Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Apples and Dates

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Tossing Brussel sprout salad with vinaigrette dressing

Prepare your tastebuds, friends! While crafting this season’s collection of holiday sides (there’s good stuff coming), we realized we wanted a quick, fresh, and versatile salad featuring fall ingredients. Enter: this Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad (with kale, apples, and dates — oh my!).

Not only is this salad a delicious combination of savory, sweet, crunchy, and tart, but it comes together with just 10 ingredients in 20 minutes! It’s the perfect dish to freshen up your holiday table or enjoy as a yummy side any day of the year. Let us show you how it’s done! 

Showing how to shave Brussels sprouts

How to Make Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad

We’re major fans of roasted Brussels sprouts around here, but have you ever tried them raw? Also delicious! The best way to enjoy them raw? Shaved in a salad!

Shaving Brussels sprouts is as easy as trimming the stems, halving, and thinly slicing. Served raw, they have a crunchy texture and neutral but slightly bitter taste that makes them ideal for pairing with sweet toppings and a tangy dressing.

Adding salt to a bowl with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and shallot

Massaging the sprouts (and kale) helps reduce their bitterness and makes them easier to chew and digest!

Massaging kale and Brussels sprouts to remove bitterness

For the sweet and crunchy toppings, we went with a drool-worthy apple, date, and roasted hazelnut combo!

But part of what makes this salad so special is how easily it can be modified to use what you have on hand! Don’t have dates? Try dried cranberries! No apples? Pears would be yummy! Hazelnuts a no-go? Your favorite nut or seed is welcome here!

Chopped apples, dates, hazelnuts, and vinaigrette over shaved Brussels sprouts and kale

Toss all the goodies with the simple 5-ingredient dressing (olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, salt, and shallot), and this salad may win over even the vegetable skeptics!

Tossing a brussel kale sprout salad with vinaigrette dressing

We hope you LOVE this salad! It’s:

Crunchy
Tart
Sweet
Nutty
Quick & easy
& SO fresh!

It’s beaming with nutrients (potassium, folate, vitamins C, K, E, and B6) and begging to be served at your holiday tables and all fall and winter long! This salad pairs beautifully with our Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, Lentil Mushroom Stew over Mashed Potatoes, and Lemon and Herb Roasted Chicken.

More Veggie-Packed Holiday Sides

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Close up shot of a bowl of brussel sprout salad with apples, dates, and hazelnuts

Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Apples and Dates

Crunchy, sweet, and savory shaved Brussels sprout salad with apples, dates, and hazelnuts! Oh-so versatile and super fresh. Just 10 ingredients and 20 minutes required!
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Tossing a shaved brussel sprout kale salad with dressing
4.93 from 27 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 6 (Servings)
Course Side
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly No
Does it keep? Best when fresh

Ingredients

DRESSING

  • 4 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 ½ Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp maple syrup
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 2 Tbsp finely chopped shallot

SALAD

  • 4 cups thinly sliced Brussels sprouts (3/4 lb Brussels sprouts yield ~4 cups)
  • 2 cups finely chopped kale, stems removed (purple kale is pretty! // or sub more Brussels sprouts)
  • 1 cup chopped apple (Pink Lady or other crunchy, sweet-tart apples are best // 1 medium apple yields ~1 cup)
  • 4 pitted medjool dates, finely chopped (4 medjool dates yield ~1/2 cup)
  • 1/4 cup chopped roasted hazelnuts (see instructions if using raw)

Instructions

  • Optional: If using raw hazelnuts, roast whole hazelnuts on a bare baking sheet at 350 F (176 C) for 12-15 minutes or until fragrant.
  • Prepare dressing by adding olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, salt, and shallot to a small jar with a lid and shaking to combine. Or, add to a bowl and whisk. Set aside.
  • Trim the Brussels sprouts, halve them lengthwise, and slice very thinly with a knife or the slicing disc on a food processor.
  • Add the Brussels sprouts and kale to a large mixing / serving bowl, shake or whisk the dressing again, and add about half of it. Then massage with clean hands for 1-2 minutes to infuse the Brussels sprouts and kale with the dressing and make them easier to chew and digest.
  • Add the remaining salad ingredients (apples, dates, and roasted hazelnuts) and the remaining dressing. Toss to coat, breaking any clumps of dates up into small pieces. Enjoy!
  • Best when fresh. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 24 hours, but the apple will start browning and the veggies may get a little soggy. Not freezer friendly.

Video

Notes

*Recipe as written makes ~6 cups salad.
*Cook time does not include the optional step of roasting hazelnuts. Freshly roasted nuts will provide the best flavor, but store-bought work too!
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.

