Shaved brussels sprouts make the perfect base for a delicious, fall salad. It's paired with a tangy and slightly sweet maple balsamic dressing, dried cranberries, apples, and feta cheese.
Salads aren’t just for summer! Although I do mostly enjoy salads in the summer because of how fresh they are, I still crave that freshness in the fall and winter months.
I am fully convinced that if you don’t like salads, you probably just haven’t had a good one yet. During the summer, I tried to create as many salad varieties as I could (Pasta Salad, Couscous Salad, Quinoa Salad, Strawberry Spinach Salad, and many more) to convince you that you can have salads that taste incredible.
I know there are many of you out there that love salads as much as I do, but we need to normalize salad as a delicious food instead of a sad diet meal.
Ok enough of my salad ranting😂Anyways, here is another salad variety that is perfect for what’s in season. Shaved Brussels sprouts are the base and really make for an incredible salad!
It’s also paired with some of my favorite toppings, like apples, dried cranberries, almonds, and feta cheese. And you can’t forget the most important part: the maple balsamic dressing!
I will say this is not one of those recipes that you love with ingredients you hate. If you love Brussels sprouts, you will love this salad. If you hate them...you might like this salad but you’d be better off trying another of the many salad recipes on this site. Just being honest🤷♀️
So without any further ado, let’s get into how to make this incredible salad, along with some helpful tips and tricks!
How to Shave Brussels Sprouts
There are a few ways to do this, but some are way easier than others.
- Food processor: by far the easiest, and it’s actually kind of fun (or am I just weird😂)! This only works if yours has a slicing attachment. And I know this seems obvious, but I’m going to say it anyways: do NOT use the regular blade! You’ll end up with Brussels sprout rice instead of shaved.
- Mandolin: this is more dangerous but gets the job done. Not as fast as a food processor, but much cheaper if you don’t have one.
- Knife: this method takes the longest but is safer than a mandolin and cheaper than a food processor. Try to slice as thin as you can.
- Store-bought: if you’re grocery store has them already shredded, it can save you a lot of time! Just keep in mind these tend to be more expensive.
Whichever method you choose, you’ll be using a pound of Brussels sprouts, or 8-10 cups after shredding.
Ingredients and Toppings
The ingredients in this recipe are VERY minimal. You just need to make the dressing and add some toppings!
For the dressing, we’re using olive oil, balsamic vinegar, white Modena vinegar, maple syrup, and salt and pepper. Pretty simple right?
If you don’t have Modena vinegar, you can probably get along using lemon juice instead. But if possible I highly recommend getting some!
You can also decrease the oil by 1 tablespoon and replace with water if you want to cut down on fat and calories, but I wouldn’t recommend any more than that. Also keep in mind that olive oil has many health benefits!
For the toppings I used sliced apples, almonds (or walnuts), dried cranberries, and feta (or goat) cheese. Feel free to add and subtract based on your needs/likings!
Bringing the Flavor
Unlike most salad recipes, this one requires you to marinate the sprouts in the dressing. But don’t worry, it’ll only take 30 minutes!
Marinating will guarantee that the Brussels sprouts absorb all the flavor from the dressing, since they aren’t a thin leaf like spinach, arugula or lettuce.
This also means that this salad is great for prepping in advance—the flavors are even more absorbed the next day! Just keep in mind it will be slightly soggier and less crunchy.
I really hope you like this recipe! If you decide to make it, be sure to post a picture/story (or dm me!) and tag me @nutritiousdelights on Instagram—I’d love to see it!💗
More recipes you might love:
Strawberry Spinach Quinoa Salad
Greek Chickpea Pasta Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
Healthy Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Maple Balsamic Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts, shredded 8-10 cups lightly packed after shaving
- 1 medium Apple Sliced
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ - ¾ cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
- ½ cup sliced almonds or walnuts
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4-5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons white Modena vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon Maple syrup
Instructions
- Shave the Brussels sprouts (if not already shredded) using one of the methods mentioned in the post above. Transfer to a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients and pour over the Brussels sprouts. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, top with apples, cranberries, cheese, nuts, and whatever other toppings you’d like. Serve and enjoy!
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