Shredded Brussels Sprout & Apple Salad

This simple slaw is made with just 8 ingredients, but it gets wonderful sweetness & crunch from apples, kohlrabi, dried cranberries, and pine nuts.

Shredded brussels sprout, apple & kohlrabi salad

You may or may not have noticed, but I love salads. I intended to start November off with big hearty Thanksgiving inspiration… but, well, I’m not sure if the thought of mashed potatoes made my jeans feel tighter or if it was all the Christmas cookies I ate last week (don’t ask)… this week I ended up craving soups and, especially, salads.

I’m really excited about this salad because it’s so simple yet so delicious with all of its shred-y, crunchy textures. If you have a mandoline, this will go really quickly. If you don’t, you can use a sharp knife, just try to slice everything as thinly as you can. (And a side note: please use the safety attachment even though I didn’t here).

Shredded brussels sprout, apple & kohlrabi salad Shredded brussels sprout, apple & kohlrabi salad

Shredded brussels sprouts and apples are the base of this salad. At the last minute I also tossed in some kohlrabi that had been sitting in my fridge for weeks as if it were waiting to be included in this salad. Sliced into thin matchsticks, it offers a really nice crunch. If you don’t have kohlrabi, you can skip it. But don’t skip the dried fruit or the toasted nuts. It’s these sweet & salty flavors that bring everything together.

We ate this salad with big bowls of pumpkin soup, but it’ll also be great as a lighter option on your Thanksgiving table.

Shredded brussels sprout, apple & kohlrabi salad / @loveandlemons Shredded brussels sprout, apple & kohlrabi salad

Love Brussels sprouts? Roast them or try this salad!


5.0 from 3 reviews

Shredded Brussels Sprout & Apple Salad

 
This light salad would be a great Thanksgiving or holiday side. It's already gluten-free, and you can easily skip the cheese to make it vegan.
Author:
Recipe type: Salad
Serves: 2-3 as a side (double recipe to serve more)
Ingredients
  • 12 ounces brussels sprouts (about 2 cups shredded)
  • 1 apple, very thinly sliced
  • 2 kohlrabi, stems removed, sliced into matchsticks
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries or currants
  • ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
  • A good drizzle of olive oil (about 2 tablespoons)
  • Squeeze of ½ a lemon
  • Salt & pepper
  • Very optional: grated pecorino or crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
  1. Clean brussels sprouts by wiping them with a damp towel, then removing the top leaves that are dirty. You want your brussels sprouts to be very dry so the salad doesn't become too watery.
  2. Get out your mandoline if you have one. Slice the brussels sprouts into thin shreds, then slice the apples. Peel any rough parts off of the kohlrabi skin. Thinly slice the kohlrabi bulb into planks, then use a knife to slice the planks into little matchsticks.
  3. Place cut veggies into a bowl and add cranberries, pine nuts, and a few pinches of salt. Toss well, then add olive oil and a good squeeze of lemon and toss again. Taste and adjust seasonings. Let the salad sit for about 10 minutes at room temp, then serve. (Add some cheese if you like)
Notes
If you can't find kohlrabi, you can leave it out or sub in another crunchy vegetable (cabbage, carrots, etc).

 

I have this Benriner Japanese Mandoline and I love it.

50 comments

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  1. Babmar from babmar.com
    05.03.2017

    I would like to say thanks for sharing this information here and I really appreciate this post,Babmar is one of the most trusted brand name in weather-resistant handwoven outdoor furniture.

  2. Victoria Rehn
    11.27.2015

    Made this as a fresh ‘n raw component of Thanksgiving. It was delicious, though I forgot the pine nuts. I had only one kohlrabi but it was still good. I shredded the sprouts and apples using the slicing blade of my food processor. Super easy! I did the same with the kohlrabi, then stacked the slices and cut them julienne.

    One word of caution — add lemon juice, salt and pepper first. Lots of lemon and plenty of salt. Add much less oil than you usually would. I probably used twice as much lemon as olive oil. I tasted it after it had stood for a couple hours thinking it might need a bit more oil but nope — the tartness of the lemon offset perfectly the bitter of the sprouts and the sweet of the apple. All was balanced by the salt. Perfect!

