Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad Recipe (vegan + gf)
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Salad Ingredients
- 12-20 Brussels sprouts, shredded
- 3-4 cups white/red cabbage, shredded (or coleslaw)
- 1 red pepper, sliced or chopped
- 5 green onions, sliced
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- 1 pomegranate, seeds
- ½ - 1 cup pistachio nuts, shelled
- 1 package ramen noodles, toasted
- sunflower, pumpkin or sesame seeds (optional)
- cilantro, thai basil, chopped
Creamy Pomegranate Balsamic Salad Dressing (Dairy Free)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (or dark)
- ¼ cup pomegranate juice*
- 2 tablespoons Vegenaise or dairy free yogurt
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)
- 1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, more to taste
- fresh thyme leaves (optional)
Salad Ingredients
The amounts in this recipe are just a guideline, add more or less of anything to customize the salad to your taste.
Shave sprouts on a mandoline (using guide) or with a sharp knife. Time Saving Tip: buy pre-shredded Brussels sprouts at the market. Add all other veggies to a large bowl.
Make ahead to this point, cover and store in fridge until ready to serve.
Creamy Pomegranate Balsamic Dressing
Place all dressing ingredients (except maple syrup, red pepper flakes and herbs) into a blender and blend until smooth and emulsified.
Stir in the maple syrup for sweetness, red pepper flakes for heat, and fresh thyme leaves (if using). Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
Store in refrigerator until ready to use.
A note about garlic - this dressing is both light and flavorful. The garlic helps balance the flavors, but can overpower pretty easily. I added a very small clove so it gave the dressing just a kiss of garlic.
Dressing: adjust the flavors to your taste. If the dressing seems flat to your taste, add more salt. For more zing, add another tablespoon of balsamic vinegar or more lemon. For a richer dressing, add another tablespoon of oil; creamier, add more Vegenaise.
Balsamic Vinegar: I used white balsamic but you could sub for dark balsamic vinegar - it will change the color.
Pomegranate Juice: can sub for orange juice or any juice you have on hand.
Garlic: just a small clove! Taste and add more if desired. You don't want the garlic to overwhelm this light dressing.
***Also note: if you are making the dressing ahead of time, the garlic flavor will increase in potency over time so keep that in mind.
Nuts & Seeds: if you use raw pistachios, toast in a dry skillet over medium heat or roast on a baking sheet in a 325º F oven until fragrant and lightly toasted. Or buy roasted/salted pistachios if you prefer.
Sub in toasted sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds or sesame seeds or add a combination of nuts/seeds.
Fruit: if you can't find pomegranates, apples, pears or cranberries are delicious and festive in this winter salad as well.