Brussels Sprouts Salad with Bacon, Almonds, and Parmesan
Brussels Sprouts Salad with Bacon, Almonds, and Parmesan uses shredded raw Brussels Sprouts for an interesting low-carb salad that’s so delicious. And you can toss in a few dried cranberries if you want to turn it into a holiday salad and you don’t mind a few more carbs!
PIN the Brussels Sprouts Salad to try it later!
I think this Brussels Sprouts Salad with Bacon, Almonds, and Parmesan is a perfect salad for a holiday meal. I’ve been making it for a few years now for Thanksgiving dinner, and all the Brussels Sprouts lovers in my family (and even a few Brussels Sprouts avoiders) go crazy over this salad.
And the Brussels Sprouts Salad is definitely delicious for Thanksgiving as a salad with dried cranberries, but when we tried it without those extra carbs Jake, Kara, and I all loved the low-carb version of the salad as well! And I’m pretty sure people who love Brussels Sprouts will love this tasty salad any time of year!
Please adapt the recipe to fit your own personal needs and eating preferences, but no matter how you change it up, if you’ve never had a salad with raw Brussels Sprouts, I hope you’ll try this one.
What ingredients do you need for this recipe?
(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- brussels sprouts
- thick bacon
- Slivered Almonds (affiliate link)
- coarsely grated Parmesan
- salt and fresh-ground black pepper
- bacon grease from pan drippings (or replace with additional olive oil)
- Olive Oil (affiliate link)
- fresh-squeezed lemon juice, I used my fresh-frozen lemon juice
- Dijon mustard (affiliate link)
- Red Wine Vinegar (affiliate link)
- Sugar-Free Maple Syrup (affiliate link) or maple syrup
Do you have to use bacon in the Brussels Sprouts Salad?
We used 6 thick slices of bacon and included bacon grease in the dressing, but you can certainly get by with less bacon, and discard all the bacon grease and make the salad with entirely olive oil if that sounds better to you. And if you want this to be a vegetarian salad, the slivered almonds and Parmesan add lots of flavor!
Can you use more bacon in this Brussels Sprouts Salad?
I kind of wanted to call the recipe Brussels Sprouts Salad with BACON, because the bacon gives the salad so much good flavor, so feel free to use even more bacon if you’d like!
What do raw Brussels Sprouts taste like?
I never liked boiled Brussels Sprouts when I was a kid, but now I’m a huge fan of roasted Brussels Sprouts and raw Brussels Sprouts. I think the raw Brussels Sprouts have a slightly nutty flavor, a bit similar to the flavor of raw cabbage but milder.
Can you use a food processor to shred the Brussels Sprouts?
When I shared Roasted Shredded Brussels Sprouts I recommended cutting up the Brussels Sprouts by hand, and showed you a photo of how I do it. And you can certainly do that for this recipe as well. But in a salad I don’t mind the more uneven texture you get from using the food processor, so take your choice on that!
Who else loves Brussels Sprouts?
If you’re a Brussels Sprouts fan like I am, use Brussels Sprouts to find all the recipes! And check out Keto Brussels Sprouts Recipes to see more options for Brussels Sprouts to make for a special occasion.
How to make Brussels Sprouts Salad:
(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- I bought Brussels Sprouts that were already well-trimmed and just had to cut them in half, trim the Brussels Sprouts if needed.
- Use the slicing blade of a Food Processor, a Mandoline Slicer or just a sharp knife to slice the Brussels Sprouts. (affiliate links)
- Measure out the almonds, then toast almonds in a dry pan until they’re fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Cook the bacon until it’s crisp, remove from pan and drain on paper towels, keeping the bacon grease in the pan.
- Whisk together 2 tablespoons of bacon grease, olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon, red wine vinegar, and maple syrup to make the dressing. Use Sugar-Free Maple Syrup (affiliate link) for lowest carbs.
- Remove the rest of the bacon grease from the pan, then put the dressing into the pan you cooked the bacon in and heat until it’s starting to bubble.
