This shaved brussel sprout salad comes together quickly, has less than 10 ingredients, and is full of flavor! Make it ahead to save time. It’s dairy-free, gluten-free, and can be adapted to be nut-free and vegan.
For a salad so simple, this slaw-style salad has a really complex yet balanced flavor that hits on all five basic tastes.
Shaving the Brussels sprouts is an excellent way to switch up the way we typically think of serving this vegetable. It adds more dimension and then its texture softens thanks to the vinegar in the dressing.
Ingredients
Salad
- Brussels sprouts
- apple – any crunchy variety that’s slightly sweet, I used fuji
- lemon
- roasted hazelnuts
Vinaigrette
- extra virgin olive oil
- white wine vinegar
- za’atar seasoning – an aromatic middle eastern blend of sumac, sesame seeds, thyme, salt, and sometimes lemon peel
- raw honey
- s & p
How to Make Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad
Trim off the knobby ends of the Brussels sprouts and remove any wilted outer leaves. Hold onto any leaves that fall off that aren’t wilted.
Shave the brussels sprouts using the slicer attachment on a food processor and add any leaves that didn’t get shredded in with the shaved pieces. Put them in a large bowl.
Now make the vinaigrette by whisking all the ingredients together, seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour the dressing over the shaved brussels sprouts and toss them together to combine.
Thinly slice the apples and once cut, squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the top. This helps to minimize them from oxidizing/turning brown but also adds brightness to the overall flavor of the salad.
Roughly chop the hazelnuts and get ready to assemble. We’ll do this in layers, so first add a small layer of the dressed Brussels sprouts followed by a scattering of sliced apples. Repeat until it’s all on the plate. Sprinkle the chopped nuts on top.
This is both visually pleasing and also helps keep the apple slices intact.
Make It Your Way: Ingredient Substitutions
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make this shaved brussel sprout salad using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- No Brussels sprouts? ➝ if they aren’t in season, you can sub napa, green, or red cabbage in its place (you’ll need about 5 cups)
- No apples? ➝ you can use a firmer variety of pears or use jicama
- No roasted hazelnuts? ➝ sub almonds, chestnuts, pumpkin seeds, or any other nut you enjoy, just make sure to use roasted
- No white wine vinegar? ➝ use apple cider vinegar or champagne vinegar instead
- No raw honey? ➝ maple syrup or organic cane sugar
- Add-ins ➝ breadcrumbs, bacon
Tools Needed
Helpful Tips For Making Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad
NO FOOD PROCESSOR?
If you don’t have a food processor, you have a couple of options. You can use a knife, it’ll just take you much longer to shave the Brussels sprouts.
The other option is to use a mandoline slicer, but only if you use a protective glove with it. Please do not attempt this option without one. Because the surface area of the brussels sprouts is so small, it’s too dangerous.
FYI ABOUT ZA’ATAR SEASONING
Some za’atar seasoning blends add wheat as a filler and citric acid as a substitute for sumac. Make sure to buy a blend without wheat and that includes sumac. Sumac is what contributes to one of the unique flavors in this salad.
MAKE AHEAD
If you’re pressed for time, you can make this salad up to 1 day ahead. Because the brussels sprouts are sturdy, they won’t wilt and get soggy.
To ensure that the apples don’t turn too brown, I would add them in right before serving. As a side note, they do keep their crunch for a few days, their color just fades.
HOW TO STORE
Store this salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More Salads You’ll Love
- Fennel Salad With Lemon Mint Dressing
- Fall Harvest With Cranberry Vinaigrette
- Healthy Broccoli Salad With Honey Mustard Dressing
Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad With Za’atar Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 pound brussels sprouts, shaved
- 1 medium apple, thinly sliced
- juice from ½ lemon
- ⅓ cup roasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons za'atar seasoning
- 1 teaspoon raw honey
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Trim off the knobby ends of the Brussels sprouts and remove any wilted outer leaves. Hold onto any leaves that fall off that aren’t wilted.
- Shave the brussels sprouts using the slicer attachment on a food processor and add any leaves that didn't get shredded in with the shaved pieces. Put them in a large bowl.
- Make the vinaigrette by whisking all the ingredients together, seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour the dressing over the shaved brussels sprouts and toss them together until well-coated.
- Thinly slice the apples and once cut, squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the top. This helps to minimize them from oxidizing/turning brown but also adds brightness to the overall flavor of the salad.
- Roughly chop the hazelnuts and get ready to assemble. We'll do this in layers, so first add a small layer of the dressed Brussels sprouts followed by a scattering of sliced apples. Repeat until it's all on the plate. Sprinkle the chopped nuts on top.
Notes
- No Brussels sprouts? ➝ if they aren’t in season, you can sub napa, green, or red cabbage in its place (you’ll need about 5 cups)
- No apples? ➝ you can use a firmer variety of pears or use jicama
- No roasted hazelnuts? ➝ sub almonds, chestnuts, pumpkin seeds, or any other nut you enjoy, just make sure to use roasted
- No white wine vinegar? ➝ use apple cider vinegar or champagne vinegar instead
- No raw honey? ➝ maple syrup or organic cane sugar
- Add-ins ➝ breadcrumbs, bacon
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