Apple Bacon Brussels Sprouts Salad with warm bacon dressing is a fresh yet decadent salad that's packed with flavor and crunch!
“Fixed this for dinner tonight- one of the BEST salads I have ever eaten!!! Thanks so much for creating recipes that are so good and easy to fix! Can’t wait to fix this one again!”
I’ve run into no less than 3 readers in the past month who’ve said, I just love your salads! I do too, as evidenced by the bursting salad recipe selection here on IGE, though I think I’ve found a new favorite. Apple Bacon Brussels Sprouts Salad with warm bacon dressing is fresh yet decadent and packed full of flavor and crunch.
Yes, warm bacon dressing. This is no boring salad recipe, people!
Raw Brussels Sprouts Salad
Shaved raw brussels sprouts and chopped whole almonds — who battle it out for title of Captain Crunch — are paired with savory bacon, sweet apple, and a decadent warm bacon dressing in this savory-sweet salad that you could serve as a light entree, or alongside grilled chicken or steak for a full meal.
If you’ve ever tried my mega-popular Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad then you know how fantastic raw brussels sprouts salads can be.
Yes, brussels sprouts can be eaten raw! They’re essentially teeny-tiny baby cabbages. Just make sure you slice or shave them as thinly as possible. I’ll show you how!
Try the Jennifer Aniston Salad
How to Make this Recipe
Start by crisping bacon in a large skillet over medium heat then remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Reserve 3 Tablespoons bacon fat in the skillet, which we’ll use for the salad dressing, adding extra virgin olive oil if there’s not enough.
Chop or crumble the bacon when its cool enough to handle then set it aside.
While the bacon is crisping up, prep the brussels sprouts. Chop the ends off fresh brussels sprouts then peel away any loose outer leaves.
I like to shred the sprouts using my food processor’s slicing blade, though you can use a sharp knife and a steady hand to slice them as thinly as possible.
The food processor makes light work of this task!
Add the brussels sprouts to a large bowl with the chopped bacon, plus chopped almonds. Not only do the chopped almonds add lots of crunch to the salad, but a subtly sweet flavor that plays nicely off the apples. If you’ve ever had apple slices with almond butter then you know what I mean!
Back to the bacon! To the 3 Tablespoons reserved bacon fat, add minced shallot then saute until tender, 2 minutes. Next, remove the skillet from the heat then add white balsamic vinegar (could use red wine vinegar,) honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Place the skillet back over the heat then whisk until smooth and combined, about 30 seconds. Drizzle the dressing over the salad then toss with tongs to coat.
The warm dressing will cause the raw brussels sprouts to soften slightly, plus give each bite amazing salty-sweet and tangy flavor. I LOVE this dressing!
Last step is to add a chopped red apple to the bowl then toss again to combine. Scoop onto plates then serve!
More Hearty Salad Recipes
- Jennifer Aniston Salad
- Apple Orchard Salad
- Steak Salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Maple-Bourbon Pecan Salad
- Everyday Kale Salad
- Wild Rice Harvest Bowls
- Apple, Cranberry, Almond Salad
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon
- 8 oz brussels sprouts, ends trimmed
- 1/4 cup almonds, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon minced shallot
- 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar, could use red wine vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper
- 1 red apple, chopped
Directions
- Crisp bacon in a large skillet over medium heat then remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Reserve 3 Tablespoons bacon grease in skillet (add extra virgin olive oil if there’s not enough.) Chop or crumble bacon when cool enough to handle.
- Meanwhile, use the grating blade attachment on a food processor, mandolin, or very sharp knife to slice brussels sprouts very thin. Add to a large bowl with almonds and bacon then set aside.
- To the bacon grease, still over medium heat, add shallots then saute until tender, 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat then whisk in vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper (be careful, vinegar may spatter a bit.) Return skillet to heat then whisk until dressing is combined, 30 seconds. Pour over brussels sprouts mixture then toss well to coat. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary. Add chopped apple then toss again to mix, and then serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
That would be a great salad any time of year….but it would be really good at Thanksgiving!
What??? You guys didnt watch the Masters?? Or better yet, get out and play in weather like that. Pshaw!!! ;-) next year!
This salad looks delicious!! I love the combo of bacon and apples! I’ll definitely be trying this one soon!
My fiance refuses to eat salad, but I LOVE it. I have made so many of your salads (ok, probably all) for myself, but he loves Brussels sprouts and bacon (duh), so this might just be a salad he can get behind. I think I’ll try and get him to make it for dinner one night–he’s like a kid in that he’s more apt to eat something if he’s made it himself. Hah!
I am totally down with this salad! Especially the warm bacon dressing part! I’ll be giving this a go soon for sure.
You had me at bacon and brussel sprouts! So looking forward to connecting with you on Thursday!
Me too!! Can’t wait to catch up! :) Safe travels!
I love your salads, too! They’re packed with flavor and texture, and they’re just all-around fantastic. I adore all of the ingredients in this salad and I’m sure they’d play amazingly off each other. Definitely making this :)
This salad looks great! I just thought I should point out that, reading the description in the text part of the post (as opposed to the recipe part of the post at the bottom), it sort of sounds like you’re using a Tablespoon of salt and pepper (because it appears that the “one Tablespoon each” modifies each of the following four ingredients: honey, Dijon, salt, and pepper. But I don’t think you really used a T of salt and pepper–did you? Anyway, no big deal but I just wanted to clarify, in case it could help someone! Thanks for everything you do!
This salad looks awesome! Where’s the best place to buy fresh brussel sprouts in WDM?
Looks awesome! Where’s the best place to get fresh brussel sprouts in WDM?
This looks delicious! I have an intolerance to lettuce so a lot of salads are off the table for me but this sounds like just the ticket for me to get my salad on.
I’m adding to the chorus: YOUR SALAD RECIPES ARE THE BEST!!!!
I love your salads! They’re always so filling and delicious. Your patio happy hour looks amazing! We spent the weekend outside too and it was so great to be outdoors. Have a good week!