Easy and Delicious Brussels Sprout Salad Recipe

This Brussels sprout salad is an incredible way to enjoy a vegetable that is not always a fan favorite. It has wonderful flavor and you can customize the salad toppings to fit your preferences.

Reducing Food Waste

I use this salad as an opportunity to reduce waste and use up items that I have in my home that I want to use up. For example, I had raisins that were starting to dry out, but when I baked them in this recipe they plumped up and tasted delicious.

Cashews can be used in place of pine nuts, any nut that you have will add a crunch to the salad, providing additional texture. I also use pine nuts in my spinach salad with hot bacon dressing. You can view the recipe here.

I added dried beets and hemp hearts to my salad, but you can add any salad toppings that you desire!

How to Store Brussels Sprouts

Washing Brussels sprouts is a different process than most of the other vegetables. I wash them similarly to broccoli because they are in the same family. Brussel sprouts are an item that I actually do not wash until I am ready to use them. When I bring them home from the grocery store, I keep them in a mesh produce bag or a half gallon jar with a metal lid. Both of these should be kept in the refrigerator.

How to Wash Brussels Sprouts

Once I am ready to use them, I wash my Brussels sprouts. Here are the steps for washing Brussels sprouts:

Fill a large bowl with 10 cups of warm water and 1 tablespoon of salt
Add Brussels sprouts to water
Soak for two minutes
Remove from water and use as desired

A salad spinner is a great way to dry the Brussels sprouts quickly in order to use them in your recipe. I use that for this recipe to remove extra moisture. It also allows you to wash, rinse, and dry them all in the same bowl!

Zero Waste Produce Guide

If you want to learn more about how to wash and store produce, check out my Zero Waste Produce Guide.

Homemade Salad Dressing

Making homemade salad dressings allows you to know the ingredients that are in them. In this recipe, I make a simple vinaigrette. It is equal parts oil, balsamic vinegar, and mustard. I used a whole grain mustard but you could also use a dijon. In addition to those, add the juice of a lemon as well as salt and pepper to taste.