Brussels Sprouts Salad

 A refreshing Brussels sprouts salad featuring a delicious combination of shaved sprouts, crispy bacon, cranberries, and almonds tossed in a zingy lemon vinaigrette. 

Come the cooler months, salads play a secondary role, unless they are full of unique and fun ingredients. This brussels sprouts recipe is the epitome of that.

See, unlike your classic green or garden salad, this one doesn’t use any of the conventional ingredients you’d expect. There is no lettuce, no tomatoes, and definitely no mixed greens.

Instead, brussels sprouts take center stage and the additions are anything but boring- you have a sweet element, crunchy element, and a dressing that’s ridiculously simple but also ridiculously delicious. It’s the perfect side dish to almost any meal and it’s so good, my family request it as a meal in itself!

Table of Contents

1. Why you’ll love this brussels sprouts recipe
2. Ingredients needed
3. How to make a Brussels sprouts salad
4. Recipe Variations
5. Storage instructions
6. More salad recipes to try
7. Frequently asked questions 
8. Brussels Sprouts Salad

Why you’ll love this brussels sprouts recipe

• Highly nutritious. Brussels sprouts are called a superfood for a reason. Being the main ingredient, they make this salad rich in protein, minerals, and vitamins. 
• Under 10 minutes to make. As you don’t need to cook the Brussels sprouts for this recipe, making this salad takes barely any time. 
• Minimal prep work. The only thing you need to cook for this salad is the bacon. Do some chopping and mixing, and your delicious and healthy salad is ready. 
• Perfectly versatile. As mentioned earlier, I sometimes make weeknight meals around this salad. I just amp it up with some grilled or baked protein (chicken legs are a popular option) and bam- dinner is sorted.

Ingredients needed

This recipe is all about balancing out the unique flavor of raw sprouts. Here’s everything you will need to make it. 

• Brussels sprouts. Trimmed and washed in cold water. 
• Bacon. Finely chopped. 
• Almonds. Lightly toasted slivered almonds. Toasting the nuts brings out a lovely smoky flavor that really takes the salad up a notch.
• Parsley. I use flat leaf for this recipe as it has a fresh and fragrant flavor. 
• Parmesan. Parmesan and Brussels sprouts go well together whether the sprouts are cooked or raw. The rich, nutty flavor of freshly grated parmesan is a fitting addition to this salad. 
• Cranberries or currants. Dried cranberries or currants adds a hint of sweet and sour flavor that helps fight the bitterness of the Brussels sprouts. You can use the fresh versions if you have them on hand.

For the dressing:

• Lemon juice. Freshly squeezed. 
• Olive oil. Avocado oil will work too.
• Sugar. A pinch of sugar to balance all flavors. 

How to make a Brussels sprouts salad

Step 1 – Cook the bacon. Finely chop the bacon. Add oil to a non-stick frying pan and place it over medium heat. Once the oil gets hot, add the bacon and cook it for 3 to 4 minutes until crispy. 

Step 2 – Mix all ingredients. Trim the Brussels sprouts and slice them thinly. Add them to a bowl along with almond slivers, cranberries, grated parmesan, chopped parsley, and crispy bacon.

Step 3 – Toss with the dressing and serve. For the dressing, mix olive oil with lemon juice and sugar and mix well until fully combined. Toss the dressing through the salad and serve. 

Recipe Variations

• Roast the Brussels sprouts. If you like warm salads, roast the Brussels sprouts. Cut the sprouts into quarters, season them and drizzle them with olive oil. Roast Brussels sprouts at 425F degrees until nicely browned. You can also use air fryer Brussels sprouts or balsamic Brussels sprouts. 
• Use goat cheese. Skip the parmesan and crumble some goat cheese over the salad right before serving it. Feta cheese will work well, too. 
• Add pine nuts. Pine nuts fit in perfectly into this Brussels sprouts salad. You can use them instead of almond slivers or use both. 
• Make maple syrup vinaigrette. To enhance the sweet flavors of the salad, add some maple syrup to the lemon juice and olive dressing. 

Storage instructions

Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container. The salad will keep well for up to 4 days in the fridge.

For best results, it is recommended to store the dressing separately. If you do this, the dressing will keep well for up to 7 days.

More salad recipes to try

• Orzo salad
• Rice salad
• German potato salad
• Green goddess salad
• Kani salad

Frequently asked questions