Celebrate winter with this easy Brussels sprout pomegranate salad. With a quick homemade vinaigrette and a handful of toppings, this salad is balanced by tart, salty, and spicy flavors with less than 20 minutes of effort.
One of my favorite ways to enjoy salads in the winter is to build them with a base of nontraditional greens. Instead of spinach and kale, which are delicious in dishes like my cajun chicken salad, this winter salad uses another abundant winter green, brussels sprouts.
By shaving the little green bulbs into tender shreds, a crisp and light salad of winter greens is ready to be topped with a handful of big, flavorful additions for a delicious seasonal salad. It’s a great side dish to serve along with my winter dinner recipes, or to enjoy as a light lunch with a bowl of creamy roasted rutabaga soup.
Ingredients
This is one of those recipes that truly only needs a handful of ingredients to build a satisfying flavor. Each of these 5 main ingredients plays a key role in making this salad perfect.
- Brussels sprouts – as the main ingredient choosing fresh, vibrantly green Brussels sprouts that are firm to the touch is important.
- Pomegranate seeds – the tart and sweet burst of crunchy pomegranate arils are a treat in the winter that works perfectly with winter veggies like Brussels sprouts.
- Red onion – the sharp bite of raw red onion really compliments the sweet pomegranate and shaved sprouts. Feel free to use your favorite onion instead.
- Feta cheese – for a creamier, soft texture and a powerfully salty flavor that is really, really good with onion and pomegranate, a good quality crumbly feta is ideal. If you prefer, goat cheese makes a nice alternative.
- Pine nuts – I found these to be the perfect final ingredient, crunchy, nutty, delicious! But any nut you like will work here, so choose your favorite.
In addition to the core salad ingredients, I like to whip up a quick and easy homemade vinaigrette to go along with it. You can of course use a classic bottled vinaigrette, but my recipe is so easy to make with simple pantry staples, I think you’ll find it’s perfect to finish your salad.
- Olive oil – Choose your favorite good extra virgin olive oil for a full flavored, homemade dressing.
- Raw apple cider vinegar – this vinegar is sharp, acidic, but also sweet for a balanced, pleasant dressing. Go for raw cider vinegar for the added health benefits of it being unfiltered.
- Dijon mustard – A classic in vinaigrettes for good reason, it helps everything blend together and gives the dressing a tangy bite.
- Maple syrup – We need just a touch for sweetness, go for pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup, or swap in honey in a pinch.
- Cumin – Make sure you use the ground spice for the best flavor in this vinaigrette.
- Salt & Pepper – Just add these to taste to round out the flavor of your salad and dressing.
Prep and Storage Tips
I think you’ll find that with these few key tips this salad is very easy to make. It’s the kind of healthy, seasonal recipe you can whip up whenever the mood strikes.
- Shred your Brussels sprouts in one of three ways: chopping by hand, with a large box grater, or by using a food processor. Your goal is a slaw like texture and any of those methods will work nicely.
- Mix your vinaigrette ahead of time and keep it for up to 2 weeks in the fridge. If the olive oil becomes solid, simply leave out at room temperature until liquid, and shake vigorously.
- Brussels sprouts can be shredded up to one day in advance, and kept in an airtight container in the fridge until ready for use.
- When storing leftovers, it’s best to keep the dressing separate until serving and to consume all leftovers within 2 days.
In just twenty minutes you can easily have this salad prepped and ready to eat any night of the week. I promise this Brussels sprouts pomegranate salad is seasonal, easy, and delicious, especially when served beside any of these winter main dishes.
- Sheet pan pomegranate chicken
- Almond crusted cod
- Bourbon glazed salmon
- Chicken scallopini with mushrooms
- Apricot chicken thighs with sage
Shaved Brussels Sprout and Pomegranate Salad
Recipe Video
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 lb. (450g) Brussels sprouts , shaved or thinly sliced
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1/4 cup red onion , diced
- 1/2 cup feta cheese , crumbled (about 2 oz. / 60g)
- 1/2 cup pine nuts , toasted
For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- salt and black pepper , to taste
Instructions
The dressing.
- Combine the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, cumin, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl and whisk to combine or mix in a jar and shake to combine.
The salad.
- Add the Brussels sprouts, pomegranate seeds, red onion, feta cheese, and pine nuts to a large mixing bowl.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
8 Comments
Katie Beck
March 4, 2021 at 1:36 pmThe maple syrup in the dressing is what made this for me! Absolutely delicious!
Jovita
March 26, 2021 at 12:28 pmThanks, Katie!
Lauren Vavala
March 4, 2021 at 1:44 pmI LOVE Brussels sprouts and all of the ingredients in this salad are so good – can’t wait to make this!
Jovita
March 26, 2021 at 12:29 pmI am pretty sure you’ll love it, Lauren! 🙂
Heather Perine
March 4, 2021 at 2:00 pmLove brussel sprouts! And never tried In a fresh salad. And the beautiful ingredient it’s paired with can’t wait to try!
Jovita
March 26, 2021 at 12:28 pmThey are really great fresh in salads!
Beth
March 4, 2021 at 2:39 pmThis looks so delicious and tasty! My hubby and daughter’s boyfriend are going to love this recipe! I can’t wait to give this a try! This will be a big hit here!
Jovita
March 26, 2021 at 12:13 pmLet me know how you liked it, Beth!