Shredded Brussels sprouts, apple & walnut salad

Instead of presenting the unmistakable Brussels sprout in its whole form, shred it into an amazing Christmas side dish punctuated with crisp apples, toasted walnuts, tart pomegranate seeds, and pungent blue cheese to keep your holiday dinner guests digging in to this yummy salad recipe!

Shredded Brussels sprouts, apples & walnut salad

Shredded Brussels sprouts, apples & walnut salad

This salad recipe calls for crisp apples, and it’s worth knowing your apple varieties. You might try Honeycrisp apples, which we consider the best freshest eating apples of all times. They really do have a sweet honey flavor!

Ambrosia apples are also a good choice, especially if chilled before dicing and adding to salads. A more commonly-found apple is the Gala, which comes alive in a salad like this that features nuts, cheese, and a flavorful vinaigrette.

We also adore the homemade vinaigrette in this holiday side dish recipe. The sherry vinegar, though not the most common vinegar in home kitchens, adds a softer, more balanced flavor than white or red wine vinegars. Seek it out and keep it on hand for future salad dressing. If, however, you need a substitute, swap in rice wine vinegar or champagne vinegar.

One more quick tip: Make easy work of shredding the Brussels sprouts by employing the shredding discs of your food processor. Hand shredding these mini cabbage-like veggies will prove tedious and put your hands at risk for injury.

Shredded Brussels sprouts, apples & walnut salad

Shredded Brussels sprouts, apples & walnut salad

Yield 4-6 servings

Ingredients

Salad:

  • 1-1/2 lb. Brussels sprouts, shredded
  • 2 small crisp apples, cut into 1/2“ pieces
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
  • 1/3 cup Italian parsley, coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
  • 4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled

Vinaigrette:

  • (Makes 1 cup)
  • 1/3 c. sherry vinegar
  • 1 shallot, diced
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Instructions

  1. Toss the Brussels sprouts and apples together in a large bowl.
  2. Add the walnuts, parsley and pomegranate seeds to salad.
  3. Make Vinaigrette by whisking the sherry vinegar, shallots, honey and mustard together.  Add Extra Virgin Olive Oil and mix well.  Taste and season with salt and pepper.  Shake well just before adding to salad.
  4. Drizzle about 1/2 cup of Vinaigrette over dressing and toss salad well.
  5. Allow salad to stand a few minutes, or chill in refrigerator no more than 2 hours before serving.
  6. Serve.

Courses Salads