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Delicious!! I didn’t have the time or desire to slice up the bussels so I used a bag of brussel sprout and kale mix instead. Superb!
Melanie
Busting out the brussels sprouts today!
And the b-b-b-b-bacon. As if there were another way.
So there’s a holiday coming up and it starts with T and ends with hanksgiving. We food lovers know this holiday well because it’s the perfect time for us to say Hi Turkey! Hi Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Sage Stuffing and Gravy and Cranberries! Hi Pumpkin Pie with a hearty thwap of fresh whipped cream! I see you and I appreciate you. ❤
Also, family. And friends. And everything else.
Being one of the 20-somethings in the family (not for much longer though! eek/wahh!), I take my ongoing role as Salad Bringer very seriously. Sort of. In my life, and most especially during busy times like T-giving, I am almost always running late or behind or forgetting something really super important. Scrambling around at the last minute, throwing this green and that crunchy together and tossing it with a few drizzles of everything, trying to figure out how to balance it on my lap while also holding my to-go coffee and trying to do my makeup from the passenger seat on the little trek back to our hometown for the big feasts.
Oh yes I just said feasts. Plural.
Being from the same hometown means Bjork and I eat TWICE on Thanksgiving Day. For which I give big thanks.
How To Make Our Brussels Sprout Salad (40 Sec):
But being the last-minuter that I am, and also being the Salad Bringer who also happens to be the FOOD BLOGGER, Thanksgiving usually means it’s time to bust out the old standby – everyone’s favorite Bacon and Brussels Sprout Salad recipe.
It’s simple, maybe even simple enough for me to spare a few minutes to do my makeup BEFORE getting in the car? meh, I don’t know, let’s not push it – and seriously, against all brussels sprouts odds, every single person in my family ranging in age from 12 to 78 years old totally loves this salad. It’s wonderfully bizarre. To the point where I feel nervous to talk about it too much even right now for fear that the magic salad spell will break and suddenly someone will realize THEY’VE BEEN EATING BRUSSELS SPROUTS FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS.
The inspiration for this salad came a few years ago when I saw this recipe in a magazine and I decided to try it on a whim. And you guys. This was back before brussels sprouts were a thing. I don’t think I had ever once eaten on of those little baby green cabbies before this salad but maybe back in my youthfulness I was on the cutting edge of trends. *pushes glasses up on nose* The recipe was from a restaurant chef but I was drawn, per the usual, to the simple ingredient list. And not only that, but there was nothing fancy about the prep because this salad = raw, completely raw brussels sprouts.
Raw as in R-A-W. No stinky cooking, no superstrong aftertaste, nunna that.
All it took was one time with this recipe and I was completely ruined on enjoying brussels sprouts any other way. I generally can’t do cooked brussels sprouts – except roasted, maybe. caramelized, okay yasss – but I can always always always find big love in my heart for a bite of fresh, raw, paper-thin shredded brussels sprouts tossed with a light citrus vinaigrette and the flavor-texture trifecta of bacon, almonds, and Parmesan.
My favorite part about this salad HANDS DOWN is the texture of the brussels sprouts. I wash them, take a moment to admire their rustic texture and general adorableness, and then shave them into thin little ribbons of heavenly lightness with a nifty little handheld mandoline. It seems like the kind of thing that would take a long time, but you guys. Don’t you even know me? As a general rule, I will not mess around with food prep things that take forever and a day. I can get through a whole pile of those sprouts in about seven minutes. NBD.
One food snobbery comment for the record (just imagine me saying this with condescending spectacles and a china cup of tea with my pinkie in the air) – you can use a bag of pre-chopped brussels sprouts to make this salad, but that doesn’t mean you should. I see those pre-chopped brussels singing out to us Time Savers and Salad Bringers from the shelves at Trader Joe’s and even now at Target, and I will admit – those marketers know how to tempt me. But honestly – and I don’t just say this just to be an obnoxious food blogger – the texture of those pre-chopped brussels sprouts is chopped, not shaved, which makes them clunky and big and just not very awesome in comparison to the papery, light, perfectly delicate crunchiness of brussels sprouts that are mandolin-ed by you yourself. End of food snobbery soap box rant.
