the flavors to your liking before pouring it over the salad, whether you need to add more vinegar for tartness, agave for sweetness, or salt and pepper for balance.
- Marinate the salad: Once the salad is assembled, allow it to sit on the kitchen counter for about 15 to 20 minutes. This will give the dressing time to sink into the brussels sprouts, making them soft, tender, and flavorful.
Serving Suggestions
There really isn’t a bad time to sit down with a big bowl of this salad. My favorite way to serve it is throughout the fall and at our family holiday dinners, but you can enjoy it year-round if you’d like!
From the tart dried cranberries to the cozy walnuts to the crisp apples, this salad pairs well with all kinds of holiday meals and sides, like:
- Vegan Thanksgiving sides, like vegan stuffing, vegan mashed sweet potatoes, and thyme-roasted vegetables.
- Your favorite holiday mains, like a seitan roast, tofurkey, vegan meatloaf, or pineapple glaze tofu ham.
- More comforting vegan dinners, like this easy sweet potato lasagna, roasted vegetable lentil stew, and healthy cauliflower casserole.
- Simple sides, like vegan garlic bread or a bowl of curried carrot ginger soup.
Storage Instructions
The salad is best when it’s served the day it’s made, since the shaved sprouts will start to wilt after a few hours or so. Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and store for 2 to 3 days in the fridge.
Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons of agave
- 1 ½ teaspoon of minced mint
- 1 tablespoon of orange juice (optional)
For the salad:
- 1 pound of brussels sprouts, shredded
- 1 Honeycrisp apple (or other crispy apple variety)
- ½ cup of chopped walnuts
- ¼ cup of pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup of dried cranberries
Instructions
- In a standard bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, agave, mint, and orange juice (if using), until thoroughly combined.
- In a large bowl, add the Brussels sprouts, apple, walnuts, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, and dried cranberries.
- Pour in the dressing and toss it together.
Notes
- How to prepare brussels sprouts: First, tear off any outer leaves that look loose or have brown blemishes. Second, use a knife to chop off the woody stems from the base. And that’s it! The sprouts are ready for shaving.
- Taste the dressing first: Adjust the flavors to your liking before pouring it over the salad, whether you need to add more vinegar for tartness, agave for sweetness, or salt and pepper for balance.
- Marinate the salad: Once the salad is assembled, allow it to sit on the kitchen counter for about 15 to 20 minutes. This will give the dressing time to sink into the brussels sprouts, making them soft, tender, and flavorful.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Although plantbasedonabudget.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
Love this salad!
Hi, at this link you used to have a different brussels sprouts recipe listed. The brussels sprouts were shaved and the recipe included panko breadcrumbs, charred sprouts leaves and a tangy mustard dressing. It was AMAZING and I dream about that salad. I bought sprouts this week and came here for the recipe, but it’s been replaced. Can you share the old recipe?
INGREDIENTS
12 ounces of brussels sprouts, trimmed
¼ cup of sliced or slivered almonds
1 Tablespoon of panko breadcrumbs
Cooking spray (Pam, etc.)
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
3 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Using a mandoline, slicing disk on a food processor, or a sharp knife, shred the Brussels sprouts crosswise as thinly as possible and place them in a bowl. Reserve around ten whole leaves.
Coat a small pan with cooking spray, and heat it over medium heat. Add the almonds and panko breadcrumbs to the pan, and cook, stirring, until the almonds and breadcrumbs are golden brown and toasted. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
Coat the pan again with the cooking spray, and raise the heat to high. (Make sure you remove the pan from the heat when you spray.) Put the whole Brussels sprouts leaves in the pan and cook until blackened in spots, around 2 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the shredded Brussels sprouts.
In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil and mustard together. Add the vinegar and whisk to combine. Pour over the Brussels sprouts, toss, and top with the almonds and breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Is there a way to get the original recipe that lived here for years? It was delicious with breadcrumbs and dijon mustard.
Here you go:
INGREDIENTS
12 ounces of brussels sprouts, trimmed
¼ cup of sliced or slivered almonds
1 Tablespoon of panko breadcrumbs
Cooking spray (Pam, etc.)
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
3 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Using a mandoline, slicing disk on a food processor, or a sharp knife, shred the Brussels sprouts crosswise as thinly as possible and place them in a bowl. Reserve around ten whole leaves.
Coat a small pan with cooking spray, and heat it over medium heat. Add the almonds and panko breadcrumbs to the pan, and cook, stirring, until the almonds and breadcrumbs are golden brown and toasted. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
Coat the pan again with the cooking spray, and raise the heat to high. (Make sure you remove the pan from the heat when you spray.) Put the whole Brussels sprouts leaves in the pan and cook until blackened in spots, around 2 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the shredded Brussels sprouts.
In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil and mustard together. Add the vinegar and whisk to combine. Pour over the Brussels sprouts, toss, and top with the almonds and breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste.