Looking for an easy shredded or shaved brussels sprout salad recipe? Look no further than our dressed-up pomegranate and poppy seed shaved brussels sprout salad. A colorful and simple side dish for your holiday table that can be made in advance.
Please read the entire post for tips and tricks to ensure a perfect recipe every time. And don't forget to tag @peelwithzeal on Instagram so we can admire your creation!
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This raw brussels sprout salad recipe is my go-to Christmas salad recipe, and yes I often serve it at Thanksgiving too. This recipe came about because we needed another vegetable Thanksgiving side dish, and it had to be light to offset all the carb-heavy side dishes we had planned,
Plus it had to be something that didn't take up oven space meaning it had to be chilled.
📖Why This Recipe Works
In my mind, this is the perfect shredded brussel sprout salad because it only has two main ingredients brussels sprouts and fresh pomegranate arils.
The salad can be dressed before your guests arrive, brussels sprouts are hardy and hold up much better than other greens like spinach, arugula, or even kale and the poppy seed dressing can be made days in advance.
The dressing is refined sugar-free and the recipe is both gluten-free and dairy-free and has a vegan option. Perfect for accommodating vegetarians, vegans or those with food allergies.
Not to mention, this salad is gorgeous to look at, it appears much more festive and grand than it should for such an easy recipe.
🧾Ingredient Notes
Raw Brussels Sprouts- Fresh brussels sprouts may be still on the stalk or removed and sold in bulk. Look for bright green sprouts that are firm and heavy for their size.
The leaves should be tightly packed and not yellow or have small black dots.
Pomegranate Arils- You can buy a whole pomegranate or little cups of seeds removed from the fruit. If you can't find this ingredient substitute dried cranberries.
Poppy Seed Dressing
A good dressing has a balance of fat, in this case from extra virgin olive oil, and acid. Our choice of acid is apple cider vinegar but you can use champagne vinegar or even fresh lemon juice.
You will also need a sweetener such as honey, minced shallots or garlic, Dijon mustard, and of course, poppy seeds!
See the recipe card for exact quantities.
💭 Recipe Variations
This is a great recipe to customize to your exact liking. Similar to our kale salad with cranberries, many of the ingredients are interchangeable.
Cheese- My recommended cheese for this salad is crumbled goat cheese. Parmesan cheese, blue cheese, and sharp white cheddar also make nice additions.
Nuts- Chopped pecans, sunflower seeds, or toasted pepitas.
Fruits and Veggies- I really like adding a julienned apple to this recipe. However, when making in advance do not add apples as they will brown. You can also try shredded red cabbage or carrot.
I don't recommend bacon in this salad recipe, I found that it competed with the pomegranate seeds. I like to save it for my bacon-wrapped roasted brussels sprouts appetizer.
⏲️How to Make a Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
The most time-consuming part of this recipe is taking the same to shave the brussels sprouts. Shaving is the same thing as shredding.
Step 1- Shred the Brussel Sprouts
My preference is to hand-cut rather than buying them shredded. I think it yields the best results but let's go through some options. Regardless of which method you choose, you don't need to grate the brussels sprouts. They
Cut by Hand- Slice each sprout thinly, while holding the end with the core. Discard the bottom ¼ inch.
Use a Mandolin - I use this mandolin which comes with different discs and bowl to catch everything. It is very stable.
Food Processor Disc- To use a food processor, select the appropriate disc. Trim the ends of the sprouts and drop them into the chute. Do not put the brussels sprouts into the bowl and use the chopping disc.
Buy Pre-Shredded Sprouts- I noticed my local grocery store is carrying pre-shredded brussels sprouts this holiday season.
Step 2- Prepare the Salad Dressing
To prepare the dressing combine all the ingredients and mix until combined. You can do this in a blender, with a whisk and bowl, or simply shake in a mason jar.
Please note that the recipe card has the full recipe. I typically only use about ⅔ of the dressing unless the brussels sprouts are very dry.
Step 3- Serve
To serve the salad, I drizzle on about half the dressing onto the shredded brussels sprouts combined with half the pomegranate arils. Then toss to coat well. Test the salad and add more dressing as needed.
