Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Grapes & Parmesan

Are you as crazy about Brussels sprouts as I am? I love these compact globes of wonder. They can be prepared in so many delectable ways. I especially love them roasted (any vegetable benefits from roasting!) but they are amazing in salads, too, like this shaved Brussels sprouts salad. Even people who profess to hate Brussels sprouts enjoy them in a salad.

Shaved Brussels sprouts salad

Nutritious. Brussels sprouts are a powerhouse nutritionally. A cruciferous vegetable, in the same family as cabbage and broccoli, Brussels sprouts are low in calories, and high in nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber. Enjoy a delicious Brussels sprouts salad and do your body a favor, all at the same time!

An easy salad. A Brussels sprouts salad is a snap to make. You can whisk the homemade vinaigrette right in a big bowl, add the sprouts and grapes, stir it up, then top with shaved Parmesan and fresh chopped parsley.

Continue the grape theme and serve this salad with pork tenderloin with port wine sauce and roasted grapes. The roasted grapes are so amazing!

Ingredient Notes

• Brussels Sprouts: “Shaved” sounds way fancier than it is. Shaved Brussels sprouts are simply Brussels sprouts that are thinly sliced. You can slice them by hand or with a food processor.
• Red Grapes: Grapes add a nice sweetness and beautiful color. Other types of grapes work well, too, as long as they are seedless. The grapes can be halved or sliced, depending on their size.
• Parmesan Cheese: Shave the cheese, too! Use a vegetable peeler to make nice cheese curls.
• Parsley: Fresh emerald green parsley adds great flavor, nutrition, and color to the salad. Either Italian flat leaf parsley or curly parsley will work.
• Homemade Vinaigrette: The easy dressing is made with olive oil, honey, shallots and white wine vinegar (or white balsamic vinegar), seasoned with salt and pepper.

How To Prep brussels Sprouts

Trim the Brussels sprouts. Trim the tough root end off, and remove any wilted or spotted leaves. Rinse and dry the sprouts. Shave them using one of the two methods below. I don’t recommend using a mandoline because Brussels sprouts are just too small and round to safely use one. I’d definitely slice off my fingertips!

By hand: Using a sharp knife and cutting board, slice the sprouts to the desired thickness. It’s a little easier if you cut them in half first for more stability on the cutting board, and then thinly slice each half.

With food processor: Using the slicing disk of your food processor, drop the whole Brussels sprouts through the feed tube, pressing lightly with the presser thingy. You won’t believe how fast they’ll go! In no time, you’ll have them all ready. Your kids will find it vastly entertaining.

Store until ready to use. Shaved Brussels sprouts will keep in an airtight container or reseable bag for one to two days. 

Recipe Variations

• Fruit options: Instead of grapes, or in addition to grapes, you can add sliced apple, such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp or any crisp apple. A firm ripe pear, such as Anjou, goes well too.
• Possible add-ins: Dried cranberries, golden raisins, or dried cherries are good, as well as almost any type of nut, such as toasted pecans, sliced almonds, or toasted walnuts. You could add thinly sliced celery or red onions. For a savory note, add bacon, cooked and crumbled (try baked bacon or air fryer bacon).
• Cheese options: Try blue cheese, gorgonzola, or goat cheese instead of Parmesan.

Make-Ahead

Stir together the Brussels sprouts and vinaigrette, cover, and store in the fridge for up to 2 hours before serving. When ready to serve, add grapes, Parmesan and parsley.

If desired, shave ahead of time! Shave the Brussels sprouts up to two days in advance and store in a zip top bag. Do the same with the Parmesan cheese.

Storage

Leftover salad can be stored, tightly covered, for up to 2 days in the fridge. The salad will lose some of its crispness but it’s still really tasty. The red grapes will turn the salad a little pink but you can substitute green grapes if you prefer.