This Cranberry Pecan Brussels Sprout Salad is fresh & absolutely packed with flavour & interesting textures. It's also hearty & warming thanks to the orangey cinnamon dressing. Just perfect for all of your fall & winter entertaining!
THIS RECIPE IS SPONSORED BY BRAUN
Salads aren't just for summer. I like to eat them all year round but switch them up a bit to fit with the season. My Pear Walnut Salad is one of my fall favourites and since local pears have been in season it has been made a lot. But, it has kind of fallen by the wayside since the first of the local Brussels Sprouts arrived at my greengrocer. This Cranberry Pecan Brussels Sprout Salad with Creamy Orange Cinnamon Dressing is what it's all about now.
It is so good! Remember the soggy, smelly, overcooked Brussels sprouts of your childhood? Well this could not be more different.
No stinky soggy sprouts are allowed here!
Instead we have beautiful, paper thin, shredded Brussels sprouts. Something about the shredding makes them fresher and milder and their texture is kind of crunchy, slightly chewy. These little green ribbons work unbelievably well with the Orange Cinnamon Dressing, the chewy dried cranberries and the crunchy nuts.
So fresh and super yummy! I have been eating this for lunch like everyday for a week. I might just turn into a sprout at this rate! ????
Now we could go all old fashioned and use a mandolin to shave our brussels sprouts. Maybe lose a finger tip or two along the way? I have never ever used one because I just know that would happen to me if I did ???? They kind of scare me quite a lot.
Or you could take the easy way out and use a Braun MultiQuick 9. Easy peasy prep and no lost digits. I think that's a good plan. It's certainly the route I took and it seems the public agree because in a recent survey, 82% of Americans and 83% of Canadians said that one versatile kitchen tool, with multiple attachments, simplifies the cooking experience. In the same survey, 68% of Americans and 72% of Canadians said they would be more likely to explore their culinary creativity if they had tools that made cooking and meal prep easier.
This bit of kit is seriously impressive and certainly does that. It's an immersion blender, a food processor, a blender, a chopper, a masher, an ice crusher and a whisk. It literally does everything and all of the attachments are incredibly quick and easy to change and BPA free.
It combines power with versatility. Unlike other hand blenders it has ACTIVEBlade technology which moves the blade up and down as well as around and around. It also has an extra milling blade. This means there is more active cutting surface which provides super effective blending.
It has no predetermined speed settings. You have absolute and full control with a Smart Speed button. It's a bit like the accelerator in a car. If you want it to go faster you squeeze a little harder and to slow down you squeeze a little less. You don't need to stop and start to change speeds.
I have used immersion blenders in the past and they have been a little messy and splashy. This one has SPLASHControl technology and a SmoothStart feature so when you turn it on it doesn't suddenly shoot whatever you are blending all over you and your kitchen. When I made the dressing for this salad in the beaker there was absolutely zero splashing. It was totally mess free.
The whisk attachment is even powerful enough to whip aquafaba into meringue, and as a blender it makes short work of blending nuts into a smooth cream which is the ultimate test for a vegan cook. I was really surprised at how powerful it is.
The Braun MultiQuick9 really makes putting this salad together a breeze. Just fifteen minutes is all you need and there is no cooking involved at all! ????
TO MAKE MY CRANBERRY PECAN BRUSSELS SPROUT SALAD
- Shred the Brussels sprouts
- Transfer to a bowl and mix in the cranberries
- Chop the nuts with the MultiQuick 9 Chopper
- Pour them in with the shredded sprouts and cranberries
- Blend the dressing ingredients
- Pour over and toss
- Sprinkle with more nuts, more cranberries and optional pomegranate arils to pretty it up!
So easy, fresh and flavourful and unlike salads made with lettuce, this Cranberry Pecan Brussels Sprout Salad won't get really soggy if you don't eat it right away or if you have leftovers.
The sweet orange and cinnamon balance with the sprout flavour perfectly and the cranberries and nuts provide chewy, crunchy texture and contrasting fruity nutty flavours. Optional pomegranate arils add more colour, texture and bursts of fresh juicy flavour.
It's all there, together in a bowl ready to make your fall salad dreams come true and with it's festive colours and flavours it will make a great addition to your holiday table!
Your gonna love it and if you do decide to bust out the Brussels, be a ☆ and let me know what you think in the comments below. Share a pic on Instagram too using #avirtualvegan. I would love to see!
Cranberry Pecan Brussels Sprout Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 600g / 5 heaping cups Brussels sprouts
- 90g / ¾ slightly heaping cup pecan nuts , walnuts make a good sub.
