Simple Vegan Brussel Sprout Salad with Pecans and Apple

I’ve been enjoying my fair share of holiday treats of late, and I didn’t realize until I took a big bite of this Vegan Brussel Sprout Salad that my body was craving some fresh vegetables. It’s a busy time of year and I clearly haven’t been eating my veggies. That being said, I’m happy to eat my veggies if it involves this vegan winter salad. And you would never guess that the base of this simple salad is brussel sprouts! The vegan salad dressing along with the apple helps to balance out the bitterness that comes with brussel sprouts. This is the perfect salad to munch on all through the holidays, my friends.

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How to chop/ shave brussel sprouts for this simple vegan salad

If you have a kitchen Mandoline Slicer already, then you are set for this vegan brussel sprout recipe. With one of those, shaving the brussel sprouts is going to be super simple. If you don’t have a mandoline slicer (like me) all you need is a sharp knife and a little patience (but not too much patience, I promise). I ended up cutting each brussel sprout one at a time to get the size I wanted but do what works for you. Simply cut off the base of the stem of the brussel sprout and then cut the brussel sprout in half. From there, slice each half into more pieces. There isn’t really a right or wrong way, you eventually just want smaller strips of brussel sprouts that mimic shredded romaine. When you are happy with the size of your sprouts do the same for the rest and then place them in a big salad bowl. 10-12 brussel sprouts doesn’t look like a lot but when you finely chop them, it goes a long way!

here are a few reasons why I love this vegan brussel sprout salad, so listen up!

1. The actual salad only calls for 5 ingredients. Brussel sprouts, apple, pecans, red onion and lemon. Such simple ingredients that when combined with a killer vegan salad dressing, makes for one epic salad. No need to spend hours at the grocery store finding random ingredients to fill your salad. This one is pretty dang straightforward.
2. I find brussel sprouts can be a bit on the bitter side when they aren’t paired/ cooked the correct way. But by breaking down the brussel sprouts (by chopping/ shaving them finely) the bitterness lessens. And then by further pairing the brussel sprouts with apple and a yummy dressing, there is no bitterness. I also love the texture the shaved brussel sprouts add to the salad. It almost mimics romaine but it is a little more course (not in a bad way). It’s just a more unique way to use brussel sprouts and I’m all for it.
3. The Picky Husband loved this simple vegan salad. I’m not lying. He gobbled it up quicker than me and couldn’t believe that the base was brussel sprouts. He even requested this be on the table for our Christmas dinner. So I’ll be adding this salad to our Christmas menu, with the bonus that it doesn’t take all day long to prepare, only 20 minutes if you are speedy!

ingredients for this recipe

You can typically find brussel sprouts at most grocery stores. But for my Kelowna readers, I found mine at Natures Fare. It is always my go-to in the winter months for fresh and organic produce. I love to hit up the farmer’s markets in the summer but over the colder months, this is where you can find me shopping for some of my grocery run!

You also need 1 juicy and crisp apple, 1/4 cup of finely chopped red onion, lemon and pecans. This recipe for this simple vegan salad calls for toasted pecans, but you can do that in your own kitchen. You simply add 3/4 cup of raw pecans to a baking sheet and place in the oven at 300F for 8 minutes. The toasting process creates a more wholesome and comforting flavour in the salad.

For the vegan salad dressing, you need apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, dijon, oil, tamari, garlic, and nutritional yeast. When all of these ingredients are combined together they create a lovely balance of tanginess and sweetness. This combination balances out the vegan brussel sprout salad perfectly.

For more killer vegan salad dressings, try these!

• Lemon Basil Vinaigrette
• Dairy-Free Caesar Dressing
• Kale Chickpea Salad

I’m a huge salad craver in the summer and spring, but I usually find salads hard to enjoy in the winter. Probably because it’s cold and snowy and I just want soup and hot chocolate. But this vegan winter salad has truly hit the spot over the last few weeks. It has the comforting flavours of winter with the toasted pecans, but it is also loaded with a crispness and crunch from the apple and brussel sprouts. This is a vegan brussel sprout recipe that I’ll be coming back to time and time again and I hope you will love it too!

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