Brussels Sprouts Salad

When I buy Brussels sprouts, I immediately think to steam them and toss with browned butter. I’m the only one who eats them between my husband and myself, so that’s always how I prepare them. I may actually love Brussels sprouts more than any other vegetable. And I like them to shine like the mini cabbages they are.

Until today, I’ve never had a Brussels sprouts salad. What? They’re just so good the way I serve them, that I’ve never gotten very adventurous with them. But I put an end to this nonsense today.

Salads of Brussels sprouts are raw. That’s right, simply shaved or sliced and then tossed with a vinaigrette. The vinegar “cooks” and softens the sprouts, just as lime juice cooks fish in ceviche. It’s simply the acid doing its work.

So I bring to you a recipe I adapted from reading many different recipes for Brussels sprouts salads – this one a bit more festive, since it is that time of year!

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Salad of Brussels Sprouts with Dried Cranberries and Hazelnuts, served with an Apple-Maple Vinaigrette

Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup olive or hazelnut oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup apple juice or cider
1 tablespoon real maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt.

Combine these ingredients in a mini blender.

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Blend until smooth; set aside.

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Salad:

Brussels sprouts
Toasted hazelnuts
Dried cranberries

First, thinly slice the Brussels sprouts using a knife or the blade fitting on your food processor. Or, use a mandolin like I did. However, since getting a tip from Richard at REMCooks.com, I have purchased a Kevlar glove to use with the mandoline, to avoid any emergency room trips.

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Thinly slice the Brussels sprouts, without getting too close to the stem ends, which are woody. Slice as many as desired; I only made a small salad for myself. How big a salad you make is up to you.

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Add some of the dressing and toss. Then let the Brussels sprouts sit for about 30 minutes to let them soften.

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The hazelnuts and cranberries can be tossed in with the salad, but I chose to just sprinkle them on the salad itself.

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I served my Brussels sprouts salad with some grilled salmon, but just about any protein would work.

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verdict: The salad was very cabbage-like, which is fine, because I like cole slaw, which is also cabbage. However, I think I prefer my Brussels sprouts hot with browned butter.

By Published On: November 20th, 201354 Comments on Brussels Sprouts Salad

About the Author: Chef Mimi

As a self-taught home cook, with many years in the culinary profession, I am passionate about all things food-related. Especially eating!

54 Comments

  1. dedy oktavianus pardede November 20, 2013 at 9:12 AM - Reply

    gosh, i want that kind of kevlar gloves..
    i guess it’s gonna be great to use in my clinic too, LoL

  2. thesinglegourmetandtraveller November 20, 2013 at 9:14 AM - Reply

    This is brilliant Mimi. I use raw cabbage for salads but had never thought to use Brussels sprouts. And I love your addition of hazelnuts and dried cranberries. Very Christmasy too!

    • chef mimi November 20, 2013 at 9:17 AM - Reply

      Except that I really prefer them cooked. Or maybe I didn’t get them shaved thinly enough. It was interesting, and I’m glad I tried it.

  3. sallybr November 20, 2013 at 10:14 AM - Reply

    Can you believe I had a glove like that and lost during the move to Kansas? no idea where it went, but maybe it got into one of the boxes we gave away for charity. Oh, well – I hope whoever found it is making good use of it… :-)

    Haven’t yet made a salad with Brussels sprouts… hubby could walk away from the kitchen, I suppose….

    • chef mimi November 20, 2013 at 10:25 AM - Reply

      Well, I will continue to eat them cooked, not raw!

  4. queenzdesire12 November 20, 2013 at 11:04 AM - Reply

    Wow…………… Delicious Yum Yum :)

  5. nowathome November 20, 2013 at 11:13 AM - Reply

    I love Brussels Sprouts! Will try this too! Look at my blog http://nowathome.wordpress.com/2013/07/22/brussels-sprouts-my-way/
    for my recipe, you might like it too!

