As a vegetarian, I make a lot of salads. I’ve found that sometimes the best salads are the simplest ones. This beauty has only three basic ingredients and it’s delicious. I think the trick is the thinly sliced Brussel sprouts; they are a wonderful alternative my normal go-tos: lettuce, arugula and hearts of romaine. They are super crunchy, wonderfully flavorful and extraordinarily healthy! What more could you want?
Food processor magic
Once you realize how quick a food processor (affiliate link) can thinly slice vegetables, your world (well at least your cooking world) will be forever changed. I swear it takes longer to remove the stems from the Brussel sprouts than it does to slice them! I admit it: I OBSESSED with my food processor. That’s because I love to cook, but I don’t have a ton of time—my baby is usually right there with me in the kitchen…meaning I might have ten minutes or if I have a lot of Puffs on hand, I might have twenty. I rely on my food processor to do a lot of the heavy lifting. Best part is, once my food processor has worked her magic, I give her a quick rinse, put all the parts in the top rack of the dishwasher and get back to mom-ing. If you need some motivation dusting off your food processor, this post will help. Of course, you can do your slicing and chopping by hand, but why would you?
Or…buy them at Trader Joe’s!
You can also buy them already sliced; Trader Joe’s as well as most supermarkets will sell them. They won’t be quite as fresh or crunchy, but you probably won’t even notice!
Homemade dressing joy
Homemade dressing is really the only way to go. While I do always have a few store-bought varieties on hand for when I’m in a true pinch, I much prefer making my own. You really just need good quality olive oil, vinegar (I rotate between apple cider, red wine and balsamic) and then whatever added flavor (in this case mustard and cheese) you are looking for. Always taste the dressing before you dress your salad to make sure the balance of oil to vinegar is to your liking. Drizzle extra oil over the salad if it is too dry. I like to start with less dressing and add more as needed. I personally hate overdressed salads! I hope you too are soon on the make-your-own-dressing-train…it’s the only way to salad.
Get salad-ing!
I truly can’t live without salad. I’ve often said that in a dream world, I would open my fridge and a salad bar would be waiting for me chocked full of perfectly chopped veggies and all the great fixings. I know, I need to get a life. If you’re looking for some more salad inspiration try this Can Can Salad, Corn Salad, Tomato Avocado Cilantro Salad, Asparagus Tomato Salad or my absolute favorite Broccoli Cabbage Caesar Salad. And if you’re on board with making your own salad dressing, here’s a recipe for a Whole Grain Mustard Dressing. As always, let me know how Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad comes out by leaving a comment below. Enjoy! Buen provecho!
Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad
Equipment
- Food processor
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 lb bag of Brussels sprouts, stem removed, thinly sliced
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped
- ½ cup craisins
Dressing
- 7 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup Parmesan or Romano cheese, finely grated
- 3 tbsp Stone Ground Mustard (can sub Dijon or whole grain)
- freshly cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- [If slicing the Brussel sprouts with a food processor, see note below. You can also use a mandolin (be super careful), sharp knife or buy them sliced at Trader Joe’s or most supermarkets.] Place all the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Mix the dressing ingredients together well (I use a jar with a lid and give it a few good shakes). Taste and adjust to your liking. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently. (I like a lightly dressed salad, so if you feel yours is too dry, drizzle some extra olive oil over it.) Serve immediately. Leftovers are still mostly crunchy the next day.
Notes
- To use your food processor, insert slicing disc (I use my 3mm) and process the Brussel sprouts in batches. Transfer Brussel sprouts to a large salad bowl. Then use the metal blade to chop the walnuts, pulsing for 3 second bursts until chopped to desired size (you can also do this by hand). Transfer to the salad bowl and add craisins.
- Many supermarkets (including Trader Joe’s) sell shaved Brussel sprouts.
- You can prepare the salad and the dressing the day before, just don’t dress until you are about to serve.
