Brussels Sprout Salad with Apples & Walnuts

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

No offense to the usual salad greens, but brussels sprouts really deliver on nutrition. They are members of the cabbage family, which shouldn’t be a surprise. That’s because of their wonderful crunch. The play well with other ingredients with their mild taste and incredible fresh texture.

Never tried raw brussels sprouts? Now is the time to skip roasting and sautéing. When you thinly slice raw sprouts, they are crisp, and you will get all their beautiful nutty and slightly sweet flavor. 

This recipe is a salad and a side dish. I’m never one to lock a certain food or dish into a single category. Because you have sprouts as the base rather than lettuce, the line is blurred. Go ahead and serve it either way. It doesn’t matter what you call it.

Peak brussels sprout season happens to be when there are fewer seasonal produce options. Nowadays I know you can get pretty much anything anytime of the year with a few exceptions. Sprouts are at their best September through February/March.

How To Cut Brussels Sprouts

Try one of these three ways:

1. Use a sharp knife to thinly slice brussels sprouts, no other equipment necessary. That’s what I did in these photos. Trim off the bottom stems and slice them lengthwise.   
2. Cut brussels sprouts with a mandolin. Hold them on the stem, and be careful. Brussels sprouts are small and the blade of a mandolin is sharp. They will be thinner than if you cut them with a knife, but you probably will have more waste since you’re holding the sprouts while watching out for the mandolin blade.
3. The quickest way to slice brussels sprouts is with a food processor. They will turn out more shredded than sliced, which is also tasty. Trim the sprouts and then cut them with the slicing disc.

The Ingredients

This is what you need:

• Brussels sprouts: Fresh ones have leaves that are tightly closed. Avoid sprouts that have loose, wilted outer leaves. If you end up with a few, then just rip them off. Shredded cabbage is a good substitute, and you can buy it already cut.
• Apples: Pink Lady, Fuji and Honeycrisp apples are all great choices because they are crisp.
• Walnuts: Take the time to toast the nuts before you add them to the salad. You can do this by spreading out the walnuts on a sheet pan and toasting them in a 350-degree F oven for 5 minutes. You can substitute with almonds or pecans.
• Dried cranberries add sweetness with the apples. You can substitute with pomegranate seeds if you want more freshness.
• Parmesan: I also stir in shaved Parmesan cheese. Take a paring knife or a vegetable peeler to cut paper-thin slices. Then you can crumble them in your hands. You can substitute with Manchego cheese.
• Scallions: These green onions are mild, and that’s why I like them in salads.
• Parsley: I include chopped fresh herbs.
• White wine vinaigrette: The dressing is made with garlic, mustard, olive oil, salt, pepper and white wine vinegar. Use extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
• Bread: I tear a couple slices of sourdough bread to make croutons, adding even more crunch with the brussels sprouts.

How To Make This Brussels Sprout Salad

1. Toss the torn bread with olive oil, salt and pepper. You can do this right on a large rimmed baking sheet, and then you won’t have to wash another bowl. Spread the bread across the entire pan in a single layer, so the pieces aren’t overlapping.

2. Bake the croutons until they are toasted and golden brown.

3. To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the garlic, mustard, salt, pepper, vinegar and oil in a small bowl until fully combined. You can do this while the croutons are in the oven.

4. Assemble the salad in a big bowl. Stir together the brussels sprouts, apples, scallions, walnuts, cranberries, parmesan and parsley. Drizzle in the dressing and toss to combine.

5. Fold in the sourdough croutons.

Serving

This salad is perfect for the fall and winter months. Of course, you can bookmark it for a Thanksgiving because it ticks the box for brussels sprouts without taking up any precious oven space. As I said, this is where it is a salad and a side dish.

Always think of this recipe for a lunch or weeknight dinner. Even though it is filling on its own, you can add roasted chicken, salmon or tofu for protein.

Leftovers & Storage

The salad is best eaten right after you make it.  You can keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 2 days. The longer the salad is saved, the stronger the smell from the sprouts will be.

Before you put the salad in the refrigerator, try to take out the croutons and brush off any other salad ingredients. If you want them to stay crunchy, toast them on a sheet pan for a few minutes in a 300-degree F oven to remove any moisture. Let them cool and keep them in an airtight container at room temperature.

Store the salad and dressing in separate containers. I like to put dressing in a mason jar. If you are planning to save some of the salad, only dress the amount that you are eating rather than the entire salad, so the leaves don’t get soggy. Also, only stir in some of the croutons.

Recipe Tips

Do not shred the brussels sprouts in advance. They will lose their crisp bite, and they can develop a sulfur-like smell.

You can make the dressing 2 days ahead of time. The oil will become solid in the chill of the fridge, so let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to warm up and then stir it.

More Brussels Sprout Salad Recipes

Kale Brussels Sprout Pear Salad
Brussels Sprout Caesar Salad
Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad

If you’re a salad person, don’t miss my easy seasonal salad guide for inspiration all year long.