    • chef mimi November 20, 2013 at 11:22 AM - Reply

      I love them, too. But I think I prefer them cooked…

  6. thepaddingtonfoodie November 20, 2013 at 12:23 PM - Reply

    Brussels sprouts are one of my favourite winter vegetables, I’ll happily eat them any which way but absolutely adore them cooked. Your salad looks divine Mimi. Such a pity they’re not in season over here. Have never understood why these gorgeous little cabbages are so unloved. My family positively groans each time I so much as look at them.

    • chef mimi November 20, 2013 at 4:59 PM - Reply

      I’m the only one who eats them here!

  7. Shanna Koenigsdorf Ward November 20, 2013 at 1:57 PM - Reply

    Hi, Mimi – I adore this preparation. It is very tasty. :-) – Shanna

  8. mmmarzipan November 20, 2013 at 3:00 PM - Reply

    Looks superb!

  9. {Main St. Cuisine} November 20, 2013 at 6:33 PM - Reply

    I’m the only one who eats them here too, so a salad is a perfect way to enjoy them on my own. I fix a lot of salads for lunch and I’d love to prepare this, especially with the hazelnuts and the hazelnut oil. Do you think the vinaigrette would pair well with a salad of Bibb lettuce (it’s one of my favorites)?

    • chef mimi November 21, 2013 at 10:03 AM - Reply

      Oh absolutely. There’s just a hint of maple, and it would go fabulously on a plain green salad, or with other goodies like beet and apple and feta cheese and walnuts…
      I’m the only one here who eats salads, too!

      • {Main St. Cuisine} November 21, 2013 at 6:20 PM

        I love your suggestion of the beets, apples and feta cheese and some toasted walnuts. That’s a salad I’d enjoy for sure!

  10. yummychunklet November 20, 2013 at 8:06 PM - Reply

    What a great way to make Brussels sprouts!

  11. Michelle November 20, 2013 at 9:29 PM - Reply

    Your sprouts look delicious. And we really need a pair of those gloves. My husband took a divot off a finger once with the mandoline.

    • chef mimi November 21, 2013 at 9:29 AM - Reply

      Mandolines are so scary. And you think you’re being careful, but you just get carried away.

  12. anotherfoodieblogger November 20, 2013 at 10:10 PM - Reply

    What about a quick “roast” in the oven after slicing them thin? I know technically they are cooked at that point. Just an idea but I’ve never had raw brussels sprouts before.

    • chef mimi November 21, 2013 at 7:44 AM - Reply

      I’m just not having them raw again. I prefer them cooked. But I’m glad I tried them this way!

  13. cityhippyfarmgirl November 21, 2013 at 5:01 AM - Reply

    yum! That looks delicious!

  14. Joanne Bruno November 21, 2013 at 6:56 AM - Reply

    Yay for brussels sprouts! Love them. And this salad sounds excellent!

    • chef mimi November 21, 2013 at 9:29 AM - Reply

      It was pretty good – the maple vinaigrette went with the Brussels sprouts well. But I prefer them cooked over raw.

  15. Butter, Basil and Breadcrumbs November 21, 2013 at 8:15 AM - Reply

    I can’t say that I’ve ever tried Brussels sprouts raw, but like you…I’m willing to give them a try. This looks so delicious…I love the hazelnuts and cranberries to go with this…sounds like a perfect combination… especially with the salmon. I think I need to try this one too, Mimi. I still need to make your cheesecake too. We’re heading to the cabin this weekend, and I think that will be the perfect time to try it. It’s going to be cold, and I’ll be inside cooking up a storm! Yay! <3

    • chef mimi November 21, 2013 at 9:28 AM - Reply

      a cabin… how nice. I love this time of year!

  16. Heather @ Sugar Dish Me November 21, 2013 at 4:57 PM - Reply

    those gloves! I used to work in a restaurant that had a “cut glove” which was basically chain mail so you didn’t slice your fingers off on the giant veggie slicers. This Brussels Sprout salad is gorgeous! I love Brussels sprouts!

    • chef mimi November 21, 2013 at 5:00 PM - Reply

      Cut glove is a terrible name! But a great idea! This one works well, so far!

  17. elderjscott November 21, 2013 at 6:31 PM - Reply

    Yum! My favorite is to halve them, toss with olive oil & salt, then roast @ 400F cut-side up for 35 mins til they’re nice & browned. I’ve done a salad only once and I loved it. I’ll have to try your method.

