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 sprouts and apples are the base of this salad. At the last minute I also tossed in some kohlrabi which 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.
- 12 oz. 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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)
I have this Benriner Japanese Mandoline and I love it.
Wow I cannot seem to get enough brussels sprouts. I buy them shaved because the mandoline scares me (I cut a huge piece of my hand out last year using one!!). Anyway I think I can get my apples thin enough to try this because omg those flavors! I’m excited I have all the ingredients at home (except for the kohlrabi) – can’t wait to try this 🙂
Ooh I love the look of that salad – fresh, crunchy and full of flavour, perfect!
I love the match brussels sprouts – apple! I used to make a salad with chestnuts and I-don’t-remember-what-else 😛
Yum, this salad looks so good! Love the combination of pine nuts and apple and I’m definitely going for the version with feta cheese : )
Yum! Just love it.
shoot, I think I have to get a mandolin now! Beautiful salad and pictures!!
Beautiful soup, and I love kohlrabi in anything. I am definitely deathly afraid of mandolins though – could you recommend an alternative way of slicing the sprouts, or is a food processor my best option?
You could do it with a sharp pairing knife, the just try to get the thinnest slices you can (and same with the apples and the kohlrabi).
What a great recipe! I thought Kohlrabi was just eaten in Germany! I’m surprised to see this ingredient outside German borders!
xx,
E.
http://www.theslowpace.com
Ha, well I think it’s become more popular over the last few years. (At least, it’s at my farmers markets all the time). What do you like to make with it?
We usually eat it raw, with good olive oil, Maldon Salt and pepper. Here kids eat Kohlrabi like apples, as a snack! Anyway, I’m Spanish and in Spain you do not eat kohlrabi: it’s something farmers give to the cows!!!!
ha, that’s too funny… the cows must like it, at least 🙂
Mm, I grew up eating kohlrabi. I loved in Indiana, but my dad always grew it and we just eat it with salt!
You always make the most beautiful, simple salads. 🙂
Definitely noticed your salad addiction, and I love it! Awesome recipe!
This right here is my kind of salad, pine nuts for an extra crunch and dried cranberries and apples are a perfect pop of colour! Great salad!! That’s coming from a girl who doesn’t eat them very often. This one could change things up a bit!:)
You are totally right about this being a great idea for a Thanksgiving side dish! Looks amazing!
Lovely salad, I wouldn’t have tough of shared Brussels sprout in a salad, will try it for sure.
Magali
http://www.uniklook.com
I am making this immediately…
I need a mandolin in my life! Love the light texture of thinly sliced veggies in my salads. Mmmm. 🙂
Mandy
http://www.mandydacandy.com
You and I are totally on the same page with the love for salads, brussels sprouts, and not using the safety attachment for the mandolin. 🙂 I actually blogged about some of my kitchen disasters last week, and it’s a wonder all 10 of my fingers are still in tact. This salad looks absolutely stunning! Kohlrabi isn’t a common item in my grocery cart but I’m more than willing to buy some to make this!
Ha – I know, I only realized after looking at the photos that I should make a disclaimer. I just can’t be bothered w/ the safety piece – plus I think I lost it 🙂
I love the idea of shredded brussel sprouts in convenient slaw form. Such a great fall salad.
Yum! This looks like a great Thanksgiving salad option! Definitely bookmarking!
Theresa
http://honesttrees.wordpress.com
Two more reasons I love your blog:
1. Trendy but different. I’ve seen so many recipes with shredded brussels sprouts lately, but just like always, this recipe is so unique!
2. I learn things! With nearly every post, not only do I have great pictures to look at and a story to enjoy, but I’m either introduced to a food (I have to google kohlrabi), or a new food use, or a fun fact…always something!
aw, thanks Jennifer! You just made my day… let me know if you give kohlrabi a try 🙂
This looks and sounds amazing, yum!
xx Kelly
Sparkles and Shoes
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.
This salad looks great. And I love the photography as well – thanks for the recipe!
rae of love from berlin
lovely salad!! easy and yummy!
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!
Sounds yummie! And great idea to slice nearly everything with the mandoline, I would like to try it for one of my GourMate evenings! http://gourmate.friend.launchrock.com
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.
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.
Sorry I missed that. Thank you so much! I absolutely love your blog and I am always excitedly awaiting your newest posts. Thanks again. 🙂
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 🙂
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!
I love your photos and the delicious recipes!
Yum! I adore the texture of shredded Brussels sprouts.
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?
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.
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!
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.
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)
I love this salad. it is so tasty and the different textures make it sing! We have this often. Thanks for the recipe!
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…..
Thanks Katie, I’m so glad you enjoyed this one! Ha, best of luck winning over your brother in law 🙂
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.
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!
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