This easy go-to salad makes a perfect side dish to any meal! Shaved Brussels Sprouts team up with pears, almonds, your favorite greens and get all dressed up by an easy tangy dijon vinaigrette!
These bowl of green goodness has been my everything the past few weeks, and really, the salad I make the most often! If you’re in search of a simple side dish for dinner, or easy lunch, look no further. This is it!
My husband has been anti brussel sprouts since he was probably 4 years old. But recently, my kids and the dog have taken an extreme liking to this stalky vegetable and they love to eat it raw. True story: They actually fought over a huge stalk of brussel sprouts while on Christmas break last year. There were tears, yelling, dog barking because she was demanding someone give her more….I should have taped the whole thing because it sounds ridiculous. Trader Joe’s has been sells a large stalk of brussel sprouts for $3.99 during the fall and winter season, and I have been known to buy them several times to tame the madness.
These are very good problems to have! So back to the husband. A few years back, I was trying to convince him that raw brussels were actually delicious. Without him knowing, I threw them in this salad.
They were “disguised” by being thrown in the food processor and pulsed. Super easy, and he seriously didn’t even know what vegetable he was eating. After a few days, I finally told him, and officially converted a brussel sprout hating person into one who enjoys them. Who says you can’t outgrow pickiness?
This is easy to serve any day of the week, yet elegant to serve to guests or for any special occasion. The dressing only requires a little whisking or shaking. Having plenty of this dressing on hand in the fridge makes Whole30 even easier! This salad has been our “go-to” side dish with dinner this entire month!
This recipe can also be easily adaptable to the season. Want to swap out an apple for the pear? No problem! Or change your greens to suit your own favorite. My personal favorite is arugula!
Enjoy!
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Brussel Sprout & Pear Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 2 cups brussel sprouts about 15 sprouts
- 4 cups fresh arugula or greens of your choice, spinach is also great
- 1 pear chopped
- 1/2 cup almonds or pecans
- 1/2 cup raisins, dried cherries, or cranberries optional
For the Dressing:
- 1/2 cup avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp salt + more to taste
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
Instructions
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Begin by cutting your sprouts in half, and removing the bottom stem. Place inside a food processor or blender and pulse for 10-20 seconds or until the brussels have been "chopped".
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In a large bowl toss in arugula, brussels sprouts, pear, raisins, and almonds or pecans.
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To make the dressing, place the ingredients in a small bowl or jar. Whisk or shake until completely incorporated. Toss 1/2 cup of the dressing on the salad. You can use the entire jar, or reserve some for a later use. Adjust the dressing to your taste!
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Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Thanks so much for this recipe! I love that you added dijon mustard, can’t wait to make this at home.
This was great! I highly recommend adding the cranberries! Thanks for the recipe!