  3. irma
    11.26.2015

    This was unbelievable. We made this as a side at a heavy Thanksgiving meal, most of which I was not partaking of, and lots of heavy food meat eaters had second helpings of this fresh crispy salad. I made it earlier in the day, but it held together very well. You are such an inspiration.

  4. Katie A
    11.23.2015

    Thank you for the terrific recipe. Super simple and really fresh, great taste. The crunchy texture of this light salad is the perfect foil for all the heavy food coming out of the kitchen on Thanksgiving. Can’t wait to serve it to my brother in law who detests brussels sprouts! He’ll never know…..

    • jeanine
      11.24.2015

      Thanks Katie, I’m so glad you enjoyed this one! Ha, best of luck winning over your brother in law 🙂

  5. Kathleen
    04.03.2015

    I love this salad. it is so tasty and the different textures make it sing! We have this often. Thanks for the recipe!

  6. Rosa
    12.13.2014

    Finally finished making this salad today. On Wednesday I cut my finger on the first shred of the sprouts on the mandolin and fainted 15 minutes later!

    So, I can say with confidence–USE THE SAFETY GUARD ON YOUR MANDOLIN !! (If you don’t believe me google “mandolin accidents” and look at the bloody pics)

  7. PhillyLass
    11.10.2014

    This looks wonderful. I love roasted Brussels sprouts, but I’m embarrassed to admit I didn’t know you could eat them raw! I’ll definitely give this a go.

  8. Ann-Marie
    11.09.2014

    We always eat salad at dinner and what a good one! I add some pomegranate fresh arils. This is a perfect side for a BBQ pulled beef burger.
    Thank you!

  9. Sarah
    11.09.2014

    I just made this for lunch with toasted almonds and feta. Delicious. This was definitely a mouth workout – lots of amazing crunchy texture! Thanks for another great recipe.

  10. Hi, I just came across your blog today and absolutely love your recipes! Your brussels sprouts and apple salad looks great – it could be a good one to try on our Thanksgiving table this year. I’ve never thought of eating brussels sprouts grated raw. Is it like green cabbage?

  11. Yum! I adore the texture of shredded Brussels sprouts.

  12. Carmen from awakenliving.com
    11.04.2014

    I love your photos and the delicious recipes!

  13. Lisa
    11.04.2014

    Yes!! I make a very similar salad almost once a week during fall and winter. I add avocados and use slivered almonds instead of pine nuts, but everything else is the same. It’s delicious!

  14. Holly
    11.04.2014

    Hello! First of all – huge fan! Also, will you please tell me where you bought your mandoline? I have been looking for one like that but cannot find one I like that works well.

    • jeanine
      11.04.2014

      amazon! The link is right under the recipe. It’s not the sharpest one ever but I like the size and price of it. It fits in a drawer, and since I never use the safety piece I feel ok knowing that I won’t slice my finger off.

      • Holly
        11.04.2014

        Sorry I missed that. Thank you so much! I absolutely love your blog and I am always excitedly awaiting your newest posts. Thanks again. 🙂

        • jeanine
          11.04.2014

          oh no worries, it’s a little bit hidden. I didn’t mean that exclamation to sound mean or anything – I just really like amazon and the mandoline 🙂

  15. I fell in love with brussels sprout salads last year! I came across a local Philly vegan chef who has a killer recipe including “coconut bacon” and have been making it ever since. I like your addition of kohlrabi and would like to try that next!

  16. clarice from latesttrendfashion.com
    11.04.2014

    lovely salad!! easy and yummy!

  17. rae from lovefromberlin.net
    11.04.2014

    This salad looks great. And I love the photography as well – thanks for the recipe!

    rae of love from berlin

  18. I’m excited about this salad too. Love Brussels sprouts any way and am always trying to find new ways to use kohlrabi beyond my favorite way which is juicing it. This fresh slaw-like version would actually be a perfect addition to lighten up a Thanksgiving meal.

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Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.