    • chef mimi November 22, 2013 at 10:26 AM - Reply

      They are so good roasted, but I also like them steamed. And, I also just add olive oil and salt, if I’m not doing the browned butter. Just love them!

      • elderjscott November 24, 2013 at 7:43 AM

        I’ll have to try browned butter some time. Last night I made a Brussels sprouts pizza with pancetta, garlic, parm & flake salt. Recipe to come soon!

      • chef mimi November 24, 2013 at 10:03 AM

        Oh wow that sounds so good right now!!!

  18. Johnny Hepburn November 21, 2013 at 7:12 PM - Reply

    Even though I get through bags of them every season I’ve never tasted them raw! Must try that the next time I’m prepping them just to taste them.

    • chef mimi November 22, 2013 at 10:26 AM - Reply

      You’ll have to tell me what you think. I wasn’t that impressed.

  19. eliotthecat November 21, 2013 at 7:30 PM - Reply

    Yes, this looks delish. I would love to have this on the table this holiday. I am actually thinking about more salads as sides.

    • chef mimi November 22, 2013 at 10:27 AM - Reply

      Especially pretty salads like this one. Love salads. My husband won’t eat them….. of course…

  20. Choc Chip Uru November 22, 2013 at 3:19 AM - Reply

    This side salad looks delicious, nutritional and the brussel sprouts look perfect in their greenery :D

    Cheers
    CCU

    P.S Unfortunately, I have lost around 1000 subscribers on my blog, and I have no idea how, so if you were subscribed, would you be able to resubscribe? Thank you!

    • chef mimi November 22, 2013 at 10:27 AM - Reply

      I did check and I’m still subscribed!

  21. apuginthekitchen November 22, 2013 at 10:21 AM - Reply

    I love this salad, I love brussels sprouts, especially raw. I’ve never bought a mandoline, I am getting one though, those gloves sound like a really good idea especially with those tiny sprouts.

    • chef mimi November 22, 2013 at 10:23 AM - Reply

      Mandolines work so so well. But they are scary.

  22. Liz November 23, 2013 at 1:24 AM - Reply

    those colors!!!

    • chef mimi November 23, 2013 at 7:51 AM - Reply

      very festive! I love cooking this time of year!

  23. Katie from Katie's Cucina November 23, 2013 at 8:03 AM - Reply

    Yum–I never think to make brussels sprouts into a salad!

    • chef mimi November 23, 2013 at 8:08 AM - Reply

      Now i’m seeing them all over the place, but I hadn’t thought to make one either – especially with raw brussels sprouts!

  24. Barbra & Jack Donachy November 23, 2013 at 12:50 PM - Reply

    We, too, are big brussels sprouts fans, and until a few years ago had usually steamed them. Then we discovered roasted brussels sprouts. What a revelation! We heat the over to 400 – 450 degrees F., use a heavy baking sheet, slice the sprouts in half, toss them with oil and sea salt, and roast them for 20 minutes or a little longer – till some of the leaves have charred and caramelized. Add a bit of balsamic and olive oil dressing (or not), throw them into a stew toward the end, or serve them with wild salmon atop pasta. So good!

    • chef mimi November 23, 2013 at 1:47 PM - Reply

      I roast a lot as well. But as my husband doesn’t eaten B. sprouts, I usually just steam them for myself. Roasting is fabulous, though isn’t it. My husband says that roasted broccoli is better than candy!

  25. marymtf January 3, 2014 at 5:27 PM - Reply

    It’s only relatively recently that I’ve come to appreciate leeks and brussels sprouts. I use them in everything (though haven’t thought of making a salad). I think it was the lumpy form that the Brussels took that put me off. Now I shred them into casseroles and anything else that will take them. They are yummy. Thanks for the salad recipe. Sounds like it will be yummy.

    • chef mimi January 3, 2014 at 7:23 PM - Reply

      I’m glad you finally like brussels sprouts. Not that it matters, but they are really wonderful little bundles of flavor, aren’t they?!!!

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