- 120g / 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 pomegranate , optional
Dressing
- 1 large orange , zest and juice
- 1 shallot , or a small chunk of sweet onion
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar , or white wine vinegar
- 5 pecan nuts , walnuts make a good sub. For a nut-free option see recipe notes.
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- salt , to taste
- black pepper , to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Wash the Brussels sprouts, removing any old leaves and the stubby bit of stalk.
- Shred the Brussels sprouts as finely as you can and put them into a large bowl. I use a food processor to do this as it makes it so quick and easy. Chop the nuts into small pieces and add them too along with the dried cranberries.
- Blend the dressing ingredients together until completely smooth. If you prefer a slightly thinner dressing just add a few drops of water until you get to the consistency you like.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to distribute evenly. Sprinkle with a few extra cranberries and pecans if you wish and also some optional pomegranate arils too if you have them.
NOTES
NUTRITION
Nutritional information is provided for convenience & as a courtesy. The data is a computer generated estimate so should be used as a guide only.
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Chessie says
Really good. I made this for Thanksgiving and people seemed to like it -- even people who said they hated Brussels sprouts.
The food processor makes this pretty darn easy once you've pared the Brussels sprouts. I like that using pecans in the dressing makes this an oil-free dish, and the zing of the orange zest is a nice accent.
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you enjoyed it Chessie. Thank you!
Kathy says
I have chopped walnuts. The recipe calls for “5”. Would you say that’s about 1/4 cup or more? Thanks.
A Virtual Vegan says
I think 1/4 cup should be fine.
Darlene Killian says
Help! Want to make your stuffed pumpkin...cant find a pumpkin or round squash. Will butternut or acorn work?
A Virtual Vegan says
Any squash or pumpkin will be fine. I'd go for a rounder one to make life easier for stuffing and serving, so acorn would be better than butternut. You'll just need to scale down the filling, or make it all and serve leftovers of it as a side like stuffing.
Chessie says
Brussels sprouts for the win! This is a great salad. It's chilling in the fridge right now, and I can't wait to eat it. I confess I thoroughly "tasted" it before sticking it in the fridge. :) Great dressing, too. I used a cara-cara orange, since that's what I had, but I suspect a more strongly flavored orange would work even better.
Now I will always know exactly what to do whenever I encounter Brussels sprouts. Thank you!
A Virtual Vegan says
Oooo lucky you! I'm jealous. I haven't made this in ages. The flavours get better once it sits for a little while so you'll enjoy it even more when you eat it properly later! Thanks so much for stopping by to leave feedback Chessie!
Judy Chaffee says
This recipe is AMAZING! And it is so much better if you shred it yourself. I tried some from the store, and the author is correct, it tends to be “woody”. I used the gloves which do not get cut when using the micro plane. Make it the day before. Thanks for a great recipe!!!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm thrilled you enjoyed it so much Judy and thank you for stopping by to leave feedback. It's much appreciated!
Lori says
Sounds delicious! I am currently doing the Whole30 diet and wondered what you thought about subbing the maple syrup for just olive oil?
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you! You could use olive oil instead. A little sweetness in the dressing is nice though. I'm not familiar with Whole30 so am not sure if you are allowed sweetener of any kind. If you are, a little bit of artificial sweetener or even a date blended up in the dressing would be good. If not though, don't worry, it will still be good without!
Sarah De la Cruz says
I love brussel sprouts salads! So delicious, and perfect for this time of year!!!
Jenn says
I love Brussels sprouts so much! The flavors in this salad are a celebration of fall. Definitely a beautiful dish for the holiday tables!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Jenn!
Mary Ellen | VNutrition says
This salad looks so good! It would be so nice at Christmas time as well because of the colors.
Cadry says
Oh, I've never thought about putting cinnamon in a salad dressing! This sounds like the perfect fall salad with cranberries and pecans.
Agness of Run Agness Run says
Yum! Such a nutrient-dense and healthy dish which I have to try as soon as possible. Is it possible to use lemon rather than orange juice and zest?
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you! You could use lemon. Personally I think that orange works better with the other flavours though. I hope you enjoy it whichever way you decide to make it!
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day says
I'm a big fan of raw Brussels sprouts! This Braun device is exactly what I need to save me a lot of time in the kitchen.
Sarah Newman says
What a great fall salad! I love my immersion blender. I just bought brussels sprouts - great timing! :D
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you! I hope you enjoy it!
Jasmine says
That is definitely the EASIEST way to shred Brussels! I have cut myself on my mandoline doing so, and I need to try that method. This sounds so good!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thanks Jasmine! The MultiQuick 9 is certainly a great and very versatile product. Much safer than a mandolin!
Kate says
This salad looks absolutely perfect. I can't wait to try it!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Kate. Let me know what you think!