Fall Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad is a crispy, crunchy, healthy and gluten free salad recipe that’s full of fresh fall flavors! Sponsored by Fisher Nuts.
We’ve reached a new parenting milestone – Lincoln is finally old enough to play outside in the snow by himself! Yes, we got snow earlier this week. Still hard to talk about. Anyway, as the saying goes: if your kids are acting crazy, just add water. Well hey, I’m finding frozen water works well too. Every day this week Lincoln has walked in the front door from school then practically right out the back door to spend some time outdoors. He comes in about an hour later in SUCH a great mood. (Anybody else’s kids total bears when they get home from school? This has solved that issue!)
A ton of people have taken the snow as an excuse to decorate for Christmas early but I’m trying to hold out as long as possible because a.) I don’t want to admit the season that shall not be named is most likely here to stay, and b.) I want to give turkey day the attention it deserves. Especially because I gave one of my most popular Thanksgiving side dish recipes a makeover just in time for the big day. Include Fall Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad in your holiday spread once and I promise it’ll become an annual tradition!
File Fall Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad under “better than you can possibly imagine”. It’s like riding the Peloton with Jess King. Oh wait no, that’s harder than you can possibly imagine. Hurts so (mostly) good. Love her!!! Anyway, you can pick out and taste every single ingredient in this wonderful side dish, and the combination of fresh, savory, sweet, creamy, and crunchy is so divine.
Shredded brussels sprouts, dried cranberries, chopped pecans, fresh pear, crumbled gorgonzola cheese, and crispy shallots are drizzled with the easiest, four ingredient (plus salt and pepper) Maple-Balsamic Dressing to create a flavor packed, super healthy fall salad that you’ll go back for more and more and more of. It is so, so tasty.
If you’re a long time reader of IGE than you may recognize this recipe as an oldie but goodie, as it was first published in 2015. I wanted to spruce up the recipe photos as well as highlight the Fisher Naturals Pecan Halves that give this salad recipe a satisfying crunch and boost of holiday flavor.
I’ve been using Fisher Naturals nuts in my recipes for years and years (and years!) now. Not only are they of the highest quality, but they’re preservative free but naturally gluten free, too. My Mom has a metal nut cracker and bowl that she sets out around the holidays every year then buys whole nuts to crack open and snack on. This is a holiday tradition she grew up with that she’s passionate about carrying on. Fisher Naturals nuts taste just like the ones we crack and eat straight out of the shells. Pure and fresh!
Now, not only is this salad recipe great to make for Thanksgiving on account of its warming fall flavors, but it can be partially made ahead of time too which is great if you’re preparing multiple dishes on the holiday. Below, I’ve detailed out what you can prep ahead of time and what you should wait to do until just before serving.
If you’ve made this recipe before then I hope you’re taken for a delicious trip down memory lane. If this is the first time you’ve seen this recipe, I just know you’ll adore it!
How to Make Fall Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad:
Start by shredding 12oz brussels sprouts. Peel back the outer leaves of each sprout then hold onto the stem and use a sharp knife to shred them as thinly as possible. It’s tempting to use a bag of pre-shredded brussels sprouts for this dish, but they’re a touch too thick for a raw salad, in my opinion. Hand shredding gets them much thinner!
Add the shredded sprouts to a large bowl with 1/4 cup dried cranberries, 1/4 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese (could use feta if you like that better) 1 chopped ripe pear, and 1/4 cup Fisher Naturals Pecan Halves that have been roughly chopped.
Next, pan fry 2 jumbo shallots sliced into rings. They are the crowning glory of this salad! Once fried, shallot rings are a FANTASTIC replacement for french fried onions on top of casseroles and in salads. No breading required, just thinly slice two shallots then let them sizzle in olive oil. They add a delicious richness to this salad.
Heat 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. I always test a slice of shallot first to see if the oil is hot enough. If the entire piece starts sizzling right away, it’s ready.
Fry the shallots in two batches. Just add them to the oil then stir occasionally until they’re golden brown. Each batch will take 2-3 minutes.
Scoop the fried shallots onto a paper towel lined plate to drain then sprinkle with salt. SO GOOD!
Last step is to mix up the Maple Balsamic Dressing that ties the whole salad together. It is incredible! To a jar with a tight fitting lid add 2 Tablespoons each extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup,) 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper then shake to combine. Pour it over the salad then toss, and then add the fried shallots and toss again.
That’s all she wrote! If you want to make a portion of this salad this ahead of time you can add the shredded brussels sprouts, dried cranberries, chopped pecans, and gorgonzola cheese to a large bowl with a lid, and mix up the dressing. Before serving, chop the pear then pan fry the shallots, and then assemble the salad with the dressing.
I know you are going to ADORE this fresh and flavor packed Fall Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad! Enjoy, enjoy!
