This shaved brussels sprouts salad combines crisp raw brussels with Marcona almonds and pancetta for extra crunch and flavor. Toss it with a champagne vinaigrette and the result is a simple yet delicious side dish that's perfect for any occasion.
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Veggies, veggies, veggies .....I'm back on the veggie quest and this shaved brussels sprout salad is the perfect solution to getting more veggies in your diet. Now, before you make a face, I promise, it really is good! My mom loved brussels sprouts - she used to cook them when I was a kid and I thought they smelled awful, so I'd never been a huge fan of brussels sprouts - sorry Mom! However, it turns out that raw is a whole different story. While I was initially testing this recipe I think I ate it every day for a week. That's pretty big coming from someone who doesn't really like veggies all that much!
This salad is a great dish to bring to a potluck, holiday dinner, or backyard party.
If you want to create an entire weeknight meal featuring this salad, I'd add these Turkey Meatloaf Muffins and a bowl of this Creamy Butternut Squash Soup.
Tips for making this recipe
This salad is relatively easy to put together and can be mostly made ahead of time.
Cook the pancetta: Cook over medium-low heat until crisp then drain on a paper towel. This can be done a day or two ahead of time.
Make the dressing: Mix the dressing in a small bowl or mason jar. This can also be done ahead of time.
How do you shave brussels sprouts?
When it comes to shaving or shredding Brussels sprouts there are really four options. The sprouts can be shredded up to a day in advance.
Option One: Use a sharp paring knife and slice them as thin as you can. If you have pretty good knife skills, it will take about 10-15 minutes to slice 1 pound of Brussels sprouts.
Option Two: Use a mandoline which will give you really evenly shredded sprouts. This is also a much quicker option than slicing them by hand. This is my preferred method for shredding them, however, if you aren't comfortable with a mandoline or don't have one there is a third option.
Option Three: Use the slicing disc of your food processor. While I'm a fan of using the food processor for a lot of things, it's not my personal first choice for shredding brussels sprouts. This method will give you evenly sliced sprouts and like using the mandoline, will save you time over hand slicing.
Option Four: Buy them pre-sliced and bagged at the grocery store. If you choose this method you'll end up with some larger, thicker slices so you may need to do some trimming. I prefer to shred them myself with one of the above methods but if you are in a hurry this is definitely the fastest method.
Ingredient Notes
- Pancetta: You can use either thinly sliced pancetta, which you'll need to chop or if you can find it in your grocery store you can use cubed pancetta. Bacon is an acceptable substitute but you'll want to add a little extra salt to the dressing if you use bacon.
- Marcona Almonds: These are gourmet almonds from Spain. I typically get them from Whole Foods. You could also look for them in your local cheese shop or order them online. They are a very tasty treat and make a great addition to a cheese board!
- Shaved Parmesan: I typically use a coarse grater to create larger pieces of parmesan for this recipe.
- Champagne Vinegar: This vinegar is a bit lighter than traditional white wine vinegar, making it ideal for dressings. You can find it in most major grocery stores. I've included a link to my favorite brand below.
Recommended Tools
Mandoline – This OXO mandoline is reasonably priced and allows you to select the desired thickness of the slices. It also comes with a few different blades making it a pretty versatile kitchen tool. I've used it for many years.
More interesting side dishes
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Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 2 ounces pancetta, chopped
- 2 cups shaved brussels sprouts, about ¾ pound
- ½ cup Marcona almonds
- ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup shaved parmesan
For the dressing:
- 2 tablespoon champagne vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon shallots, finely minced
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Cook the pancetta. Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat; add pancetta and cook for 10-12 minutes or until crisp. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with paper towel to drain.
- Shred the Brussels sprouts. Remove the tough outer leaves from the brussels sprouts. Using a mandoline, shave the brussels sprouts (if you don't have a mandoline, you can slice them by hand). Place shaved brussels sprouts in a medium bowl.
- Make the dressing. Whisk the vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, shallots, and pepper together in a small bowl. Add olive oil and whisk until combined.
- Assemble the salad. Add the almonds, lemon zest, and pancetta to the brussels sprouts. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Top with shaved parmesan before serving.
This post was originally published in May 2015. It was updated in April 2017 with some new images and again in July 2020 with some new information and additional photos. No changes have been made to the original recipe.
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop
I never liked brussel sprouts as a kid either. Can't say they are on my good list now either. This salad might be just the ticket for me! I love almost all veggies raw. They taste so much better. I need to give this a try!
FoodieGirlChicago
Hi Kathy -
Trying brussels raw really definitely changed my perspective! I'd love to hear what you think if you give it a try.
Marye
I love Brussels Sprouts but I've never eaten them in a salad. This looks like a must try for me.
Susan | LunaCafe
Love the pancetta and almonds here. Brussels sprouts are so good shaved and raw. I've been using them a lot lately. Can't wait to try this delicious salad. 🙂
Des @ Life's Ambrosia
I adore brussels sprouts, cooked, roasted and raw. This salad looks like the perfect way to enjoy them!
Healing Tomato
Brussels sprouts are hard to entice my family, so, I am always looking for clever ways to feed them. I am sure they will easily devour this dish.
Amy Basso
I always wanted to try shaved brussels sprouts....what an amazing flavor profile in this recipe!
mila furman
OMG!! I make this!!! I was inspired after I tried the salad at Siena Tavern!!! This looks really fantastic! I am finding that when I fill up on veggies I do not need much else for lunch or dinner 🙂
Allyssa
Thanks a bunch for sharing this salad recipe! the fam really loves it and always want more! Loved it!
BethB
Can you clarify how much lemon juice should be used in the dressing?
...it's mentioned in the Instructions, but I don't see it in the Ingredients List?
Urban Foodie Kitchen
Hi Beth - There should be a tablespoon of lemon juice in the dressing. Thanks for pointing out the miss in the ingredients list - I've added it in now!