Simple Brussel Sprout Salad

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Who remembers eating Brussel Sprouts as a kid? They weren’t good were they? Before I discovered the true wonders of the Brussel Sprout I honestly just thought they were not a great tasting vegetable. Turns out that’s not the case at all, there apparently was just a worldwide pandemic on overcooking Brussel Sprouts in the 80s and 90s! Well, this Simple Brussel Sprout Salad will completely change your perspective on this beautiful vegetable

The secret to a great Brussel Sprout is not overcooking them. That was always the issue with those Sprouts back in the day. They were baked or boiled into oblivion and it just left a very bitter taste. Cooking them for less time, or in this case, serving them raw retains all their beautiful natural flavors

Best way to prepare the Simple Brussel Sprout Salad

Our Simple Brussel Sprout Salad requires that you shave the Sprouts into thin, preferably long strands. You want them to still retain some of their structure. Shredding them too finely will create almost a grain like texture which isn’t what you really want in a salad. So, the best way to prepare these Brussel Sprouts is either very quickly blitz them in a food processor, or you can finely cut them with a sharp knife

We went for the knife approach in these photos and they turned out great. The secret to this salad is it needs to be light and crunchy. A salad perfect for a warmer afternoon where you don’t want something heavy to eat. Alternatively, it is a great side salad to serve with heavier dishes such as our Roast Chicken recipe. It gives a fantastic contrast to a heavier dish with the acidity of the Lemon really cutting through

Finally, the dressing we’ve made for this dish has quite a bit of garlic but trust us! It may seem quite intense as you’re preparing it, but the Garlic works some absolute magic with the Brussel Sprouts and Almonds in this dish. It’s fantastic!

We’ve opted to top this wonderful Brussel Sprout Salad with Almonds

You can just as easily serve the Brussel Sprout Salad as-is, however for a little bit of extra extravagance and presentation we’d recommend adding some toppings. There’s a load of different types of toppings you can use on this Simple Brussel Sprout Salad to add some more flavor and textural dimensions to the dish. We’ve opted for Almonds in this case

Almonds are a great addition to the Salad. They bring even more crunch to the dish, so you’ve got crunch on crunch when combining them with the shaved Brussel Sprouts. For our Almond preparation we’re suggesting that you give them a quick toast in the frying pan along with some butter. Let them sit in the Butter for about 30 seconds or so. This will give them a lovely, toasted flavor, which is further amplified by the butter. We used raw Almonds, but if you want to cut out the hassle of toasting the Almonds, simply buy the Almonds that are already toasted!

One word of warning we will give you, however. If you are using toasted Almonds, just be cautious of their Salt levels. A lot of pre-packed Almonds will come already heavily seasoned, as they’re typically consumed as a snack as-is. So just be careful when it comes to seasoning. The last thing you want is for this Salad to be overly salty!

Toasted Breadcrumbs or Fried Shallots also make for a wonderful topping to this Salad

A few other fun toppings you can try are Breadcrumbs, or even some crispy Shallots! What you’re looking for in a good salad topping is a crunchy texture, and some slightly sweet elements to pair well with the acidity of the Salad. Toasting some Panko Breadcrumbs in the pan with a bit of Butter will create a lovely sweet and crunchy texture

If you’re after some deep-fried goodness on top, then you can’t go past Shallots. Cut the Shallots up into small strips and give them a dousing of All Purpose Flour that has been seasoned well with Salt. Dust off any excess flour then put them straight into hot Oil to fry for 2 – 3 minutes. Let the oil strain a little bit and they’re ready for serving

We’d recommend you have a bit of fun with the toppings for this Simple Brussel Sprout Salad and try a bunch of different combinations. Let us know in the comments below how you went, and what your recommended toppings are

What are some dishes that pair well with a side of Brussel Sprout Salad

One thing we love about this Brussel Sprout Salad is it is so versatile as a side dish. You can literally pair it with any recipe and it’s going to go down a treat. Given it is quite a light, refreshing salad we would recommend pairing it alongside some heavier, richer dishes. The freshness of the Brussel Sprouts and the acidity from the Lemon Juice will help to break through the richness, giving you a more complete meal

So, any meals that have quite a high level of fat in them will be an ideal choice for pairing. Dishes such as Steaks, Pizza, Burgers, and the like would all benefit from this healthy side Salad. If you’re looking for a complete meal to prepare, here are a few of our favorite main courses that pair great with this Simple Brussel Sprout Salad:

• Lamb Shepherds Pie with Harissa
• Garlic Butter Shrimp with Paprika
• Air Fryer Pork Belly
• Sausage and Fennel Pasta
• Vegetarian Turkish Bread Pizza
• Hanger Steak Frites
  
  

Simple Brussel Sprout Salad Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. Brussel Sprouts
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• 3 tbsp. Olive Oil
• 4 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. Unsalted Butter
• 1 tsp. Salt
  
  

Instructions

1. Begin by preparing your Brussel Sprouts. Cut off the very end of the stem (the exposed part) then wash the Sprouts with cold water
2. Cut the Brussel Sprouts finely either with a sharp knife or a very quick blitz in the food processor. We want to cut the Brussel Sprouts so they are quite fine, however have still retained their texture and a bit of size. So, best to cut them lengthways only
3. Prepare the dressing by combining the Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, Garlic, and Salt into a salad bowl. Whisk thoroughly to combine all of the ingredients. Check for seasoning and adjust to your preferred taste
4. While the dressing may seem a little bit heavy on the garlic side, don’t worry! It’ll balance itself out perfectly when everything is combined
5. Combine the Shredded Brussel Sprouts with the dressing and mix thoroughly to ensure everything is well coated
6. In a separate saucepan melt the butter over medium / high heat then add the Almonds. Toast in the pan for about 30 seconds then pour over the top of the Salad
7. Mix the Almonds and butter mixture into the salad then serve immediately
   
   

This is such a fun salad to prepare, and we guarantee you it will completely change any naysayers opinions on what Brussel Sprouts can taste like. The absence of loads of Butter, Bacon, or cheese also means this is a very healthy salad to enjoy

Happy Cooking!