Today is a super exciting day for 1-2-3-4 reasons.
One: Countertop install happens today at 10am! oh my gosh oh my gosh! I will post a picture on Facebook later today because I can’t not.
Two: This week I joined a co-working space where all the self-employed millennial kids go to play, I mean, uhmm, work, and today will be my first day “in the office” which means I get to sit amongst old brick, exposed beams, hipsters, and big windows with views of downtown while dreaming of which food truck I will go to for lunch. Look mom! I’m all grown up!
Three: It’s still snowing. I still like it.
Four: Leftover bacon and brussels sprouts salad in the fridge. Crunchy almonds, sharp Parmesan, savory bacon, and those paper-thin brussels with the lightest of light orange-lemon vinaigrette. Awyeah.
AND JUST SO YA KNOW! Here’s the mandoline (affiliate link) that I’ve used for this recipe for the last three years – works like a charm every time. I also use this for thinly sliced potatoes (I’ve got a recipe for those coming up that I am oh so excited about – eeeeeeh!) and thinly sliced apples for this cake, but honestly, this bacon and brussels sprout salad (and brussels sprouts salads in general) is the thing I use my mandoline for the most often. And even if that was all I ever used it for, it would be well worth the $14! It’s an early Merry Christmas to your brussels sprouts loving self.
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Bacon and Brussels Sprout Salad
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8–10 1x
Description
This Bacon and Brussels Sprout Salad is a perfect side dish for holidays, with shaved brussels sprouts, chopped bacon, and a light citrus dressing.
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- juice of one lemon
- juice of one orange
- 1–2 tablespoons apple cider, maple, or honey (something for sweetness)
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste
For the salad:
- 4 dozen brussels sprouts
- 1 cup almonds
- 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled or chopped
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (Asiago or Gruyere are also good)
Instructions
- Combine the lemon juice, orange juice, apple cider, and shallots in a small bowl. Add the olive oil in a steady stream and whisk for a minute or two, until it becomes creamy-looking.
- Slice the brussels sprouts with a mandoline, taking care of your fingers! and slicing them as thin as possible. This works best when you hold the stem, slice from the top, and stop with a little bit left at the bottom, discarding the remaining bottom stem part since it’s not very leafy anyway. The thinner the shreds, the better the salad! Toss the shreds and loosen them with your fingers to they separate and fluff a little bit.
- Pulse the almonds in a food processor until finely chopped.
- Toss the brussels sprouts, almonds, bacon, cheese, and dressing together. Serve immediately or within a few hours of tossing.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: bacon and brussels sprout salad, thanksgiving salad, brussels sprout salad
Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links! And did I mention how much I love that handheld mandolin slicer?
PS. I’ve already shared this recipe once on the blog, but I felt like it deserved another post. If you want a sampling of how the blog has changed from then to now, here’s the original bacon and brussels sprout salad post. Enjoy. Or giggle. Whatever.
One More Thing!
This recipe is part of our collection of yummy pork recipes. Check it out!
Your recipe looks so yummy unfortunately I bought already shredded brussels sprouts is there anyway you can tell me Pounds or cups?
I made this for Thanksgiving and it was a hit! It looked pretty and was delicious ! It was gone by the end of dinner!
View and see all information, the good felling
This recipe is a must-make holiday recipe. For the last several years, it has been a family favorite, even spreading out to all the in-laws! Everybody makes it for their Thanksgiving and Christmas meals wherever they are. It is one salad on the holiday table that is sure to be eaten and enjoyed.
While there are many variations of this salad out there, this one stands alone as the very, very best. I have been making it for years and keep getting requests for it for get togethers. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Added this to our thanksgiving rotation and it did not disappoint! I used slivered almonds that I toasted. Assembled about 2 hours before we ate. Also had leftovers 12 hours later, still just as delicious. I used the slicing attachment on my food processor which made Brussels sprout prep a breeze. This was a really great fresh addition to all our usual casseroles.
This is amazing. It will be a staple salad for me!
This is a fantastic recipe and so easy to make! It will be in our regular rotation for sure. Thanks for another great recipe.
