Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad

This shaved brussels sprout salad, topped with Marcona almonds and pancetta for extra crunch and flavor, is a simple yet delicious side dish. 

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 loves brussels sprouts – she used to cook them when I was a kid and I thought they smelled awful, so I’d never been a fan of brussels sprouts – sorry Mom!  Cooked, even with butter and bacon, to me they still have an odd taste and smell.  

However, it turns out that raw, it’s 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!

Tips for making Brussels Sprout salad

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. 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 actually 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 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.

A note about the ingredients

• 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.

What to serve with this salad

This salad is a great dish to bring to a potluck, holiday dinner, or backyard party.

Here are some ideas if want to create an entire meal featuring this recipe:

• For a Sunday night dinner Apricot Glazed Pork Tenderloin and Parmesan Truffle Mashed Potatoes
• For a weeknight dinner Turkey Meatloaf Muffins and Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

Any salad leftovers will keep for a day or so in the refrigerator.

More interesting side dishes

• Zucchini Noodles with Pesto
• Miso Glazed Roasted Cauliflower
• Easy Steamed Carrots with Gremolata

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things you may want for this recipe

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.

Champagne Vinegar – It’s ideal for dressings and vinaigrettes. Purchase the highest quality you can fit into your budget and be sure to store in a cool, dark place.

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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.