Brussels Sprout Salad

There are so many delicious ways to prepare Brussels sprouts—roasting, grilling, deep frying...need we go on? That being said, we understand: This popular vegetable can be divisive. When we want to incorporate this veggie into our Thanksgiving or holiday dinner, we turn to this fresh, seasonal salad. With toasted almonds, shaved Parmesan, and pomegranate seeds, this is the holiday side that will convert even the biggest Brussels sprout haters.

Can Brussels sprouts be eaten raw?
Absolutely. If you're unsure about eating raw Brussels sprouts—no stress, it's totally fine! Brussels sprouts are completely safe to be eaten raw, and thinly sliced and tossed in this simple dressing? They're downright delicious.

Prepping your Brussels sprouts:
Before letting your Brussels sprouts marinate in your dressing, halve and thinly slice them. We love the texture of thinly sliced sprouts in this salad—the crunch is still there, but complements the rest of our ingredients. You can do this by hand or with a food processor—refer to our shredded Brussels sprouts recipe for all of our tips.

How long should I marinate them in the dressing?
We recommend at least 20 minutes, but you can leave them sitting for up to 4 hours before serving. The longer they sit, the more the lemon and herb dressing will soak into your shredded sprouts, which we think is worth the extra time.

Variations:
We love this salad as it is, but feel free to experiment with it. Swap out the shaved Parmesan for crumbled goat cheese, replace the pomegranate seeds with dried cranberries or the toasted almonds with your favorite nut variety. Same goes with the simple dressing: add in garlic, honey, or switch up the fresh herbs to find your ideal combination.

How to serve a Brussels sprout salad:
This is a perfect side to your holiday ham or Thanksgiving turkey, but this salad goes with a variety of mains: baked pork chops, vegan meatloaf, or butternut squash casserole. Pair it with your winter dinner as a fresh and easy side, or serve it with your weeknight vegetarian dinner—these sprouts can do it all.

Tried making this hearty salad? Let us know how it went in the comments below!