This recipe is everything! I’ve made it so many times over the last few years. So flavorful. Sometimes I’ll add some halved cherry tomatoes and it gives it a BLT vibe.
Tried this out tonight. I actually dresses it about 1 1/2 hours before it was to be consumed and let it sit and soak in the fridge. It was good. Everyone liked it. I did use a little
More bacon than the recipe called for. I used sugar free apple cider as well.
This recipe is awesome and saved me yesterday when my friends came. I had it added to my favourite carts and I used it happily yesterday when my friends came to my house without asking! My best friend brought brussels which he grows himself and told me that this is casiopea variety. He bought them on https://gardenseedsmarket.com/brussels-sprouts-casiopea-seeds-brassica-oleracea-convar.oleracea-var.gemmifera.html as we do there our seeds shopping every year. We made your salad and it was amazing. So tasty! And to be honest, it was the first time I used brussel sprouts for something else than just a dinner!
This has become a staple in our home. Savory, crunchy. It can be a meal in itself. Be sure to slice the sprouts nice and thin.
We had this as a main course last night and it was great, very filling. It also has turned into a nice salad to just keep in the fridge for lunch. It’s a little better the second day, I think, as the citrus has had time to “cook” some of the shreds of Brussels sprouts , flavoring them, and taking the crunch down just a notch. Because there is no Mayo you could easily take this in a lunch and eat at room temp. That’s always a great way to take a salad to a pot luck without worrying about keeping it cold. Dressing is surprisingly just as rich as a mayo dressing. Great way to get cruciferous into your day, too.
So glad you enjoyed the salad, Susan!
Changed the scale to 3X which changed the recipe to 3X in quantity. Also unable to search. I use an iPad and have no difficulties with other site.
FYI
Any approximation on the pounds of brussel sprouts? Looking forward to trying this with our Christmas Dinner
I’d estimate 1.5-2 pounds of sprouts. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Even the kids eat this! Crunchy and savory. Great recipe!
🎉
This salad is everything! It tasted amazing even before the bacon was added. For ease, I used the slicing disc of my food processor for the sprouts and they were beautifully shaved. Then ground up the parm and almonds (I used dry roasted from Sams Club) with the regular processor blade. I did not have apple cider, but 2 Tb of apple cider vinegar and 1 Tb of apple butter was a fine substitute for that. It’s such a great recipe, I think it can take a little change here and there but certainly not needed. I’m so happy to have found this yummy recipe. Our young daughters liked it too. We will enjoy it many times over, I am sure!
So glad to hear this, Nikki!
Made this for Thanksgiving and it was amazing. Probably one of the best salads I’ve had. It didn’t take long, a few mins only, to shred the sprouts. So worth it. Such an easy salad with tons of flavor. The BEST.
Yay! So happy you enjoyed this, Katrina! 🙂
Just made this salad for Thanksgiving dinner and it stole the show! Delish!!!
So glad everyone enjoyed this, Jen!
I am making this for someone with a nut allergy.. any thoughts on what to sub the almonds for?
Hi, Natalie! You could leave the almonds out altogether.
Looks YUM! The wild rice soup, too. I’m a fellow native/current Minnesota native, and I’m glad I found my way to your blog.
I love Byerly’s wild rice soup. As you probably know, it’s made with ham. Do you have that/similar recipe? I once did, but it is lost.
Hi, Kristi! We have this wild rice soup recipe and you could easily add ham to this one to make it similar to the one at Byerly’s. Enjoy!
Is this recipe keto friendly? And, do you know how many WW points it would be? I’m trying to find a salad to take to a work event and this one caught my eye. However, we have several eating plans that we are wanting to be sensitive to. Any info you can provide would be super helpful. Thanks!
Delicious!! I didn’t have the time or desire to slice up the bussels so I used a bag of brussel sprout and kale mix instead. Superb!
You said serve immediately or within a few hours…does that mean this will not keep well in the fridge? I hope it does because I wanted to eat it over several days 🙂
It’ll keep for a few days in the fridge!
Ever try this with pecans instead of almonds??
We haven’t, but I’m sure it would be delicious!