Spiced Maple Brussels Sprouts Salad.
This maple brussels sprouts salad is a dreamy side dish for autumn or your Thanksgiving table. Shredded brussels, dried cherries, parmesan and toasted pine nuts are drizzled with a spiced maple vinaigrette. Delicious!
This is how I’ll be eating green for the rest of the season.
I mean, does anything sound more autumnal harvest than a spiced maple brussels sprouts salad?!
I think not.
This brussels salad is filled with dried cherries, toasted pine nuts, shaved parmesan and a delicious almost-drinkable maple vinaigrette that has a hint of fall flavor.
It’s crunchy and loaded with texture. And it makes an excellent complement to almost anything else on your Thanksgiving plate!
Side dishes are all the rage on Thanksgiving at our house. They are what I love the most. And while I will rarely stray from the classics, a good brussels sprouts dish can always fit in somewhere on the table.
Since I didn’t grow up eating brussels sprouts on Thanksgiving (my mom STILL can’t believe I like them), there is no traditional or classic dish for us to make.
Which I secretly love, because it means I can make all sorts of different brussels dishes to try. I’ve made an incredible brussels gratin before, many many brussels sprouts salads and even brussels fritters.
There are so many good options.
One of these reasons I love this salad is because it’s incredibly easy. You shave, shred or slice the brussels sprouts and that’s it – no cooking required. Plus, the entire salad tastes better as it sits. It marinates in the dressing and all bitterness and bite leave the brussels.
It’s also loaded with ingredients that most people enjoy.
We have:
Toasted pine nuts. Though any other toasted nut you enjoy will work.
Dried cherries or cranberries.
Shaved parmesan.
And that’s it! It’s simple and easy, but very flavorful.
I use my classic maple vinaigrette for this salad, but I add in a pinch of allspice and cardamom. Oh my gosh – it warms up the dressing so much and makes it even lovelier than normal. Tangy, a hint of maple sweetness and spiced well with an added depth of flavor perfect for fall.
The ingredients in this salad are very similar to my brussels sprouts slaw, and that goes with just about anything. Both of these are such a wonderful side dish or an easy base salad. You can throw just about anything else into the bowl that you like!
Spiced Maple Brussels Sprouts Salad
Brussels Salad with Spiced Maple Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- ½ cup pine nuts
- 1 pound raw brussels sprouts, stems removed and sliced or shredded
- ½ cup dried cherries or cranberries
- ½ cup shaved parmesan cheese
- kosher salt and pepper
spiced maple vinaigrette
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced or pressed
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- pinch of cardamom
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- kosher salt and pepper
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Heat the pine nuts in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Don’t take your eyes off them! Stir and cook until they turn golden and become fragrant, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Place the brussels in a large bowl. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of dressing and toss. Let the brussels sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Add in the pine nuts, dried fruit and parmesan. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and toss. Taste and season more if needed. Enjoy!
spiced maple vinaigrette
- Whisk together the vinegar, maple syrup, garlic, allspice, nutmeg, cardamom, a big pinch of salt and pepper and the crushed red pepper flakes. Whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. This stays great in the fridge in a sealed container.
Did you make this recipe?
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So.much.crunch.
5 Comments on “Spiced Maple Brussels Sprouts Salad.”
No roasting the sprouts?
The biggest reason you like Brussels sprouts is because in 1999 they released a new strain that was only a fraction as bitter as the older varieties.
Also, this would be just as good using pecans or walnuts, and people are MUCH more likely to have those on hand, compared to pine nuts.
Trader Joe’s sells bags of shredded Brussels sprouts! Would make this recipe even easier! I’m planning to make this for Thanksgiving, but with sunflower seeds instead of pine nuts. Thanks for posting, it looks delicious!
It was a “hit” at the Thanksgiving table. Easy to make, although, I would shred the brussel sprouts next time and very tasty. We did not use nearly as much vinaigrette as this made.
I made this with sunflower seeds in place of the pine nuts for Thanksgiving and it was a big hit!