Straightforward Low Carb Pecan Cranberry Brussels Sprout Salad

A crunchy, fast, scrumptious, no-cook vacation facet dish for contemporary brussel sprout salad is prepared in quarter-hour! 

Straightforward Brussels Sprout Salad

Low Carb Pecan Cranberry Brussels Sprout Salad has been a reader favourite since I first revealed it again in 2015, and at present it’s getting a contemporary, long-overdue replace—as a result of this tasty salad deserves to shine on each trendy low-carb vacation desk.

It checks each field: tremendous fast, filled with taste, loaded with vitamin C and vitamin Ok, excessive in fiber, satisfying crunch, no cooking required, and ideal for each weekday lunches and special-occasion meals.

And now? Even higher.

I’ve added up to date ingredient notes, extra taste variations, methods to spice up protein, midlife-macro pleasant changes, vacation meal prep suggestions, and I’ve woven in so a lot of my readers’ favourite components—sunflower seeds, goat cheese, dried cranberries, pomegranate seeds, feta, shaved parmesan cheese, and extra.

It’s the proper hearty salad that works as a full meal (simply add your favourite protein) or a shiny, contemporary facet dish subsequent to turkey, roast beef, or ham.

A Little Life Replace — 10 Years in Our Nation Residence

I first revealed this recipe the identical yr we moved into our residence within the nation—onerous to consider that was already ten years in the past.

I nonetheless keep in mind making this recipe for the very first time in my new kitchen. It was the very first meals photograph shoot I ever did on this home, and on the time, I used to be sharing my workplace/schoolroom with the youngsters.

The sunshine poured in by these massive home windows, and for the primary time in years of running a blog, I felt just like the images was easy. Minimal enhancing, crisp colours, and vibrant greens from the shaved Brussels sprouts… it felt like a small private victory within the midst of an enormous life transition.

Life within the nation introduced new rhythms—longer commutes, peaceable mornings, extra fuel station stops than I used to be used to, new favourite native grocery shops, and much more appreciation for easy meals that may very well be made quick on busy homeschooling days.

And even now, a decade later, I nonetheless love how this salad matches completely into real-life chaos: a handful of pantry components, a pointy knife or a shredding blade within the meals processor, a big mixing bowl, and quarter-hour.

The flooring, the partitions, the rooms, and sure—even the salad bowl—have modified through the years. However this salad? Nonetheless simply nearly as good, nonetheless simply as simple, and nonetheless one among my favourite “good recipes” that all the time works.

Why Brussels Sprouts Make the Excellent Low-Carb Salad

When you’ve by no means tried uncooked Brussels sprouts in a salad, you could be shocked at simply how scrumptious and versatile they’re.

When shaved skinny—both with a pointy knife, a mandolin, or the shredding blade in your meals processor—they flip right into a crisp, shredded base that tastes like a sweeter, brisker model of cabbage. They maintain up fantastically in a French dressing, don’t wilt, and keep crunchy even after sitting within the fridge for hours.

Different causes to like shaved Brussels sprouts:

• They’re naturally low in carbs (nice for keto diets or low-carb recipes).
• They’re loaded with vitamin C, vitamin Ok, and fiber.
• They pair properly with each candy components (dried cranberries, crisp apple, pomegranate seeds) and savory components (shaved parmesan cheese, goat cheese, blue cheese, feta cheese, toasted pecans, sunflower seeds).
• They’re filling and hearty—really a essential dish salad whenever you add protein.
• They’re one of many best methods to create a festive vacation salad with zero cooking.

And sure—in case your abdomen is delicate, you possibly can all the time give the sprouts a very fast blanch in salted boiling water, simply 1–2 minutes, then plunge them into ice water. This retains them shiny inexperienced, crisp, and simpler to digest.

The Dressing: Easy, Zesty, and Filled with Taste

This recipe makes use of a basic French dressing made with:

• finely chopped shallots
• one garlic clove
• Dijon mustard
• crimson wine vinegar (or white wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar—your selection)
• further virgin olive oil
• sea salt and pepper

It’s the form of dressing that tastes like one thing you’d get at a specialty salad store—daring, tangy, scrumptious, and ideal for grabbing onto these skinny shreds of sprouts. You too can play with variations:

• Add chopped contemporary herbs for brightness.
• Swap crimson wine vinegar for lemon juice in the event you choose a citrus-forward taste.
• Add a pinch of crimson pepper flakes for warmth.

Versatile Add-Ins (Use What You Love!)

I needed this up to date put up to mirror all of the scrumptious methods you could make this salad your individual. Listed below are the most effective add-ins primarily based on reader favorites, vacation components, and the key phrases out of your unique put up:

Crunch Choices

• Toasted pecans
• Sunflower seeds
• Chia seeds (sprinkle just a bit bit)
• Seed combination blends
• Walnuts

Candy Choices

• Dried cranberries (apple-juice infused are nice)
• Pomegranate seeds
• Crisp apple, finely chopped (if you would like somewhat extra pure sweetness)

Cheese Choices

All non-obligatory, however fantastic:

• Blue cheese (now non-obligatory)
• Feta cheese
• Goat cheese
• Shaved parmesan cheese
• Blue cheese crumbles (use sparingly for stability)

Protein Add-Ins for a Full Meal

• Grilled rooster
• Leftover turkey
• Rotisserie rooster
• Salmon
• Onerous-boiled eggs
• My midlife macro-friendly whey protein dressing trick (combine whey into the French dressing!)

Only one or two of those additions can simply flip this salad right into a high-protein, low-carb full meal.

Meal Prep & Vacation Ideas

This salad is a vacation salad hero. Right here’s why:

• It doesn’t wilt.
• It stays crunchy for 1–2 days within the fridge.
• It appears lovely in a big bowl on the desk.
• It balances richer vacation dishes completely.
• It’s an amazing low-carb different to conventional candy vacation sides.

And in the event you’re following my Midlife Macro Methodology™, this salad matches fantastically into your plan. It’s naturally moderate-fat, low-carb, and may simply turn out to be high-protein with a easy addition of grilled rooster or salmon.

Even your vacation upkeep day can embrace this in the event you add somewhat apple or further dried cranberries.

You may decrease the carbs and pure sugar by eradicating the dried cranberries.

The diet information can be:

Energy: 187

Fats: 17.2g

Carbs: 8.6g

Fiber: 2g

Protein: 4.3g

Web Carbs: 6.6g

Straightforward Low-Carb Brussels Sprout Salad