Nutrition (1 of 6 servings)

Serving: 1 cup Calories: 227 Carbohydrates: 28.5 g Protein: 5.3 g Fat: 12.4 g Saturated Fat: 1.5 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.6 g Monounsaturated Fat: 8.8 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 132 mg Potassium: 664 mg Fiber: 6.9 g Sugar: 17.2 g Vitamin A: 1306 IU Vitamin C: 107 mg Calcium: 90 mg Iron: 2.3 mg

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  1. JenBas says

    Girl, you did it again. I took it to Thanksgiving dinner and it was delicious. The dressing was esp good. I added cubed roasted butternut squash because it is pretty in fall/winter salads.

  2. Katie says

    This was so fresh and tasty! I used tart dried cherries instead of dates and I used toasted pepitas instead of hazelnuts. I ate the salad all week. I kept a bag of the shaved Brussel sprouts/kale prepped and ready in the fridge and I doubled the dressing so any night of the week I could have a fresh salad and I think that base would lend itself nicely to any sort of dried fruit for some sweetness and any sort of crunchy nut/seed blend on top for that kind of texture. Delicious! This will be a holiday dish this year! Thank you!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoyed it and love your modifications. Thank you for sharing, Katie! xo

  3. Melissa says

    Delicious! My new favorite dish. I made this for Christmas and the whole family loved it so much I’ve made it several times since. I’ll definitely be bringing this to my next work potluck. (Guess I should add…I used roasted sunflower seeds instead of hazelnuts, mostly because hazelnuts were a bit pricey and we already had sunflower seeds on hand). Thanks!

  4. Lorre Marshall says

    I made this for a potluck gathering at my daughter’s house last year and it was delicious! Making it for thanksgiving this week. It should be another hit since everyone loved it. Trying to make less carb infused sides this year so we don’t get that heavy feeling. 😋

  5. Anna says

    This was a good, light, easy recipe. I really enjoyed shredding the brussel sprouts—I had never thought about doing that before. I am going to make it again but this time without kale because my partner doesn’t like that. I think it will be just as good.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Anna! Definitely fine to leave out the kale and sub more Brussels sprouts. Thank you for the lovely review! xo

  6. alli says

    Loved this salad last night, for a delicious side to our Passover meal. My teen doesn’t love walnuts, so I toasted pumpkin seeds and put those into the salad. Since I love walnuts ; ) I toasted some of those and added them to my own plateful. BTW, the leftovers were still great the next day!

  7. Robbie says

    Made this for my first potluck since being vegan. It was a hit with the meat eaters and vegetarians/vegans alike. :) I followed the recipe pretty closely and it was delicious, but I could also see all kinds of variations using these proportions. Definitely a keeper!

  8. Neeti says

    Ok this salad is delicious. Thank you Minimalist Baker! Everyone give this a try!
    I made it just with brussel sprouts and a little bit of green cabbage, some thin sliced almonds, and grated the apple into it just before serving. A tablespoon or two of pomegranate molasses and some poppy seeds in the dressing worked really well.

  9. Lesley B. says

    Delicious! Didn’t have hazelnuts or shallots, so subbed walnuts and a green onion – worked perfectly! Will be making this whenever Brussels sprouts are in season! Thank you :)

  10. Adrienne Fincher says

    Made it this morning to take to a Christmas party. It was quick and simple to make and tasted delicious! I followed the recipe except subbing pecans for hazelnuts and I left out the shallots due to preference. It still tasted wonderful!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Hélène, not a stupid question =) Yes, they are raw. If you’d prefer a roasted brussels sprout salad, we have that too – here! Hope that helps!

  11. Nathalie Herman says

    This salad is amazing! Made it twice, once to test it out and then again for a book club x-mas lunch. It was a huge success. One suggestion when chopping the dates: it’s easier if they’re frozen beforehand without the pits. Otherwise it’s quite difficult to spread the chopped pieces around the salad.
    Cheers!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad to hear it, Nathalie! Thank you so much for the lovely review and for that great tip on chopping the dates! xo

  12. Brittany says

    I made this salad for Thanksgiving this year, and it was a huge hit! It was so good, I’m making it again today. I substituted the hazelnuts for pecans but kept everything else the same. 10/10!

  13. Anna Nogueiro says

    Delicious salad! Had to sub out the hazelnuts with almonds. light and yummy, perfect compliment to a main course. Minimalist Baker kills it again :) Thank you!

  14. Vanessa L says

    I halved this recipe for me and finished in two sittings. DELICIOUS! I made a few amendments to what I had in the pantry and my taste that were all great: sliced almonds instead of hazelnuts, red onion instead of shallot, and punched up the cider vinegar since I love the tart with the sweet. I’ve already shared this link with 3 friends for a thanksgiving slaw/side idea. Thank you 😊

  15. Jackie Cohen says

    This recipe looks delicious. I am thinking about substituting Manchego cheese instead of nuts ( due to a nut allergy).