Put into your serving dish and sprinkle the remaining pomegranate arils on top.
🥗What to Serve with Brussels Sprout Salad
This recipe pairs well with roasted turkey, pork shoulder with apples, and even my favorite marinated bavette steaks.
Complimentary side dishes include mashed celery root, Boursin cheese mashed potatoes, and curried green beans.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tip
Brussels sprouts are in season from late August through March making them an excellent side dish for over half the year!
🌡️Storing and Make Ahead
You can prep all the parts of the salad and just toss them to combine before serving. The salad can be dressed up to 30 minutes before serving.
Leftovers keep for several days in the fridge (and they hold up surprisingly well!). I loved my leftovers topped with shredded chicken for a great lunch salad.
This is one truly EASY make-ahead side dish!
More Delicious Side Dish Recipes
💬Frequently Asked Questions
Store your brussels sprouts in an open paper or plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. Sprouts still on the stalk will stay fresh longer than those sold individually, up to one week.
Absolutely brussels sprouts can be eaten raw. Shave, shred, or thinly slice and use them as you would any salad green.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave us a rating or a comment. It helps other wonderful people connect with our food.
📖 Recipe
Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Pomegranate
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound brussels sprouts raw and whole
- 1 cup pomegranate arils
Poppy Seed Dressing
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ⅛ cup raw honey sub coconut sugar or agave for vegan
- 2 tablespoons shallot minced
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- kosher salt and pepper
Instructions
- Remove any bruised outer leaves from the brussels sprouts. Holding each brussels sprout by the stem end, cut into very thin slices. Toss in a bowl to separate layers. Add half the pomegranate arils to the brussels sprouts and toss.1 pound brussels sprouts, 1 cup pomegranate arils
- For the poppy seed dressing, combine all ingredients in a mason jar shake until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Start by adding half the poppy seed dressing. Toss the salad to coat. Continue to drizzle on the dressing until it is dressed to your liking.½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, ½ cup apple cider vinegar, ⅛ cup raw honey, 2 tablespoons shallot, 1 tablespoon dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon poppy seeds, kosher salt and pepper
- Arrange the salad on a platter and top the salad with the remaining pomegranate arils.1 cup pomegranate arils
Video
Notes
- This is our full Poppy Seed Dressing recipe. This shaved brussel sprout salad typically uses ⅔ of the recipe.
- You can shave or shred the brussels sprouts by slicing them thinly with a knife, using a mandolin, or the mandolin side of a box grater, or using the slicing disc on a food processor.
April says
I think this is the 6th recipe of brussel sprout salad that I have gone through and I can now say that I have finally found what I have been looking for! Fantastic recipe - thank you!
Justine says
This salad is amazing. Those beautiful colors make it perfect for a holiday dinner, too!
Jyothi (Jo) says
call me crazy but I love Brussels sprouts. No takers for Brussels sprouts at home, just me. So what ever I make I thoroughly enjoy the whole thing. I love this shaved Brussels sprouts salad. Love the riot of colors on the plate
Deanne Frieders says
What a colorful, beautiful recipe! I am a brussels sprouts lover and I totally agree that the pre-shredded packs are worth the convenience!
Byron Thomas says
I am loving the simplicity of this salad. For me, Brussels Sprouts are perfect just the way they are, and even though I like to jazz them up with lots of ingredients, they are just as good when simply prepared just like this. Gorgeous photos too!
Pavani says
I love Brussel sprouts in any form and this shaved salad sounds just perfect for my taste. Love the addition of pomegranate seeds - adds color and I like the juicy bite.
Ellen says
I recently had a shaved Brussels sprout salad and loved it. I didn't get the recipe so am happy to have found yours!
Claudia Lamascolo says
I love the freshness of this and how you shaved these they are easier to eat too. I love brussels
kim says
This salad is so perfect for holiday parties! Love the colors!
Nicole Tingwall says
I love brussels sprouts just by themselves and now ten times over with pomegranate seeds added! So bright and colorful!
Veena Azmanov says
This is a plate full of health and goodness. Wish to have such option more often.
Demeter says
I love how sometimes the simplest recipes have the best flavor! That poppy seed dressing sounds so perfect!