Fall Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad
Description
Fall Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad is crispy and crunchy, and full of fresh and savory flavors!
Ingredients
- 12oz brussels sprouts, tough outer leaves pulled away
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup Fisher Naturals Pecan Halves, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup gorgonzola cheese crumbles
- 1 pear, chopped
- 2 jumbo shallots, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- For the Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup (not pancake syrup)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper
Directions
- Using a very sharp knife, thinly shred brussels sprouts while holding onto the core end then discard cores and add shredded sprouts to a large bowl with dried cranberries, chopped pecans, gorgonzola cheese, and chopped pears. Set aside.
- Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the shallots then fry until golden brown, 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Scoop onto a paper towel-lined plate to drain then repeat with remaining shallots. Sprinkle with salt then let cool slightly.
- Add ingredients for Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette together in a jar then shake to combine. Pour over salad then toss to coat. Add fried shallots then toss to combine, and then serve.
Notes
- I recommend shredding your own brussels sprouts vs buying pre-shredded to make sure you can slice them very, very thin!
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Kristin, these crispy shallots could go on anything– so good. We made the pasta with them the other night, and they were so good. My parents are from Louisiana, and whenever they have a fish fry, they chop onions and drop them directly into the deep fryer for a couple of minutes, and then sprinkle them with Cajun seasoning. They are really good, and these shallots remind me of them, except the shallots get crispier I think, and maybe they are healthier because of the olive oil? Anyway, we’re making this next week, except hopefully with the pre-shredded brussels from Trader Joes. :)
Oh wow, those onions sound incredible!!
I love brussels sprouts in salads and the crispy shallots make this one a winner. Printing and pinning! Thanks for the great recipe!
Oh, this looks so yum! I just had to pin it and make it later. It’s perfect for fall. I wonder what to serve it with, though. Any good ideas?
YES YES YES! This looks and sounds like brussels sprouts heaven! A perfect vegetarian dish, but what about the almost additional of BACON!?! Thanks for sharing your perfection.
Salads don’t usually make my mouth water so much.
http://www.pixics.com/
Awesome recipe! Will need to make this next week.
I LOVE brussel sprout salads! So Good. And with fried shallots…yum!!
Yum! now you have me craving bursesels sprouts. I can’t wait to get my hands on some! Those shallots look divine. :)
Wow, I’ve never thought of brussel sprouts as salad, amazing!
I love that Brussels sprouts are so popular now! They are too delicious to be pushed away like they were for so many year. This looks delicious.
Brussel sprouts get such a bad rap but they can be SO good – case in point with this salad! So many different flavours and textures going on, and especially love the addition of fried shallots and pecans. Super healthy too – I almost wish we had thanksgiving here (being in Australia, we are now heading into summer) so I had something to make it for!! Will be saving it for our autumn though :)
yum! My mom makes a similar salad and I adore it! ♡♡
xoxoBella | http://xoxobella.com
hello, :)
i’m Daniela from Romania
and i have a question :
if it’s not pancake syrup , what kind of maple syrup?
it’s difference, can you tell? :)
thank you sugar !!! :)
yours Daniela
Hi Daniela! I just meant pure maple syrup vs pancake syrup which is usually corn syrup, etc. :)
BTW, Trader Joes sells bagged shredded Brussels sprouts. You are so right–this will make a terrific addition to the holiday menu!!
This looks delicious! Perfect for the holidays!
This salad is lip-smackingly delicious! I had it for lunch yesterday and just ate it for breakfast. Thanks for posting great eats.
Love it! So glad you enjoyed!
This was absolutely delicious! I had it with Bourban marinated pork chops and threw some left over chicken on the salad the next day. Amazing! Looks like someone already mentioned that Trader Jo’s has pre sliced Brussels sprouts which made this recipe so easy. That you for your great website. I’m a Nebraska girl transplanted to New Mexico 32 years ago. Your website gives me a little taste of home!
Oh wow, bourbon-marinated chops – YUM!! What else was in your marinade?
Kristin, this looks amazing! I love brussel sprouts, especially this time of the year. I am just starting out my food blog and have been reading your blog for years (I even emailed you before I studied abroad in college!) I just posted a Gluten-Free quiche recipe I really think you would enjoy, another great meal as the temperatures drop!
This looks AH-MAZING and definitely going to make it as a Thanksgiving side. Do you think I could make it a day ahead and store in the fridge then cool to room temp? Or is it best served warm?
Hi Becca! I’d combine the brussels sprouts, nuts, and dried cranberries in a bowl/container the day before, then just before serving toss with the cheese, crispy shallots (made fresh just before serving,) pear, and dressing!
Some of my best salads have come from you, this is no exception. Just finished it, delish!
[…] Recipe adapted from Iowa Girl Eats. […]
Oh my goodness that looks so good! Are the brussels sprouts firm and hard to eat?
Nope, they’re really crunchy but not hard to eat if you shred them thin enough!