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yum! That sounds delicious, we think about the 1/4 cup of small Manchego cubes would work really well. Let us know how it goes!

  16. Amy says

    This was an amazing fall salad. I subbed dried cherries for the dates because it’s what I had on hand. I made it twice this week it was so good. Toasting the hazelnuts was definitely worth the extra time. This will now make it onto the Thanksgiving table. Thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yay! We love to hear this. Thanks so much for the lovely review, Amy! So glad you enjoy the salad!

  17. Michelle says

    This was delicious! I subbed pecans for the hazelnuts because I had them on hand, and it was still delightful. What an excellent fall salad!

    • Melissa says

      This was such a yummy salad that I made it twice in 1 week. Basically devouring it at lunch every day. I will be making it as a side with Thanksgiving dinner. I agree with another reviewer that the food processor was a game changer. I even stuck my kale in it so it turned into more of a shredded slaw. I used purple and green Brussels and did red kale. It looked beautiful. Thank you for this great recipe!

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        We love to hear this! So glad you enjoy this salad, Melissa. Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your experience!

  18. Katrina says

    I have used quite a few Minimalist Baker recipes for holiday gatherings, and this will be another! It was delicious, felt super healthy, and kept well in the fridge for leftovers. Thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Woohoo! We’re so glad this one is making it on your holiday list! Thank you for the lovely review, Katrina! xo

  19. Madeleine says

    SO DELICIOUS! Topped with grilled chicken to make for dinner and even my “salad-hating” partner loved it. This will also be great for Thanksgiving as a healthy side dish! Putting the brussel sprouts in the food processor was a game changer.

    • Darsha Powell says

      This is the BEST salad I’ve ever had!! So filling, so satisfying, so crunchy, so so so tasty!!

      I used toasted walnuts instead of hazelnuts and took out the onion as I don’t like raw onion and oh my… what a result!!

      Thank you for sharing! If you haven’t tried it yet… don’t wait any longer!

      Just one question… what can I use instead of oil next time in the dressing?

      Thanks again! :) xx

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        Aw, we’re so glad you enjoyed it so much, Darsha! Thank you for the lovely review! We’d say leaving out the oil would probably be better than replacing it with something else. Hope that helps! xo

  20. Lanelle says

    This salad looks delightful. I have recently been diagnosed with several food allergies. This Shaved Brussels sprout salad sounds like a great holiday recipe for me to try. I may try using critus powder to keep apples from turning brown.

  21. Mandy says

    Absolutely delicious fall salad!

    I swapped out the shallot for red onion and it was very good. I could easily see this on rotation on our house and on a holiday table.

  22. Hilma Jones says

    This Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad is absolutely delicious…the flavors are well balanced, the textures and colors are very appetizing. This will be a great salad to bring to potlucks! Prepared exactly as written, it will be fun to try with dried cranberries and walnuts instead of dates and hazelnuts…then it could be an awesome salad to bring to Thanksgiving.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Hilma! Cranberries and walnuts would also be lovely! Thank you for sharing! xo

  23. Elaine says

    This looks very yummy, but I don’t understand eating raw Brussels sprouts. I can barely eat slightly undercooked Brussels. There’s an extremely bitter compound in some (?) Brussels that cooks out. I believe many growers are working to eliminate it. I think this is why Brussels used to be the most hated vegetable, but are much more popular now. Next time I make Brussels, I’ll taste a bit raw to see. Your thoughts? Thanks for sharing so many super recipes!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Elaine, We find massaging the sprouts (and kale) helps reduce their bitterness and makes them easier to chew and digest. Let us know if you give it a try!

  24. Luci says

    This was so easy to prepare and most important it was delicious! I omitted the oil and added a squeeze of fresh lemon.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Luci! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Dana, we think walnuts, pecans, or slivered almonds would work. Let us know if you try it!

  25. Julia Rodriguez-Buis says

    I wonder how this would turn out of you roasted the Brussels sprouts and kale first? Serve warm???? or cold???

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We think roasted Brussels sprouts would be tasty! For the kale, it might be better to sauté it, or add toward the end of roasting so it doesn’t burn. Let us know if you try it!

    • Jasmine says

      Hi! Can the hazelnuts be soaked rather than roasted? If so, how long to soak? Also, I am trying to avoid oils. What could I use as an oil substitute? Can’t wait to try this!

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        Hi Jasmine, you could soak, dehydrate, and then roast if you’re wanting the hazelnuts to be sprouted? They add a nice crunch when roasted, where as with soaking we think they’d get soggy. You could try aquafaba as an oil sub, or just leave it out!

  26. Maria says

    I love brussel sprouts but my stomach is super sensitive. Eating them raw, even if shaved and massaged would be difficult for me. You think they would still work in this recipe if I gave them a quick stir fry with olive oil? And proceeded from there with the next steps?
    Thanks so much for the inspiration.