A crunchy, sweet, salty side dish that goes with almost any main dish. Ready in under 10 minutes!
Article Summary:
Today we will be making brussels sprouts slaw. With a sweet and tangy apple cider vinaigrette, this salad is a versatile side dish everyone will love. Read on to learn how to make the recipe, recipe pro-tips, and more!
Table of contents
If our favorite fall food stars were to make the podium for their level of popularity, brussels sprouts would be sure to make the cut. Along with pumpkin and apples, of course. Would these lovely green gems get gold? Silver? Bronze?
Whichever the case, being up on that Olympic stage brings a certain level of respect. The kind of respect that leads us to honor the versatile vegetable however we can.
Of course, two years ago we had roasted brussels sprouts, and last year I added my favorite air fryer brussels sprouts. This year, however, we are shaking things up a bit.
We're giving this beloved fall vegetable a treatment worthy of the gold: shredding them up and tossing them with an apple cider vinaigrette. Stirring in enough crunchy-sweet apples, briny feta cheese, and nutty toasted pumpkin seeds to make a brussels sprouts slaw reminiscent of an Olympic performance.
But of course without all the training, sacrifice, and sweat. This dish is ready in just 15 minutes and a few simple steps.
Served room temperature or cold, this shredded brussels sprouts salad is nutritious, hearty, versatile, and lightly sweet. No where can anyone complain about the bitter taste of sprouts or how boring vegetables are.
And, of course, don't leave it just to fall to enjoy this delish side dish. This salad is great any time that the mood strikes and those brussels sprouts are fresh and deep green. Try your hand at a gold medal dish today!
This easy vegetable side dish is...
- Fresh
- Tangy
- Sweet
- Crunchy
- Savory
More than just a salad, this quick side dish is perfect for any time you want a tasty yet nutritious addition to your meal!
Ingredients:
- Brussels sprouts - whole, trimmed sprouts
- Apples - Fuji apples, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Golden Delicious apples
- Dried cranberries
- Pumpkin seeds
- Crumbled feta cheese
- Apple cider vinegar
- Olive oil - preferably extra virgin olive oil
- Maple syrup
- Smooth Dijon mustard
- Salt
Substitutions:
- Shredded brussels sprouts - can substitute for the whole sprouts. Pulse them down in a food process until fine if you can, but otherwise shredded sprouts will substitute just fine for this recipe.
- Cranberries - golden raisins can replace the cranberries in a pinch.
- Pumpkin seeds - sliced toasted almonds can substitute for the pumpkin seeds
- Mustard - whole grain mustard can replace the smooth Dijon mustard, though you will need to increase the amount to 1 ½ teaspoons
How to make this brussel sprout salad...
- Chop the brussels sprouts in a food processor until fine and the size of pieces of coleslaw.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and salt together until combined. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until smooth and emulsified.
- Add the shredded brussels sprouts, apple chunks, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, and feta cheese to the bowl with the vinaigrette. Gently fold or stir the brussels sprouts and other ingredients into the dressing until combined.
- Serve immediately the slaw immediately or cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving.
Recipe pro-tips:
- How to make the recipe with shredded brussels sprouts: if you have a food processor, pulse the shredded brussels sprouts down until fine, but otherwise shredded sprouts will substitute just fine for this recipe.
- Chilling the slaw before serving is not required, but can help the flavors blend together and absorb into the salad. To chill the salad, cover it with an air tight lid and place in the refrigerator for one hour before serving.
Recipe FAQs:
Here's how to prepare brussel sprouts for coleslaw. First, trim off the ends of the brussels sprouts. Next, trim or peel off any wilted or damaged outer leaves of the sprouts. Add the sprouts to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the chopping blade. Process the brussels sprouts until fine and the size of shreds of coleslaw.
You can tell that brussels sprouts are good if they are firm and dense with dark green bulbs and smooth leaves. If the leaves are overly damaged, wilting, or pock-marked or the brussels sprouts exteriors are more yellow-green than deep green, they are not fresh or as good to eat.
Serving suggestions:
Serve this brussels sprouts salad for an easy weeknight meal, cookout side dish, or potluck dish.
This salad is delicious with any of these main dishes:
- Grilled chicken
- Turkey burgers
- Mushroom burgers
- Pumpkin pasta
- Roasted turkey breast
- Dijon Pork tenderloin
Storage directions:
Leftover slaw lasts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for only 24-36 hours (due to the brussels sprouts and apple browning when exposed to air). It does not freeze well.
To save on waste, halve or quarter the recipe to make only the amount of slaw that you plan on consuming within 24-36 hours.
Dietary adaptations:
This recipe is naturally gluten-free and vegetarian. To make it dairy-free and vegan, simply omit the feta cheese or use a vegan feta cheese.
Tools needed to make this recipe:
More easy healthy side dishes:
- Broccoli Slaw
- Honey Roasted Rainbow Carrots
- Broccoli Raisin Salad
- 5 Bean Salad
- Greek Quinoa Salad
- Cranberry & Edamame Brown Rice Salad
- Sweet Potato & Quinoa Salad
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Brussels Sprout Slaw with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Email FacebookIngredients
- 16 oz. brussels sprouts stems & brown leaves trimmed
- ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon smooth Dijon mustard
- 1 ½ tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 medium Fuji apples cored & cut into chunks
- ⅓ cup pumpkin seeds
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Add the trimmed brussels sprouts to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade inserted. Process the brussels sprouts until fine and the size of pieces of coleslaw.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and salt together until combined. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until smooth and emulsified.
- Add the shredded brussels sprouts, apple chunks, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, and feta cheese to the bowl with the vinaigrette. Gently fold or stir the brussels sprouts and other ingredients into the dressing until combined.
- Serve immediately the slaw immediately or cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving.
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