Brussels Sprouts Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

Delicious and nutritious Brussels Sprouts Salad will be a perfect addition to any meal. This beautiful winter salad is made with shaved Brussels sprouts, pomegranate seeds, pecans, Gorgonzola, shallots, and of course, bacon. It’s all tossed with Mustard Vinaigrette, which is a great compliment to the salad. 

 I love including a fresh, crispy salad to our dinner in the winter and some of my favorites include Bacon and Blue Cheese Brussels Sprouts salad and Pomegranate Goat Cheese Spinach Salad.  

BRUSSELS SPROUTS SALAD

If you love Brussels sprouts roasted, you must love them fresh even more. Brussels sprouts are wonderful to eat fresh because of the mild flavor and a beautiful crisp. It makes a great salad for Thanksgiving or Christmas, especially when combined with pomegranate seeds and pecans.

This salad is packed with so many different flavors that work together so well. A generous amount of each ingredient makes every bite pop. The pomegranate seeds literally burst with sweet and sour juices when you bite into it. Crispy bacon and crunchy pecans add texture and great savory flavor. Soft and flavorful Gorgonzola is another layer of texture and flavor that compliments the Brussels sprouts, nuts, and dressing.

Everyone will enjoy this salad because of the flavors and because Brussels sprouts are fresh. Kids (and some adults in my family) have the biggest aversion to Brussels sprouts. When they see the tiny halves of sprouts, they make a face and walk the other way. But, when I make Brussels sprouts into a salad, they don’t even think twice about it and eat it all up. 

Fresh Brussels sprouts that are thinly sliced in a salad is reminiscent of cabbage. It has a milder flavor than cabbage and doesn’t have as thick of leaves so it makes thinner strands. It’s just as crispy through and great mixed with other ingredients and dressing. 

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INGREDIENTS IN BRUSSELS SPROUT SALAD

Brussels sprouts – use fresh Brussels sprouts and pick bigger ones to make it easier to cut.

Bacon – for the best crispy bacon, cook it in the oven. It’s easy to make bacon ahead of time, wrap it up tight, and keep refrigerated. You can quickly reheat cooked bacon in a pan just until hot. 

Pomegranates – to make it easier on yourself, get loose pomegranate seeds that are already separated. You will save yourself 30 minutes and browned fingertips. 

Pecans – if pecans are not available or too expensive, substitute chopped walnuts or crushed almonds. 

Shallots – shallots are wonderful in a fresh salad because they have a mild taste, a little sweetness, and a touch of garlic flavor. 

Gorgonzola – it’s a soft cheese with strong flavor but if Gorgonzola is not available, substitute blue cheese crumbles. 

Mustard Vinaigrette – it’s a super easy dressing with sweet sour and tart flavors. You can easily make it ahead of time and keep it in a glass jar, in the fridge.

HOW TO MAKE BRUSSELS SPROUTS SALAD

How to Shred Brussels Sprouts:

Brussels sprouts are very easy to shred using a sharp knife of a food processor. I usually just use a knife because it takes only a few minutes and I’m too lazy to take out and set up my food processor for that. 

Wash the sprouts and cut off the small stem. Take off the dark, discolored outer leaves and cut each sprout in half. Place it on the cutting board cut side down and slice each half as thinly as you can. 

If you do wish to make a food processor, simply use a slicing attachment and pulse to cut. (Consult your user manual if not familiar with the process.)

You can also use a mandolin slicer but I don’t really recommend it because the sprouts are so small, there is a higher chance to cut your fingers. If you will decide to use the mandolin, don’t cut off the stem of the sprouts and use that to hold on to with a safety holder. 

How to Make Mustard Vinaigrette:

Making mustard vinaigrette doesn’t get much easier than combining all ingredients in a jar and shaking it around. You may need to use a small spatula to scrape and mix in honey into the dressing.

Keep the vinaigrette in a glass jar with a lid in the refrigerator until ready to use. Shake it up before adding to the salad.

Making The Salad

Combine shaved Brussels sprouts, pomegranate seeds, chopped pecans, Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled bacon, and thinly sliced shallots together in a bowl. Add some salt and mix it all together. 

Pour in the dressing and mix until everything is evenly coated. Salad is best when served right away.

CAN I MAKE BRUSSELS SPROUTS SALAD AHEAD?

Absolutely! There are several ways to prepare this salad ahead of time. Make the dressing and bacon a day or two before to save some time. Store both in air-tight containers, in the refrigerator. 

You can also prepare the whole salad ahead of time but do not mix it with the dressing. Keep the salad in the bowl and cover it air-tight with plastic wrap. Mix dressing into the salad when ready to serve. 

MORE SALAD RECIPES TO TRY

Caprese Salad

Apple Walnut Broccoli Salad

Avocado Corn Salad

Greek Chicken Salad

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