Brussels Sprouts Salad (Lemon, Parmesan), freshly cracked pepper

This shaved brussels sprouts salad, tossed with plenty of lemon zest and juice, olive oil, tons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and freshly cracked pepper, is incredibly fantastic.

This raw brussels sprouts salad, inspired by one of our favorite salads at a local restaurant, is fantastic to make ahead and perfect for impressing company, but simple enough for a weeknight supper!

Why Is This Recipe So Delicious?

• This Brussels sprout salad is made in the cacio e pepe manner, which means there are a lot of flavors packed into a few simple ingredients. Cacio e Pepe (Italian for “cheese and pepper”) is a creamy pasta dish made with spaghetti tossed in olive oil, black pepper, and Pecorino Romano cheese. You won’t receive the creamy sauce because the pasta isn’t hot, but you will get all of the other delicious flavors.
• The parmesan cheese complements the slightly bitter Brussels sprouts well, and the bright lemon juice brings everything together. This is perfect for a holiday meal since it feels luxurious (but still nutritious), plus it’s a fun way to change things up.
• The Brussels sprouts salad stores well because they don’t wilt or become soggy, making it ideal for making ahead of time. Make it early in the day and refrigerate it until dinner, or meal prep it on Sunday for a quick weeknight dinner side. We adore having a large bowl in the fridge. It’s also simple enough to create at the last minute.

Important Ingredients

Brussels Sprouts — I know, it’s self-evident. Brussels sprouts can be purchased already shaved or shaved, depending on your preference.

Use a very sharp knife to shave your own Brussels sprouts for this salad. Remove the stem end, then cut the sprouts as thinly as possible in vertical motions.

You could do this with a mandoline, but Brussels sprouts are quite little, so it’s a bit risky. You could also use a food processor with a shredding blade.

Grated Parmesan — Instead of using store-bought pre-grated parmesan, I like to use freshly grated parmesan. Grating your own cheese is a breeze.

Simply grate a piece of good-quality parmesan cheese with a microplane grater (you’ll need one to zest the lemon anyhow!). In no time, you’ll have freshly grated parmesan!

Chef’s Advice

• The beautiful thing about this salad dish is that you can put almost anything in it and it will turn out delicious. Not in the mood for cacio e pepe today? Apples, pumpkin seeds, and a maple vinaigrette are a great combination. If you’re serving Brussels sprouts salad for Thanksgiving, throw in some dried cranberries and chopped pecans for a festive touch. Cranberries’ sweetness pairs wonderfully with the thick cheese and fresh Brussels sprouts. Instead of or in addition to the shaved Brussels sprouts, you may substitute shredded broccoli or cabbage.
• If you don’t like raw Brussels sprouts, you can substitute sautéed Brussels sprouts, but I implore you to try it this way first! If you’re going to sauté shaved Brussels, be careful not to overcook them. In a small amount of olive oil, sauté them until they’re just tender, around 5 minutes.
• Allow the salad to settle at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving, then taste it and adjust the seasonings as needed. Allowing it to sit allows the sprouts to soften slightly while also allowing the flavors in the dressing to fully develop.

Brussels Sprouts Salad

This shaved Brussels sprout salad, tossed with plenty of lemon zest and juice, olive oil, loads of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and freshly cracked pepper, is incredibly fantastic.

This raw Brussels sprout salad, inspired by one of our favorite salads at a local restaurant, is fantastic to make ahead and perfect for impressing company, but simple enough for a weeknight supper!

Ingredients

• 1 pound Brussels sprouts shaved, store-bought or shave your own
• 6 tablespoons olive oil ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons
• zest of 1 lemon
• juice of 1 lemon or less to taste
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ loose cups freshly grated parmesan see Notes

Equipment

• Medium bowl
• Microplane grater

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, shave Brussels sprouts. Break apart the leaves with your hands.
   Combine the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, black pepper, and salt in a mixing bowl. Toss to properly distribute the dressing until all Brussels sprout leaves are coated.
2. Fold in freshly grated parmesan cheese gently. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Allow 10 minutes for the salad to come to room temperature before serving, then taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
3. In a large glass dish, combine the ingredients for the Brussels sprout salad.

Notes

• Shave the Brussels Sprouts with these tips: Remove the stem from the plant. Place sprout on cutting board and cut as thinly as possible down the sprout in vertical motions. Shave all of the sprouts at the same time. You could use a mandoline to do this, but Brussels sprouts are so little that it could be harmful. You could also use a food processor with a shredding blade.
• Parmesan cheese, grated: Grate a wedge of good-quality parmesan cheese with a microplane grater (the one you used to zest the lemon will suffice!). Fresh parmesan has a far better flavor and texture than store-bought, pre-grated cheese, although you can use store-bought instead if you want. Just make sure to use grated rather than shredded cheese.
• Allow the salad to settle at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving, then taste it and adjust the seasonings as needed. Allowing it to sit allows the sprouts to soften slightly while also allowing the flavors in the dressing to fully develop.
• Make it vegan/dairy-free: Use a dairy-free parmesan or nutritional yeast instead of cheese, or leave it out entirely.
• Remove the cheese to make it Paleo/Whole30 friendly.

This recipe serves roughly 8 people. Your desired portion sizes will determine the number of servings.
The nutritional values indicated are for one serving and are rough suggestions.

The exact macros will vary depending on the brands and types of ingredients utilized.

Prepare the recipe as directed to get the weight of one serving. Weigh the final recipe, then divide the weight (excluding the weight of the container in which the food is stored) by 8. The weight of one serving will be the result.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 119kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 1mg, Sodium: 163mg, Potassium: 223mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 430IU, Vitamin C: 48mg, Calcium: 27mg, Iron: 1mg, Net Carbs: 3g