Raw Brussels Sprout Salad with parm and walnuts

This raw Brussels sprout salad is one of my favourite holiday dishes. It is so simple, and the flavours and textures are perfectly balanced-fresh, rich, salty, and crunchy. This is the unsuspecting star of your holiday (or post-holiday) table.

I'm on team Brussels sprouts. I know, not everyone likes Brussels sprouts, usually expecting a soggy and bitter side dish. And when they are served raw, well, you might get some raised eyebrows. But trust me, thinly sliced and tossed with a zesty yet simple vinaigrette, these sprouts are so good. Last winter, I made this salad no less than five times. This just may be the dish to change everyone's mind about these tiny little cabbages.

Why this recipe works

Thinly slicing the Brussels sprouts removes some of that bitter bite and enhances their natural sweetness. Thinly slicing also ensures that every little millimetre of sprout gets covered in dressing. Think what cole slaw does to a simple cabbage-the same idea, but far more sophisticated.

Parmesan adds salty umami to each bite while walnuts add texture and crunch.

Love Brussels sprouts as much as me, try these recipes:

• Shaved Brussels Sprout salad with Quinoa and Cranberry
• Miso-glazed Brussels Sprouts

What you need to make this raw Brussels sprout salad

Brussels sprouts: Obviously! As these sprouts will be served raw, get the freshest you can find. Avoid sprouts that look discoloured or dried up. This is true for any Brussels sprout dish, really, but here it is essential. Remove the tough dried ends and any dried or yellowly outer leaves.

Parmesan cheese: For this recipe, I prefer to use shaved rather than grated Parmesan, although grating works just fine. I do prefer the larger bite of shaved pieces. I use a vegetable peeler to shave the Parmesan into thin pieces.

Tip - you can find shaved parmesan in the cheese section of your grocery store to save you a bit of time and effort.

Walnuts: very roughly chopped and toasted for the best flavour

Olive oil: your best quality extra virgin olive oil

Lemon: This is the acid for this salad, and it is freshly squeezed. You can even grate a bit of the rind over top for a bit more zest.

Salt and pepper: Yes. The amount will depend on the quality of your cheese. Season to taste-for real. Taste, then season, then taste again.

How to make and prep ahead options

Prepare the sprouts

Clean the sprouts by removing the dried woody stem ends and tough outer leaves. Remove any blemishes.

I used the slicing blade of my food processor to slice the sprouts. You could use a good, sharp knife, but I find the smallest slicing blade on my food processor does the required job in minutes. You could also use a mandoline, but please be careful.

Prepping ahead

The components of this salad can all be prepared ahead of serving, up to the day before, and just tossed together before serving. I like this served immediately, full of crunch. But don't worry if it gets tossed 30 minutes or so before serving. It will wilt slightly and be just as delicious.

To prep ahead, slice the sprouts and toast the walnuts. The sliced sprouts should be covered and refrigerated. The sprouts can be sliced the day before.

Walnuts can also be toasted a few days ahead. Allow them to cool completely, then store in an airtight container. I prefer to keep them covered at room temperature, but you can also place them in the fridge.

Assemble just before serving. Toss everything together in one bowl. Depending on the saltiness of your cheese, you may want to add a bit more cheese or salt. Taste and adjust as necessary.

If you are taking this dish on the road-to a gathering, dinner party, or whatever-pack all the ingredients in separate containers and toss the salad a bit before dinner is served. Borrow the hosts' salt and pepper to adjust seasonings. (This would be the perfect time to grab that container of shaved parmesan from the deli at the grocery store.)

Enjoy!

Serving suggestions and storage

This is an elegant and rich salad which could be served as a side dish or a starter.

Be generous with this salad-be generous with the olive oil, the Parmesan, and the walnuts-because it really is one of those occasions where more is better.

The salad is best served right after tossing, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit to happily eating leftovers the next day. Although it is certainly better when it's freshly tossed, slightly wilted, shaved sprouts covered in good-quality parmesan and olive oil work nicely for lunch.

Optional add-ins

When pomegranates are fresh and readily available, sprinkle some on top to finish the salad. I would use ½ to 1 cup. They add a nice pop of colour, which is really festive for the holidays.

Bacon - of course. Adds saltiness to this salad. Reduce salt accordingly.

Chopped dates add a little sweetness to an otherwise rich and salty salad. Dates will pair nicely with both the Parmesan and the walnuts.

 

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