Brussels Sprouts Salad

Brussels Sprouts Salad is an easy salad recipe made with shaved Brussels sprouts, a fresh lemon dressing, and ribbons of Parmesan cheese.

Think outside the box when it comes to salads and swap out the lettuce for fresh shaved brussels sprouts. This crunchy, fresh, salad is not only delicious but only requires 4 ingredients.

Why Brussels Sprouts Salad Works

While Brussels Sprouts are delicious roasted or air fried, they are also quite tasty served raw.

Just like cabbage is the star in homemade coleslaw, Brussels sprouts, which are a member of the cabbage family, shine when shaved and used as the base of a salad.

And this Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad is a winner and could not be simpler to make.

Shaved Brussels Sprouts are crispy, crunchy, and stand up to a flavorful dressing. For this recipe, I use a simple lemon vinaigrette that is fresh and bright. The dressing cuts through the sharp flavors of the Brussels Sprouts while the acidity from the lemon juice helps to tenderize the Brussels Sprouts.

When finished with ribbons of fresh Parmesan cheese, Brussels sprouts are transformed into an absolutely delicious salad.

Ingredients Needed

• Brussels Sprouts: Purchase fresh bulk Brussels sprouts or pre-shedded. If purchasing whole Brussels sprouts, look for ones that's outer leaves are bright green and have minimal bruising.
• Lemons: You will use both the zest and juice of fresh lemons. Do not be tempted to substitute the fresh lemon juice with jarred lemon juice.
• Olive Oil: Be sure to use a good quality extra virigin olive oil for this salad, as it will add, not detract from the simple flavors.
• Parmesan: Be sure to use freshly shaved Parmesan cheese as it makes a world of difference in the quality of flavor.

Step-by-Step Directions

Step One: Shave Brussels Sprouts

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.

• Wash and dry the Brussels sprouts.
• Trim off the woody bottom of the sprouts.
• Use a food processor fitted with a slicing blade or disk and shred to shred the Brussel spourts. If you don't have a food processor, you can thinly slice the sprouts.

Step Two: Prepare Dressing

• Wash and dry 1 lemon. Using a zester or Mircorplane, zest the yellow lemon rind into a small mixing bowl.
• Juice the lemon, measuring out about 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, add add it into the mixing bowl.
• Drizzle in olive oil, while whisking.
• Season with salt to taste.

Step Three: Assemble

• Place the shaved Brussels Sprouts into a large mixing or serving bowl.
• Drizzle the dressing over the Brussels sprouts and toss well to coat. 
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a tight fitting lid and refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes or up to 12 hours prior to serving. This allows the Brussels sprouts to become tender and soak up the lemon flavor from the dressing.

Step Four: Serve

• Right before serving, generously shave or grate fresh 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 to this salad needs.

Storage

This Brussels Sprouts salad will keep for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

After 24 hours, the lemon dressing begins to break down the Brussels Sprouts too much and the salad will become watery.

Serving Suggestions

This easy salad only requires 4 ingredients and takes minutes to prepare. It is a perfect salad to serve for Thanksgiving Dinner but is also when paired with Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu, Instant Pot Pork Chops, or Baked Rotini.

More Salad Recipes

• Spinach Avocado Salad
• Copycat Panera Greek Salad
• Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
• Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

If you tried this easy Brussels Sprouts Salad please be sure to leave a comment and review below! I love to hear from you!