shredded brussels sprouts apple salad with spiced maple walnuts
Now this is fucking fall in a bowl.
Raw Brussels sprouts are difficult to enjoy, and even roasted sprouts can still make a man turn his nose up. I love the tiny cabbages myself, and autumn’s bounty of Brussels excites me since they’re quite versatile to play with.
I tried this recipe with broccoli a couple times, but something simply wasn’t correct. Partially aesthetic, partially taste. I’ve been quite persnickety with my photos of late, to be fair. Not sure if it’s my lighting or my eyeballs. Maybe both.
At any rate, I finally landed on this shredded sprouts iteration and I am enamored. Even more so with those sweet and spicy walnuts tossed into the greens. I like me some nuts. The cider vinaigrette finishes off the hearty, comforting bowl, and serves to soften the sprouts so you won’t be walking around with Bitter Brussels Face the rest of the night.
Deez Nuts
Start with the walnuts, since you can fart around as they cool with the rest of the dish. The spread is very simple: nuts, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and the special touch, a bit of chili powder. Roast them up in a single layer for around 12-15 minutes. Watch closely, else they might torch, even ignite if you legit forget about them.
As the nuts cool off, I prep the rest of the components. If you can find them, pre-shaved sprouts save an ass ton of time, and they’re just as good as doing the labor yourself. I know Trader Joes often carries bags and so does Target – I’d imagine Whole Foods and Walmart join the club there, too.
When you’re able to handle the nuts, break them apart and roughly chop about a cup’s worth. You can certainly use more in your salad, but I like to have a bit left for topping and for nibbling when I’m bored.
Along with the aforementioned sprouts and nuts, chop up a nice big honeycrisp apple and grate some parmesan. If you’re ambitious, you can slap open a whole pomegranate and remove the arils, but I cheat and just buy them pre-separated.
Throw all that good shit in a huge mixing bowl.
Mustard Mania
Once everything is sliced and diced, make the vinaigrette. The warmth is key to this salad since it helps mellow the sprouts’ texture and remove some of the raw flavor. I said all that above but I’m saying it again because it’s important, alright? Sheesh.
All there is to do is warm some olive oil in a skillet and saute shallot and garlic. Move the pan off the heat and stir in apple cider, maple syrup, fresh thyme, dijon, and a bit of salt and pepper. Cool for a minute or two, them dump over your salad. Probably good to note that a heatproof bowl is useful here.
Toss it all together with some big salad tongs or whatever. When serving, sprinkle on some extra cheese, pomegranates, and doze nuts.
Pocket this salad for the holidays, and in the meantime, whip it out for a quick light lunch or dinner alongside some salmon or chicken or whatever your forte might be. Get some wine going, maybe some sexy music, and you’ve got yourself a date, whether you’re alone or with someone else or not actually with someone else but pretending to be.
That was sad.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Hit me with some greens:
Harvest Fig and Kale Crunch Salad with Tahini Cider Dressing
Crispy Chickpea, Kale, and Sundried Tomato Caesar Salad
shredded brussels sprouts apple salad with spiced maple walnuts
Ingredients
- 2 cups walnut halves
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts, shredded
- 1 large honeycrisp apple, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups grated fresh Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup pomegranate arils
warm cider dijon vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 1/3 cup apple cider
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Toss the walnuts with the brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and chili powder. Spread in an even layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes until toasted and fragrant, stirring once halfway in the cooking time. Let cool.
- In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low. Add the shallot and garlic and cook until soft and golden, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the apple cider, thyme, maple syrup, and dijon. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed (when it's cooled down a bit, please don't scald your tongue).
- Add the shredded Brussels sprouts to a large bowl along with the apple, 1 cup of the walnuts, pomegranate arils, and parmesan. Pour in the dressing and toss thoroughly until combined. Transfer to a serving bowl or dish and top with additional pomegranate, walnuts, and cheese, as desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.