- Then toss the hot dressing with the raw Brussels Sprouts and mix in the bacon, toasted almonds, and Parmesan.
- Season to taste with salt and fresh-ground black pepper.
- Enjoy! And if you’re making this for Thanksgiving, go ahead and toss in a few dried cranberries if you’d like!
More Tasty Brussels Sprouts:
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pecans and Gorgonzola
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Salmon Sheet Pan Meal
- Easy Brussels Sprouts Gratin
- Roasted Shredded Brussels Sprouts
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic, Parmesan, and Pine Nuts
Brussels Sprouts Salad with Bacon, Almonds, and Parmesan
Low-Carb Brussels Sprouts Salad has lot of healthy Brussels Sprouts for an interesting salad that's also so delicious.
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. Brussels Sprouts (preferably pre-trimmed)
- 6 slices thick bacon (more or less to taste)
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds (more or or less to taste)
- 1/3 cup coarsely grated Parmesan (more or or less to taste)
- salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
Dressing Ingredients:
- 2 T bacon grease from pan drippings (or replace with additional olive oil)
- 1 T olive oil
- 2 T fresh-squeezed lemon juice (see notes)
- 1 T Dijon mustard
- 2 T red wine vinegar
- 1 T maple syrup (see notes)
Instructions
- Trim brussels sprouts if needed and cut in half. (Or don't cut in half; this year I was in a hurry and just used the food processor to slice the whole brussels sprouts, which kept them from getting shredded too finely.) Thinly slice brussels sprouts. (I used the slicing blade of my Cuisinart Food Processor to slice them, but you can also use a Mandoline Slicer or just a sharp knife.(Affiliate Lins))
- Put the shredded brussels sprouts into a salad bowl.
- Measure out the almonds, then toast the almonds in a dry pan over medium-high heat until they're fragrant, about 2 minutes (but watch them carefully!)
- Slice bacon pieces into short, thick slices. Cook the bacon in a hot pan until it's very crisp; then drain on paper towels and let cool. (I use a paper towel on top to press down on the bacon and absorb as much grease as possible.)
- Measure 2 tablespoons of bacon grease from the pan and put in a glass measuring cup, pouring out the rest of the bacon grease but not wiping out the pan. (If you prefer, use 2 more tablespoons olive oil instead of bacon grease.)
- Add the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon, red wine vinegar, and maple syrup and whisk until well-combined.
- Put the dressing mixture into the same pan you cooked the bacon in and heat until it's bubbling. Pour over the brussels sprouts and stir to combine, then gently stir in the chopped bacon, toasted almonds, and Parmesan.
- Season to taste with salt and fresh-ground black pepper.
- Go ahead and toss in some dried cranberries if you're making this for a holiday salad!
Notes
A few dried cranberries can be added to make this a holiday salad if you don't mind the additional carbs.
Use Sugar-Free Maple Syrup (affiliate link) for the lowest-carb version of the salad. (Sugar-Free Maple Syrup has zero net carbs, so it was not included in nutritional information. I used my fresh-frozen lemon juice
This recipe was inspired by this brussels sprouts salad from Rachel Ray.
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 223Total Fat 17gSaturated Fat 5gUnsaturated Fat 11gCholesterol 20mgSodium 481mgCarbohydrates 8.5gFiber 3gSugar 4gProtein 9g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
This Brussels Sprouts Salad has more raw Brussels Sprouts than any other ingredient, and they’re about as nutritious as any salad ingredient you can use for any type of eating plan. The bacon, almonds, and Parmesan should all be good ingredients for low-carb and Keto diet plans. If you want the lowest possible carbs, use sugar-free maple syrup in the dressing, and of course don’t add dried cranberries for the lowest-carb version. If you’re strictly following the original South Beach Diet you can make this salad more diet-friendly by switching the bacon grease for olive oil, using sugar-free maple syrup, and using turkey bacon.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Salad Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This Brussels Sprouts Salad recipe was first posted in 2014, and I’ve made it over and over since then. The photos were updated in 2017 and the recipe was last updated with more information in 2023.
