Brussels Sprouts Salad

This Brussels Sprouts Salad is a surprise star on our menu. While everyone likes brussels sprouts that have been fried with bacon and showered with cheese, people rarely seem to clamor to eat them raw. But finely shredded in a creamy dressing, they are a revelation. Plus this Brussels Sprouts Salad is loaded with goodies like candied oranges, toasted pine nuts, and crunchy coconut chips. It’s a healthy salad that tastes totally indulgent, and what started as a special item quickly became a customer favorite and is now permanently on our menu.

Brussels Sprouts Salad Dressing

Every great salad starts with a great dressing. And this one manages to be both creamy but light tasting. Seasoned Rice Vinegar brings a tangy sweetness, and a bit of fish sauce adds a funky pop. A little good old fashioned mayo creates the creamy base. This dressing is highly flavored and it should be used sparingly. Resist the urge to load it up like a coleslaw. I use half of it on the salad/slaw first, taste it, and then add some more. You could always pass the remaining dressing at the table too for those who can’t get enough sauce.

Prep the Veggies

The secret to this Brussels Sprouts Salad/Slaw is to very finely slice the sprouts. If you have a food processor with a shredding disk that will make quick work of it. Otherwise this is good practice of your knife skills…

I always remove several outer leaves because I find them too fibrous for a salad. It’s not necessary to core the sprouts but look over the sprouts carefully. Little critters also love Brussels sprouts and I sometimes find them lurking inside. You can tell they’ve made a home if you see pin holes or evidence of chewing.

Combine all the veggies in a big bowl and thoroughly mix. This makes a generous batch but it keeps well. You can also halve the recipe if you don’t think you can consume the full amount.

Brussels Sprouts Salad Garnishes

The real magic of this salad lies in the garnishes. The dried oranges are so sweet and delightfully chewy, the coconut adds an unexpected tropical vibe, and the pine nuts add welcome crunch. This combination works so well; I’ve been told by more than a couple people, it’s the reason they order the Brussels sprouts. If you find the toppings difficult to source, get creative and it will still taste great. You can substitute orange flavored craisins for the orange, different nuts for the pine nuts, and some crunchy trail mix or fried shallots for the coconut.

The dressing is assertive, so start by adding half to the salad and tasting to see if you want to add more.

I love it as a light lunch, as a potluck item, or to serve at a barbecue. If you want to make it part of a full meal, it’s perfect served with:

• Pork Shogayaki
• Sriracha Tofu
• Vietnamese Meatballs

Make this Brussels Sprouts Salad and find out why it’s such a favorite with our guests. And then take a moment to rate and comment on the recipe below. And don’t forget to tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen, we love hearing from you!

Brussels Sprouts Salad

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Funky Asian Kitchen
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: serves 2-3 1x
• Category: salads
• Cuisine: Pan-Asian

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Dressing:

• ½ cup mayonnaise (I used low fat)
• 1 Tablespoon Fish Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons Seasoned Rice Vinegar
• ⅛ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon granulated garlic powder

Slaw:

• ½ pound brussels sprouts
• 1 medium carrot
• ¼ red onion
• Small handful cilantro (about ¼ cup)
• 2–3 pieces candied orange slices
• 3 Tablespoons roasted coconut chips
• 3 Tablespoons pine nuts

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Instructions

Make the dressing:

1. Combine the mayonnaise, fish sauce, seasoned rice vinegar, ground black pepper, and granulated garlic in a small container.
2. Whisk to combine and set aside.

Make the salad:

1. Trim the brussels sprouts at the base and peel off a couple of the outer leaves. Slice the brussels sprouts as thinly as you can and place them into a colander. Wash the brussels sprouts and drain thoroughly. Set aside in a large bowl.
2. Peel and trim the carrot. Slice thin and then stack the slices and cut through them to create thin strips (julienne cut). Put them into the colander and wash and rinse. Drain and put the carrots into the bowl with the sprouts.
3. Peel the onion and then thinly slice. Again wash the onions and drain thoroughly. Place them into the bowl with the other vegetables.
4. Toss the salad ingredients in the bowl so everything is nicely mixed.
5. Roughly chop the cilantro.
6. Slice the candied orange into thin strips and then cut through the strips to create a very fine dice. Set the oranges aside.
7. Pour half of the dressing over the brussels sprouts and toss to coat. The dressing is strong so you may not need all of the dressing. Taste the slaw and add more dressing as needed.
8. Mound the slaw onto a plate and garnish with the oranges, cilantro, pine nuts, and coconut chips.

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Notes

*You can substitute any kind of crunchy coconut and nut/seed trail mix, clusters, or topping instead of using the coconut chips and the pine nuts.

*If you have problems sourcing the orange slices, try something with an orange flavor such as orange flavored dried cranberries. 

Keywords: brussels sprouts, vegetarian, plant based, salad, slaw,