Shredded brussels sprouts are dressed in a sweet and tangy apple cider vinaigrette, then tossed with pumpkin seeds, apples, and dried cranberries to make this delicious shaved brussels sprouts salad! Whether you are looking for an easy make-ahead salad or a Thanksgiving side dish that is sure to impress, this slaw has something for everyone.
While I had always thought of brussels sprouts as tiny cabbages, but it took me years before I figured out that in addition to roasting them I could also shred them and eat them raw just as I would a coleslaw. I quickly became obsessed with shaved brussels sprouts salads because they were slightly more delicate than cabbage slaws, but held up much better than traditional salads – meaning I could make a large batch and eat it for a few days.
I also love how versatile a brussels sprout salad can be! It provides the perfect neutral base to let a few choice ingredients shine. When we were thinking of a quick, no-cook veggie side for fall, I was excited to put a seasonal spin on my favorite brussels sprouts slaw. Here, you have fresh apples, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, and the BEST apple cider vinaigrette that is now my go-to salad dressing. This salad is great to meal prep for the week, take to a potluck, or just serve as a simple side dish.
How do you shave brussels sprouts?
The base of this recipe calls for 2 pounds of brussels sprouts, here are the best way to shred them:
Method 1: Thinly Slice Them
To shred your brussels sprouts, you can cut off the ends, halve them, then thinly slice them, taking care to try to slice them as thinly as possible. This method can be a bit tedious, especially when working with a large quantity, but you can speed it up by lining up the halved brussels sprouts and slicing a few of them at one time.
Method 2: Shred the Brussels Sprouts in Your Food Processor
I am always reluctant to drag out my food processor (so many parts to clean!), but in this instance, your food processor will save you a TON of time with shredding the sprouts and is definitely worth the extra bit of effort. Just use the slicing blade on your food processor and feed in the brussels sprouts until they are all sliced.
Method 3: Buy them Pre-Shredded
If I’m being honest, most of the time I like to hit the easy button and buy pre-shredded brussels sprouts. I’ve been able to find these at my local grocery store, Trader Joe’s, and Whole Foods for a reasonable price.
Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad Ingredients
Now that you know how to shred your sprouts, here’s what else you’ll need for this delicious salad!
- Fresh Apples – Fresh diced apples help add a bit of crunch and sweetness to this salad. We used honeycrisp, but you can use any of your favorite apple varieties.
- Dried Cranberries – If it were up to me, I’d sneak cranberries of some form into every dish from November to December. Here, the cranberries add the perfect pop of sweet and tart.
- Toasted Pumpkin Seeds – Pumpkin seeds add just a bit of crunch and a lovely toasted flavor to this salad.
- Parsley – Chopped Italian parsley adds a beautifully fresh flavor to this dish.
- Apple Cider Vinaigrette – This vinaigrette is what MAKES this salad! A simple blend of apple cider vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup, and a touch of dijon mustard produces a perfectly balanced dressing that you won’t be able to get enough of.
Variations
Here are a few more additions that would be wonderful in this salad:
- Add Cheese – about 1/2 cup shredded parmesan or crumbled goat cheese would both go beautifully in this salad.
- Add Bacon – because everything is better with bacon! If you’d like, add about 4 slices of cooked and crumbled bacon to the salad for a bit of salty crunch.
- Substitute the Pumpkin Seeds – Sunflower seeds, pecans, walnuts, or even hazelnuts would all be wonderful in this dish.
- Play with dressings – As much as I love the apple cider vinaigrette in this recipe, feel free to customize the dressing to your taste! This creamy honey mustard dressing is at the top of my list.
- Roast the sprouts – if you don’t want to eat the brussels sprouts raw, you can also make a warm version of this salad. Just toss the shredded sprouts with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil, half a teaspoon of salt, then spread out onto a sheet pan and roast at 400 F for 25-30 minutes. Once they are browned, toss them with the parsley, pumpkin seeds, apples, cranberries, and about half of the apple cider vinaigrette.
How long will this shaved brussels sprouts salad last?
Yes! This is a great make-ahead recipe. In fact, we recommend dressing the salad about 30 minutes ahead of time when possible, to let the dressing soften the sprouts a bit. Before the salad is dressed, the shredded brussels sprouts will keep for about 5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. After adding the dressing, the salad will keep for about 3 days in the refrigerator. Know that it will wilt a bit over time, but will still maintain a good amount of crunch!
More Easy Salad Recipes
- Winter Veggie Coleslaw
- Roasted Pomegranate Brussels Sprouts Slaw
- Harvest Kale Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash
- Asian Citrus Brussels Sprouts Slaw
- Big Batch Healing Salad
Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Ingredients
For the slaw:
- 2 pounds Brussels sprouts shredded
- 2 large apples cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
For the apple cider vinaigrette:
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
Instructions
- Whisk together the apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, and thyme, until fully combined, then slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking constantly, until the dressing is thickened.
- Add the brussels sprouts, apples, pumpkin seeds, cranberries, and parsley to a large bowl, then pour the dressing over and toss to combine.
Nutrition
This looks amazing!! Do you have a recommendation on a brand of dried cranberries that doe not contain sunflower oil? Please let me know!! Thank you!
THESE look to be sunflower oil-free, Joni…we haven’t tried them, though!
Thank you so much for finding these dried cranberries without oil Brandi!! I can’t wait to order them! Also, I am making this salad right now as I write this for a make ahead salad to go with grilled burgers later for dinner!! Can’t wait to try it!! Next time I’ll have the cranberries!
You’re so welcome, Joni!!! Enjoy!
This salad is seriously delicous! I did add some sliced red onion and a bit more of the dressing. This will be going in the rotation for sure!
We’re so happy to hear that, Lindsay! Thank you for sharing!!
This recipe is amazing!! I prepared it ahead for my lunches this week. I love ACV so I put a little dash before l eat it. I’ve only had Brussels roasted (usually burnt, lol) but this is amazing and whole 30! Thank you for sharing!!
So glad you liked it Heather!