This festive Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Oranges provides crunch, texture, acidity and freshness — exactly what we need at our holiday table.

A Fresh And Festive Salad You Can Make Ahead
A large salad is always a beautiful thing to bring to the table, but it can be stressful to assemble last minute. This shaved Brussels sprout salad is not only gorgeous and delicious, but even when made hours ahead, it will still retain its oomph.
Thinly shaved Brussels sprouts bring a crisp, slightly bitter bite, while juicy segments of winter citrus and tart pomegranate arils offer a burst of sweetness and color. These are tossed with sticky-sweet pecans for a nutty crunch and Parmesan cheese to add savory creaminess. Dressed in a tangy-sweet champagne vinaigrette, this salad provides a refreshing, crunchy relief from other heavy dishes on the table.
This salad is also incredibly versatile, so you can easily tweak it to suit your taste or use whatever ingredients you have available. It works perfectly as a light side dish on its own, but also complements heartier meals like crispy chicken thighs or a beef stew.
Offering layers of textures and flavors in every bite, this festive salad will elevate a weeknight dinner or make a memorable addition to any special occasion.
For even more ways to serve Brussels Sprouts, try my Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic-Garlic Glaze or my Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Agrodolce Sauce!
Ingredients and Notes
Here’s what you’ll need to make this shaved Brussels sprouts salad recipe:
- Brussels sprouts: We are using shaved Brussels sprouts for this salad. When Brussels sprouts are thinly cut, they don’t need to be cooked and taste super delicious when mixed with other ingredients and dressed in a tasty vinaigrette. Because this salad tasted great for days, I like to make a big batch and using a food processor with a slicer attachment, makes it a breeze to shave the Brussels sprouts. You can also use a mandolin or a sharp knife to thinly slice the sprouts. And if all that seems too fussy, simply buy a bag of pre-shredded Brussels sprouts—easy peasy!
- Oranges segments: Here I used Cara Cara but this time of year Blood oranges would also be wonderful, as would sweet mandarins.
- Pomegranate seeds: Adding pomegranate seeds to a salad instantly gives it a holiday vibe. I also love the little bursts of tangy flavour throughout.
- Parmesan: Freshly grated parmesan cheese lends a bit of creaminess and subtle salty flavour to the salad. I like to toss the salad with a bit of finely grated parmesan, then top it with shaved parmesan when serving. If you wish, feel free to use all grated or all shaved cheese.
- Candied pecans: I make buckets of these candied pecans for the holiday season and throw them into just about everything I can. Addictively sweet and crunchy, they might just be my favourite thing in this salad but pistachios, walnuts, hazelnuts or almonds would also be delicious.
- Champagne Vinaigrette: Shaved Brussels sprouts take this salad into slaw territory which means it can, and should, be dressed in a punchy and assertive dressing like this champagne vinaigrette. Thick and creamy, this tangy-sweet vinaigrette generously coats the crisp ingredients perfectly. To make it, you need Champagne vinegar, Dijon Mustard, honey, shallots, garlic, salt and pepper. Instructions and measurements are provided in the recipe notes but you can find the full recipe with extra notes and information here.
Variations And Substitutions
We don’t like Brussels sprouts —> Use a mix of thinly sliced radicchio and endive or even savoy cabbage.
Pomegranate seeds —> Use dried cranberries or dried cherries instead.
Parmesan —> You can use Pecorino cheese or Manchego.
Add dried fruit —> Dried cherries, chopped dates, or dried cranberries would also be wonderful in this salad.
Keep it vegan —> The shaved Brussels sprouts can be made vegan by using maple syrup instead of honey, a plant based Parmesan cheese, and using vegenaise to make the champagne vinaigrette.
Nut allergy —> Can use candied sunflower seeds or candied pumpkin seeds.
Tips For How To Shave Brussels Sprouts
- Use a food processor. This recipe calls for slicing a good amount of Brussels sprouts so using a food processor will make the job really easy. Simply trim the bottoms of the Brussels sprouts and discard any discolored or loose outer leaves. Using the slicing attachment on a food processor, shave sprouts into very thin slices.
- Use a sharp knife. If you don’t have a food processor, or prefer not to use one for this, cut each Brussels sprout in half lengthwise. Then, cut each half crosswise into thin strips and discard the ends. Peel apart any strips that remained together.
How To Make Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
- Make the dressing: To make things easier, I recommend making the Champagne vinaigrette a day or two ahead. Let it sit at room temperature 30 minutes before using.
- Prep the Brussels sprouts: Using any of the methods above, thinly slice the Brussles sprouts. Place in a large bowl.
- Segment the oranges. Cut off tops and bottoms of the oranges so they’ll sit on a cutting board without wobbling. With a sharp knife, remove the peel and pith from each fruit, then cut between membranes to remove segments from the fruits. Add the orange segments to the bowl.
- Add the rest of the ingredients. To the bowl, add the pomegranate seeds and grated Parmesan cheese.
- Drizzle the salad dressing on top and toss the salad until everything is well coated. Garnish with shavings of Parmesan.
Make Ahead Tips
To get ahead of most of the work, you can prepare the salad components ahead of time. Here’s what to do:
- Shave the Brussels sprouts up to 4 days in advance and store in an airtight container in the fridge.
- If using fresh pomegranates, deseed them and store the seeds in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- The oranges can be segmented and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Make the Champagne Vinaigrette up to 5 days ahead and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- If using candied pecans, make them up to 1 week ahead.
- For optimal flavor, the Parmesan cheese is best grated and shaved only 1 day in advance.
Alternatively, you can assemble the entire salad up to 1 day ahead. Similar to coleslaw, this salad actually benefits from being made ahead of time so that the sprouts begin to wilt a little. Assemble and dress the salad at least 30 minutes ahead, and up to 24 hours. If you prefer to keep the nuts at their crunchiest, add them in just before serving.
Storage Tips
Leftovers of this shaved Brussels sprouts salad will keep well stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
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Thank you!~Sandra
More Festive Salads To Try
Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

Ingredients
For The Salad
- 1 1/4 pound Brussels sprouts
- 2 small oranges, such as Cara Cara, Blood oranges, or navel oranges.
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds, plus extra for garnish
- 1 cup toasted pecans (I used candied pecans – link in notes)
- 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for shaving (about 2 ounces)
For The Champagne Vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup Champagne vinegar
- 1/2 small shallot peeled and chopped (or finely minced if not using blender)
- 1 large garlic clove, peeled and chopped in half (or finely minced if not using blender)
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream (can use vegenaise)
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Trim the bottoms of the Brussels sprouts and discard any discolored or loose outer leaves. Using the slicing attachment on a food processor or a very sharp knife, shave sprouts into very thin slices. Place in a large bowl.
- Cut off tops and bottoms of the oranges so they’ll sit on a cutting board without wobbling. With a sharp knife, remove the peel and pith from each fruit, then cut between membranes to remove segments from the fruits. Add the orange segments to the bowl.
- Add the pomegranate seeds, pecans, and grated parmesan to the bowl.
- To make the vinaigrette: Place the champagne vinegar, shallots, garlic, mustard, honey, cream, salt and pepper in the jar of a blender (or in small bowl, glass measuring cup, or mug if using an immersion blender). Blend on high until the shallot and garlic are pureed, 15 to 20 seconds. If you have the time, let this sit for 5 to 15 minutes—the vinegar and cream will help temper the harshness of the alliums. With the blender running, slowly add the olive oil and blend an additional 15 to 20 seconds or until the mixture is thick and smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Sealed in a jar, this vinaigrette keeps well in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and toss until everything is well coated. Garnish with extra pomegranate seeds and shavings of Parmesan.
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