This shaved brussels sprouts salad is an excellent fall and winter side dish. It's an easy way to get fresh, green vegetables on the table during colder months.
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If you're looking for easy brussels sprouts recipes that don't involve roasting or sautéing, this is the one for you. It's a great way to mix things up in your repertoire.
When I first got the idea for this brussels sprouts salad, I think I was inspired by something Giada made, where she actually used the leaves of the brussels sprouts. Well, I'll be dipped if I can figure out how she peeled those suckers. So I just started slicing them into more of a slaw. Much easier.
I like the contrast between the sturdy shaved brussels sprouts and the soft texture of the mache, and their varying colors of green, and the cheese and walnuts add heartiness and crunch.
This shaved brussels sprouts salad is simple to make and very healthy, but it's hearty enough to satisfy your winter appetite, too. The perfect dish to bring the green back into regular rotation in colder months. Your gut will thank you for it.
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Ingredients
- Brussels sprouts: Choose firm brussels sprouts that are green all over. If they are starting to turn yellow, they are going bad.
- Iberico cheese: This is a Spanish cheese that is made with a blend of cow, sheep and goat's milk and it's got a firm texture that stands up to grating and won't go soggy in your salad.
- Raw walnuts: You can buy halves or nuts that are already chopped. Choose raw nuts because we are going to roast them briefly to wake up the flavor.
- Mâche: A pretty little soft leafy green, sometimes called Lamb's Lettuce. Be sure to rinse it well, as it grows in sandy soil. If you can't find it, substitute watercress.
For the dressing:
- White balsamic vinegar: This vinegar has a subtle sweetness that I love. If you can't find it, substitute white wine vinegar or unseasoned rice vinegar.
- Tarragon: Tarragon has an anise flavor and therefore can be divisive. I love it in this salad because it stands up to the strong wintery flavors of the brussels sprouts and walnuts.
- Olive oil, salt, pepper: Round out the components of the dressing.
Instructions
Coarsely chop walnuts (or buy them chopped already!) and toast them lightly in a dry skillet. Just until you begin to smell the aroma and they release their oils. Set aside to cool.
Use a good chef's knife to cut bottom stems from sprouts. Thinly slice brussels sprouts starting at the rounded end, working your way toward the core or stem. Once you start getting to the hard stem, stop slicing. You just want to use the leafiest part of the sprout.
Sift through shaved brussels sprouts with your fingers, breaking them up into little ribbons and removing any bits of core.
Grate cheese finely - using the smaller holes of a box grater.
Combine brussels sprouts, mache, and walnuts in a large bowl.
In a small food processor (or separate bowl with a lid), combine vinegar, oil, chopped tarragon, kosher salt and cracked pepper. Blend or shake vigorously to emulsify ingredients.
Gradually mix dressing into salad - your hands work as the best kitchen tool for this task. Top with a little more cheese and nuts and serve.
Tips
- Let's talk about ratios of vinegar to oil in salad dressings. Many will say 2:1 oil to vinegar or even 3:1. I am not of that camp. I like my salads light and fluffy and still standing up straight on the plate. And since the vinegar is the only acid in this salad and the brussels sprouts are so darn sturdy, I think you need more acid to break them down a bit. However, this is one of those things that is really up to your personal taste so feel free to fiddle with the ratio until it suits you.
- This will probably also be more dressing than you need but it's delicious and you will want to put it on other things, so you're welcome.
FAQ
You can make this up to one day ahead. Just prepare the components separately, then assemble the salad once you are ready to serve.
Yes you can! Just be sure to trim the hard stem off the bottom before you put them in the food processor. This is really the fastest way (and safest for your fingers!) to shred brussels sprouts.
Related Recipes
- For the quickest, easiest side dish, try Crispy Pan Fried Brussels Sprouts with Garlic and Hazelnuts.
- Can you put brussels sprouts in a dip? Yes, you can and you should. Make this Creamy Brussels Sprouts Dip and find out how good it can be!
- Roasting brussels sprouts for a long time makes them melty inside. You'll find out all about it when you make Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pistachios, Dates, and Lime.
Recipe
Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts
- 3 oz Mache rosettes
- ¾ cup Iberico cheese finely grated
- 1 cup walnuts toasted and chopped
Tarragon Vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup white balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoon tarragon chopped
- kosher salt to taste
- cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Coarsely chop walnuts (or buy them chopped already!) and toast them lightly in a dry skillet. Set aside to cool.
- Cut stems from brussels sprouts and thinly slice, starting at the rounded end, working your way toward the core or stem. Once you start getting to the hard stem, stop slicing. You just want to use the leafiest part. Sift through sliced brussels sprouts with your fingers, breaking them up into little ribbons and removing any bits of core.
- Grate cheese finely - using the smaller holes of a box grater.
- In a small food processor (or separate bowl with a lid), combine vinegar, oil, tarragon, kosher salt and cracked pepper. Blend or shake vigorously to emulsify ingredients.
- Combine sprouts, mache, and walnuts in a large bowl.
- Gradually mix dressing into salad - your hands work as the best kitchen tool for this task. Top with a little more cheese and walnuts and serve.
Notes
- If you're going to shave the brussels sprouts by hand, you'll need a good, sharp chef's knife. I use my Global knife. It has a very comfortable handle, and since it's one piece of seamless stainless steel, it's lighter weight and easier to grip and use.
- When using a food processor to shave the brussels sprouts, you need a reliable one that can stand up to their sturdy texture. I have a KitchenAid food processor that never lets me down.
Nutrition
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