Shaved Brussels Sprouts are the the perfect base for a delicious salad. Tossed with a simple lemon dressing and shaved Parmesan cheese, this Brussels Sprouts Salad will make anyone a believer in this veggie!
This salad is delicious served with Eggplant Parmesan, Baked Rotini, or Chicken Marsala.
Brussels Sprouts Salad
My family LOVES Brussels Sprouts.
While I will devour Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts any time any day, the rest of my family prefers their Brussels sprouts raw and shaved.
In fact, they for years they declared they hated Brussels Sprouts. But that all changed when I began making a salad with shaved Brussels Sprouts.
I was inspired after noting how much they love raw cabbage and dishes like coleslaw. When I found myself with fresh Brussels Sprouts, I thought, why not try a salad them, as they are just mini cabbages?
The verdict?
Well, my kids scarfed it down and my husband said it had to become a weekly dinner staple. I would call that a success.
The sprouts are crunchy, sharp, and incredibly fresh. When tossed with a simple lemon dressing and copious amounts of Parmesan cheese, Brussels sprouts are transformed into an absolutely delicious salad. One that makes even picky kids and husbands enjoy Brussels Sprouts.
How to Make Brussels Sprout Salad
The trick to making a really good Brussels sprouts salad is to thinly shave the sprouts. This will let the dressing coat the Brussels sprouts and break the sprouts down to become tender.
You can buy them pre-shredded, shred them in a food processor, or even slice them thinly by hand.
Next comes the homemade dressing. It is just salt, pepper, fresh lemon juice, and olive oil. This Lemon Dressing is fresh, bright and cuts through the sharp flavors of the Brussels Sprouts perfectly. The acidity of the lemons also helps to break down the Brussels sprouts so that they are tender.
Because this dressing is made with only 4 ingredients, be sure to use quality extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemons, not jarred lemon juice, for the best flavor.
Toss the dressing over the sprouts and toss well. Just like homemade coleslaw, it is best to let this salad marinate for a few hours before serving. I find a minimum of 30 minutes to be best, but up to 24 hours works as well.
Right before serving, generously shave Parmesan cheese over the salad and toss again. The Parmesan finishes this salad perfectly. It adds the right amount of salty bite and a bit of creaminess this salad needs.
Be sure to use freshly shaved Parmesan–it makes a world of difference in the quality of flavor. You can grate the cheese using a microplane or shave off larger strips of the cheese using a vegetable peeler. This is the method I prefer, as it reminds me of the Parmesan on a Caesar Salad.
More Salad Recipes
- Spinach Avocado Salad
- Tossed Greek Salad
- Winter Salad
- Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
- Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing
Brussels Sprouts Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pounds fresh brussels sprouts
- 1 large lemon
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup freshly shaved Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Wash and dry the Brussels sprouts. Trim off the woody ends of the sprouts and thinly shave or shred the Brussels Sprouts into slices no thicker than 1/8 inch.
- Prepare the lemon dressing by zesting the lemon and then juicing. Add the juice and zest to a bowl and whisk in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- Toss the Brussels sprouts with the dressing until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Right before serving, grate or shred the Parmesan cheese to the Brussels Sprouts salad and toss.
Notes
Kristen Chidsey
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I recently worked a wedding and this salad was on the menu very simple and delicious
I will be taking this to a friends dinner party next week thank you for posting
Oh yay! I am so glad your family and your friends enjoyed. Thanks for sharing.
This reminds me of one of my favorite salads at a local restaurant. Super healthy and totally delicious. I’m really happy to have your recipe. Cant wait to make this.
I bet you are going to love it Lisa!
What a beautiful salad my friend. I always love learning new and creative ways to use brussel sprouts. Have a beautiful weekend. xo
This is one creative dish with brussel sprouts you don’t want to miss!
I love how simple you made this – you don’t need a lot of ingredients if you are start with good ones!
Amen to that Beth 🙂
This looks delicious, I love that it is quick and easy!
Almost too easy 😉
Sounds delicious! I like Brussels sprouts, though I haven’t tried them shaved raw like this. Have done something similar with asparagus.
David, you HAVE to try them shaved!! And now I must try asparagus shaved