32 Comments on “Brussels Sprouts Salad with Bacon, Almonds, and Parmesan”
Just awesome recipe with full of nutrient. Many Thanks for posting this recipe, I will must try to home. As a Nutritionist I appreciate this recipe with all healthy ingredients. I hope you will upload more recipes like this.
Glad you like it!
It would be nice if you gave the nutrition information per serving. I like to know how many carbs and fat grams.
I’m not able to provide nutritional information for the recipes for several reasons, including the additional time it takes, the difficulty in doing it accurately, and the sheer number of recipes on my site. If you look after the recipe itself, I give two links (where it says “Nutritional Information”) for suggestions of two ways to get that information. That’s all I can do at this time.
Can this be made ahead of time?
The salad is not bad when it’s been in the fridge overnight, but I think it’s best freshly made. You could make it a few hours ahead, or prepare everything ahead and toss together right before you’re going to eat it. I’ve prepared all the individual parts, refrigerated them separately, and then heated the dressing in the microwave when I wanted to assemble the salad. Hope that helps!
So, this is a cold salad with a warm/hot dressing, served immediately? Thinking about if this could work for a potluck salad.
I’ve made it slightly ahead and taken it to parties before, so I would say yes.
This salad looks amazing! I found some per-shredded Brussels sprouts at my little local grocery store and am making it today. Is this salad supposed to be served immediately after pouring the hot dressing over it? Does it taste good chilled? How long does it last in the refrigerated? (Sorry for all the questions) Thanks!
You can serve it right away or chill it for a while. I haven’t managed to keep it in the fridge for more than a day but it was fine after that long. Hope you enjoy!
it looks so sweet and healthy. thank you for the recipe.
Glad you like it!
This is a gorgeous salad – perfect for the holidays and the photos are stunning as always!
Thanks, glad you like it!
I love this recipe and the new print with a pic. Thanks!
Hi Jo, glad you like the recipe and the new recipe format. Unfortunately it’s a rather labor-intensive process by hand to get the recipes switched into that new format. I am trying to do some every day and not worry about how long it will take me to do every recipe on the site!
Looks amazing! I used to saute’ shaved Brussels sprouts, but never used raw in a salad
thanks for the idea!
Sally I hope you are going to love it as much as I do!
Can’t wait to try this salad, with and without the dried cranberries! Great combination of flavors.
Thanks Lydia!
Honestly, this salad is probably one of my favorite salad recipes ever! I’ve brought it to potlucks and there’s never any leftover. I usually place the cranberries in a little bowl on the side so everyone can sprinkle them on as a garnish if desired. I haven’t made it this fall yet but today I’m stopping at the market to look for fresh sprouts. Have a great day!
Louanne, so glad to hear you have enjoyed it so much. I agree, LOVE it.
For the first time in several years we are hosting a Thanksgiving meal. I am excited to try this. Love the idea of the dried cranberries. I am sitting here trying to figure out what would be the best way for me to shred the brussels sprouts. 🙂 Thank you for sharing the recipe again! Sounds delicious!!
I think planning what to make is the most fun thing about Thanksgiving (besides eating the food of course!) I’ve done the shredded with a food processor and a knife and both worked well. Hope you enjoy!
They have bags of shredded Brussels sprouts. I saw some at Trader Joe’s last week.
Wow, have to look for those.
Made this recipe yesterday! (Used toasted pecans, and asiago cheese–all that I had on hand.) So Delish! I need to figure and easier way to shred the brussels.
Loved this dish~ Thanks!
I agree shredding the brussels sprouts is a bit labor-intensive but so glad you enjoyed it. I love raw brussels sprouts!
This was so good! We all loved it! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Thanks, so glad you liked it!
I agree that Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate and enjoy. A little bit of bacon would be welcome on my holiday table. Raw Brussels sprouts are something I tried for the first time just a year ago, and they are a revelation. So delicious!
Lydia, isn't that partly what makes Thanksgiving special. And I love this salad, my first time trying raw brussels sprouts and they are so good!