Fantastic salad!! I got everything at Trader Joes, using their bag of Cruciferous Crunch Collection (kale, brussel sprouts, broccoli, green & red cabbage). No way was I going to slice up brussel sprouts when this was readily available! I followed the recipe exactly except I used Agave syrup instead of maple in the dressing. Next time I will add more dried cranberries & Gorgonzola just because I love them. I didn’t think the pears added much to the salad, so I may leave them out. So Super DELICIOUS! Thank you for the recipe!
Just made this tonight. YUM! I used my food processor to shred the Brussels and I used blood orange infused olive oil in the dressing.
[…] Fall Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad – Iowa Girl Eats […]
[…] Fall Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad – Iowa Girl Eats […]
I made this tonight and at one point just started eating right out of the bowl! Even my reluctant vegetable-eating husband said he was taking the leftovers for his lunch. I did make an oops and used Worcestershire sauce instead of balsamic vinegar, but it actually tasted pretty great :-)
Haha, totally guilty of that too! ;)
[…] Fall Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad from Iowa Girl Eats […]
[…] Fall Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad from Iowa Girl Eats totally mixes up the Brussels sprouts […]
We had this today at our Charming Chicks luncheon. Fantastic salad! I will make it for Thanksgiving. Thank you!
[…] Fall Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad from Iowa Girl Eats. […]
[…] Fall Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad […]
[…] Brussels Sprouts Salad, adapted from Iowa Girl Eats […]
Is there another cheese you would recommend instead of gorgonzola. I am not a gorgonzola fan… Or just leave the cheese out?
I would use chevre or feta!
I was going to do roasted brussels for Thanksgiving, but now I think I am going to change it up and do this salad instead. It looks delicious! Love the idea of adding some maple to the balsamic dressing.
[…] options. You’ll be happy to know I’ve made a decision, I’m going with the Fall Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad from Iowa Girl Eats and the Crispy Garlic Mashed Potatoes. I can’t […]
Going to try this recipe tomorrow for Thanksgiving, looks AMAZING!
Do you think I could sub goat cheese and almonds for Gorgonzola and pecans? Just wondering if that combo would taste ok?
Also, does it matter what kind of pear I use? I am by no means a cook at all!
Thanks!
Totally! I hope you love it!
[…] 4. Classic: Roasted Brussels Sprouts || Alternative: Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad […]
[…] We found this recipe on Pinterest, of course. This was the healthy addition to our Thanksgiving table, and I enjoyed the leftovers for a few days! I never buy salad dressing anymore, because it’s so easy and economical to make your own. A vinaigrette recipe like this is one of my basics. All credit goes to Iowa Girl Eats for the original recipe. […]
[…] had big plans to make a Fall Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad while my in-laws were visiting, but it didn’t happen. In retrospect, I should have just […]
Kristin, i.just happened to Google brussel sprout salad tonight and found this recipe. I LOVE it. I was looking for something a little diffrent tonight front my normal bs, carrot, red cabbage with evoo and apple cider vinager. This was amazing and reminded me of something I used to make with muslin greens. I just didn’t have any onion/shallot because they happend to all be in my French Six Onion Soup (6 types of onion) on the stove. Next time there will be fried shallot. Should be even better…now I’m off to browse the rest of your blog sence I’m new. Thank you for sharing.
That French Six Onion Soup sounds awesome!
[…] am planning to make Iowa Girl Eats brussel sprout salad. I have been drying to try this. I’ll let you know how it turns out! I […]
I made this as the healthy addition to Thanksgiving this year and everyone went crazy for it. I have now been assigned to bring it to all thanksgivings and Christmas celebrations. My mom makes it once a week for her lunches as well. Thanks for this delicious salad!
[…] discovered this easy, no-cook brussels sprouts salad via Iowa Girl Eats and just had to try it. It took my 26 years before I took my first bite of brussels sprouts and […]
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I must be out to lunch but I want to know if the Brussels sprouts need to be cooked first and then sliced thin. Sheepishly yours,
No worries, Natty! The brussels sprouts are raw in this salad. :)
Awesome Salad!! Looks and tastes great!!
I jus recently discovered that I like Brussels sprouts (as in last week!). I had seen this recipe when I was searching for how to make roasted sprouts and thought if I liked them is have to try it because it just looked so beautiful.
I made this for our weekly fellowship gathering and it really was delicious! I had to make 2 substitutions so I can’t wait to make it as written – I didn’t have shallots so I used green onions (not fried, of course), and I thought I had dijon but it was honey mustard. I also went with feta since I don’t care for gorgonzola.
It was still a wonderful salad and I’m also having it for breakfast! Thanks for the great recipe!
Great substitutions, Dawn, and I’m so glad you liked the salad! :)
[…] based my recipe off of these two: from the Food Network and from Iowa Girl Eats. […]
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