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    Home » Recipes » Salads & Salad Dressings

    Published: Oct 4, 2017 · Modified: Sep 29, 2022 by Melanie McDonald · This post contains affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 17 Comments

    Cranberry Pecan Brussels Sprout Salad

    JUMP TO RECIPE PIN
    5 from 20 votes

    Cranberry Pecan Brussels Sprout Salad is fresh & absolutely packed with flavour & interesting textures. It's also hearty & warming thanks to the orangey cinnamon dressing. This vegan Brussels sprout salad is just perfect for all of your fall & winter entertaining!

    Vegan Brussels Sprout Salad from above

    Vegan Brussels Sprout Salad with cranberries, pecans and a creamy orange cinnamon dressing is what it's all about now. It's so good!

    Shredded Brussels sprouts work unbelievably well in salads, especially with the orange cinnamon dressing, chewy dried cranberries (sour dried cherries would work really well too) and the crunchy nuts.

    So fresh, super yummy and packed with protein. Like my Caramelized Brussels Sprouts it's such a great side dish to serve for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

    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!

    How to make Cranberry Pecan Brussels Sprout Salad

    1. Shred the raw Brussels sprouts in a food processor.
    2. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the cranberries and nuts.
    3. Blend the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad.
    4. Sprinkle with more nuts, more cranberries and optional pomegranate arils to pretty it up! Maybe some vegan croutons or some salty vegan feta cheese too?
    salad dressing being poured over a salad

    Success Tip - I don’t recommend you buy pre-sliced Brussel’s sprouts for this salad. They are generally cut quite thickly and having thin slices really makes a difference to flavour and eatability. Pre-chopped veggies also are often a bit dry and withered around the edges. Fresh is best and will pay dividends in flavour, texture and appearance.

    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. This makes it great for meal prep.

    Close up shot of Cranberry Pecan Brussels Sprout Salad with pomegranate arils in foreground

    Hungry for more?

    Love salad recipes? You might also enjoy these seasonal favorites:

    • Vegan Broccoli Salad
    • Quinoa Butternut Squash Salad
    • Green Bean Potato Salad
    • Quinoa Cranberry Salad

    If you try this recipe, let me know how you like it by leaving a comment and rating below! And be sure to join my mailing list for more deliciousness!

    Brussels Sprout Salad

    Vegan Brussels Sprout Salad

    Author: Melanie McDonald
    5 from 20 votes
    Cranberry Pecan Brussels Sprout Salad is fresh & absolutely packed with flavour & interesting textures. It's also hearty & warming thanks to the orangey cinnamon dressing. This vegan Brussels sprout salad is just perfect for all of your fall & winter entertaining!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
    PREP TIME: 15 minutes
    TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes
    Servings: 6 servings

    Ingredients
      

    Salad

    • 5 heaping cups (600 grams) Brussels sprouts
    • ¾ slightly heaping cup (90 grams) pecan nuts , walnuts make a good sub.
    • 1 cup (120 grams) 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
    • ¼ cup (about 5 nuts) 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

    RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT

    • Food Processor
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    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 and also some optional pomegranate arils too if you have them. 

    NOTES

    Nut-free? Omit the nuts from the dressing. It is still really good without them. And in the salad you can either omit the nuts completely or use some pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds instead.  

    NUTRITION

    Serving: 1servingCalories: 147kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 1gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 4mgPotassium: 216mgFiber: 4gSugar: 27gVitamin A: 76IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is provided for convenience. The data is a computer generated estimate and should be used as a guide only.

    Tried this recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @avirtualvegan on Instagram and hashtag it #avirtualvegan

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Gerry says

      December 29, 2020 at 11:43 am

      5 stars
      Loved this salad. Wow amazing flavours. Thanks so much. I enjoy your recipes so much because they use such common ingredients (at least for me) and are simple. Always looking for new ways to use brussels.

      Reply
    2. Chessie says

      November 30, 2019 at 2:11 pm

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        December 01, 2019 at 3:31 pm

        I'm really pleased you enjoyed it Chessie. Thank you!

        Reply
    3. Chessie says

      February 01, 2018 at 12:53 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        February 01, 2018 at 1:22 pm

        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!

        Reply
    4. Judy Chaffee says

      November 26, 2017 at 5:40 pm

      5 stars
      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!!!

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        November 26, 2017 at 11:00 pm

        I'm thrilled you enjoyed it so much Judy and thank you for stopping by to leave feedback. It's much appreciated!

        Reply
    5. Lori says

      October 20, 2017 at 11:54 am

      Sounds delicious! I am currently doing the Whole30 diet and wondered what you thought about subbing the maple syrup for just olive oil?

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        October 20, 2017 at 1:43 pm

        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!

        Reply
    6. Sarah says

      October 16, 2017 at 10:42 pm

      5 stars
      Everyone loved it on CHristmas.

      Reply
    7. Jenn says

      October 11, 2017 at 7:58 pm

      5 stars
      I love Brussels sprouts so much an this was really delicious!

      Reply
    8. Mary Ellen says

      October 10, 2017 at 8:53 am

      5 stars
      Who'd have thought you could eat raw brussels. We loved it. I was really suprised!

      Reply
    9. Cadry says

      October 10, 2017 at 8:39 am

      5 stars
      Oh, I've never thought about putting cinnamon in a salad dressing until now. It's the perfect fall salad. THank you!

      Reply
    10. Agness says

      October 10, 2017 at 2:31 am

      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?

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        October 12, 2017 at 10:26 pm

        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!

        Reply
    11. Amy says

      October 09, 2017 at 9:34 am

      5 stars
      I'm a big fan of raw Brussels sprouts and loved this salad.

      Reply
    12. Sarah Newman says

      October 07, 2017 at 10:47 am

      5 stars
      What a great fall salad! Loved it!

      Reply

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