You only need 6 ingredients to make this decadent Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Salad! Shredded Brussels sprouts, zesty red onion, and crunchy almonds are topped with a warm honey mustard salad dressing and salty bacon to create this easy, but impressive, Brussels Sprouts Salad.
Table of Contents
- Simple Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad
- Why You’ll Love This Brussels Sprouts Recipe
- Can Brussels Sprouts Be Eaten Raw?
- What You’ll Need
- How to Make A Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
- Tips & Variation Ideas
- What Goes With Brussels Sprouts and Bacon?
- How to Store this Salad
- More Simple Side Salad Recipes
- Get the Recipe
Simple Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad
This Brussels Sprouts Salad may be simple to make, but it’s flavors are bold and bright! Freshly shaved brussels sprouts are tossed together with zesty red onion, crunchy sliced almonds, and rich parmesan cheese to create the heart of this salad. Top the salad with crispy fried bacon and a hearty drizzle of warm Honey Mustard Salad Dressing to pull it all together!
Besides the fantastic taste, this brussels sprouts recipe is great to have on hand because you can mix it together in less than 20 minutes, keeping the prep work to a minimum. You can also easily prep it ahead of time for a barbecue, a potluck, or just an everyday family dinner – it works for all three options and more!
Why You’ll Love This Brussels Sprouts Recipe
This brussels sprout and bacon combination is quickly becoming a go-to recipe for a lot of reasons. Here are just a few:
- Time-Saver: You only need 5 simple ingredients, plus your salad dressing, for this salad. With only 15 minutes of work, which can all be prepped ahead of time, this salad also can save a lot of time!
- Flavorful: The sweet but tangy flavor of the warm honey mustard dressing melds perfectly with the zesty red onion, salt bacon, crunchy sliced almonds, and the rich, nutty parmesan cheese in each bite of this bold salad – you have to try it to understand just how good it is!
- Healthy: Brussels sprouts contain fiber, protein, calcium, vitamin K, vitamin C, and a number of other nutrients we need!
Can Brussels Sprouts Be Eaten Raw?
Yes, they can and that is how we will be enjoying them in this salad. Brussels sprouts can be bitter when eaten raw, which is why many people cook them to achieve a sweeter flavor. Adding bold flavors like the ones discussed above, though, helps mask any subtle bitterness. Also, shredding your brussels sprouts combats their tough texture and makes them a lot easier to chew and digest.
What You’ll Need
Okay, time to tackle those 5 ingredients that we’ve been talking so much about, plus the salad dressing. If you’re looking for the exact ingredient amounts, you can find them at the bottom of this post in the printable recipe card.
- Bacon: We like to use thick cut bacon, cut into small pieces that you can crumble over the top of the salad. You can skip the bacon if you aren’t a bacon fan.
- Brussels Sprouts: Make sure you wash these thoroughly before shaving them. (For tips on how to shave/shred them, see below.)
- Onion: Adding red onion will give your salad a good pungent bite and extra texture. If you aren’t a fan of red onions, you could also use chopped scallions for a milder onion flavor.
- Nuts: Sliced almonds are my go-to for this salad, but you could definitely swap them out for walnuts, pecans, etc.
- Cheese: Shaved or grated parmesan tastes fabulous in this salad, but you could also use feta, goat cheese, or another mild cheese.
- Dressing: Honey Mustard Salad Dressing is my favorite (room temperature or warmed), but feel free to use any kind of dressing you enjoy. This Maple Balsamic Salad Dressing would also be delicious on this salad.
How to Make A Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
Ready to be blown away by how easy it is to make this brussels sprouts recipe? Here’s the step-by-step guide:
- Cook the Bacon: In a small skillet over medium-high heat, add the cut bacon and fry it until it’s nice and crispy. Remove the bacon and place it on a paper napkin to drain off the excess grease. Set aside.
- Prep the Brussels Sprouts: Trim off the ends and then use a mandolin or a sharp knife to slice the sprouts into thin pieces. Place your shaved brussels into a medium sized bowl.
- Slice the Onion: Using the mandolin, or knife, slice the red onion into thin strips and add them to the sprouts. Add the almonds and toss the salad to combine.
- Add the Dressing: When you’re ready to serve, pour the honey mustard salad dressing over the salad and toss. Top your salad with crispy bacon, the remaining almonds, and shaved parmesan. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Tips & Variation Ideas
Making a salad with shaved brussels sprouts is pretty simple, but there are still a couple of timesaving tips to go over. I’ve got some variation suggestions too, if you need them!
- Can I Make this Salad Ahead of Time? Definitely! This is a great prep ahead party salad. Just don’t add the bacon, cheese, or dressing until you are ready to serve. The bacon and cheese will become soggy in the refrigerator.
- Add Fruit: If you want a little burst of fruit, some tart dried cherries would be great in this salad.
- Almond Substitutes: Feel free to change out the almonds for your favorite nut. Pine nuts would be great in this salad as well. You can also use walnuts or pecans.
- Warm Up Your Salad Dressing: I like to warm the salad dressing for this salad, but it’s totally optional!
- Use a Mandolin: A mandolin will make this go a lot faster! I know it takes a few minutes, but shaving your own brussels sprouts is a lot fresher than using the pre-shaved brussels in the produce section. It makes a difference and is worth the few extra minutes!
What Goes With Brussels Sprouts and Bacon?
Honestly, you can serve these shredded brussels sprouts with just about anything you like. Here are a couple of ideas to get the ball rolling:
- Steak: A serving of brussels sprouts salad would taste awesome with these Air Fryer Steak Bites!
- Chicken: This salad, Mashed Potatoes, and Pan Seared Chicken Breast are an all-time-great matchup. Any chicken dinner will work, though!
- Soup: For a light dinner, try pairing your salad with a soup like this Tomato Basil Soup!
- Pasta: Dinners like this Easy Taco Pasta can always use a healthy side salad.
How to Store this Salad
Once fully assembled, this brussels sprouts salad is best served fresh. You can store the ingredients individually for up to 5 days in the fridge, but I don’t recommend trying to preserve leftovers once the salad has been mixed together (they will become soggy).
More Simple Side Salad Recipes
If you’re loving this brussels sprouts recipe, you might want to try some of these other side salads:
- Broccoli Salad
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
- Orzo Salad with Arugula
- Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Holiday Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad
Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Bacon
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick cut bacon, cut into small pieces
- 1 pound Brussel sprouts, shaved thin
- 1 small red onion sliced thin
- 4 oz sliced almonds
- ¼ cup shaved parmesan
- 1 batch Honey Mustard Salad Dressing, room temperature or warmed
Instructions
- In a small skillet over medium-high heat, add the cut bacon and fry it until crispy. Remove the bacon and place on a paper napkin to drain off the excess grease. Set aside.
- Prep the Brussel sprouts by trimming off the end and then using a mandolin or sharp knife to slice the sprouts into thin pieces. Place shaved Brussels into a medium sized bowl.
- Using the mandolin, or knife, slice the red onion into thin strips and add to the sprouts.
- Add 3 ounces of the almonds and toss the salad to combine.
- When ready to serve, pour the Honey Mustard Salad Dressing over the salad and toss. Top salad with crispy bacon, remaining almonds and parmesan. Serve immediately.
Notes
- To Store: Once fully assembled, this brussels sprouts salad is best served fresh. You can store the ingredients individually for up to 5 days in the fridge, but I don't recommend trying to preserve leftovers once the salad has been mixed together (they will become soggy).
