Lemony Brussels Sprout Slaw

Lemony Brussels Sprout Slaw
Craig Lee for The New York Times
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(844)
Notes
Read community notes

Like cabbage, raw brussels sprouts do well when shredded and mixed with a tart apple, lemon juice and zest, and a dressing of Dijon mustard and mayonnaise. It’s not a traditional slaw, but the concept is the same. Serve this immediately, or give it some time in the fridge to let the flavors meld. (You may want to drain it before serving if it has released a lot of liquid.)

Featured in: Vegetables for Thanksgiving, Served Natural and Raw

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings
  • 2tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 2tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1tablespoon lemon zest
  • ¼cup olive oil
  • pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed and shredded
  • 1medium Granny Smith or other tart apple, peeled, cored and diced or shredded
  • 1large shallot, chopped
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼cup chopped fresh mint leaves
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

144 calories; 10 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 13 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 313 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    To make the dressing, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice and zest in a small bowl. Add the oil a little at a time, whisking all the while.

  2. Step 2

    Combine the brussels sprouts, apple and shallot and toss with the dressing. Sprinkle with salt and plenty of black pepper and refrigerate until ready to serve. (It’s best to let the slaw rest for an hour or so to allow the flavors to mellow; the sprouts will also soften a bit and exude some juice. You can let it sit longer, for up to 24 hours, if you like. Drain the slaw before continuing.) Just before serving, toss with the mint.

Ratings

4 out of 5
844 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

I used rhubarb instead of brussels sprouts, cherimoya instead of apples, sumac instead of lemon zest, kohlrabi instead of shallot, asparagus water instead of lemon juice, baba ganouj instead of mustard, and marshmallow fluff instead of mayo, and it turned out completely different from the recipe. Also, I cut my hand cutting the kohlrabi. Otherwise it was good.

I've seen in a lot of similar recipes where you salt the veg with a few teaspoons of salt and let it drain for 30 minutes or so to get out some of the excess moisture. I also do this with Brussels sprouts before cooking to cut down some on the bitterness. I'm just wondering if this extra step would solve some of the moisture problem where he mentions having to drain before serving. I can't wait to try this!

Here are the changes I made: Used part cabbage instead of all sprouts; used leek instead of shallots; didn't peel the apple. Once I left out the mayo. Took it to a potluck, everyone had seconds, and many asked for the recipe.

I added slivered almonds and dried cranberries, only because I had some on hand and had to use them up. I like the additional crunch and sweetness.

I have made this several times for a healthy dinner and topped the sprouts with fresh shrimp and/or scallops. You have to make this -- shred a little cheese on top or some chopped roasted pecans.

I made it to take to a potluck where many guests were vegan. It was fine without the mayo. The main thing the mayo does is help emulsify the oil and lemon juice, and maybe add a little creaminess. The mustard is a fine emulsifier, and it this salad doesn't need a creamy dressing.

I sliced the sprouts w/ my food processor instead of shredding them. They were purple, and very beautiful sliced. I did not add mayo to the dressing, and added toasted walnuts and also some gorgonzola cheese. I know that I changed the recipe quite a bit, but without Mark's idea to get my brain ticking, I would never have thought raw sprouts could be so good. It was the star of Xmas Eve dinner. Thanks, Mark!

I cut the mayo (vegan) in half, added both Dijon and a horseradish mustard, and made with mint, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, red onion, cherry tomatoes and toasted almonds. Stunning!

This is delicious as is. I do think it was better from sitting in the fridge for 8 hours, and there was no excess liquid to drain.

I have no idea why this only has 4/5. I absolutely love this recipe. It's refreshing and tangy and excellent. I keep the dressing separately and add as I eat so it doesn't get soggy and I love the dressing so I make extra. :)

This is one of the best cold dishes I have ever made. I put the lemon juice in the dressing just because and this was excellent.

tasty, but needs more dressing

No need to prepare the dressing in separate bowl - just do it in the bottom of the bowl you will serve in. Worked very well and the recipe as written is great.

I love this recipe, but all the talk of draining the slaw if you've let it sit is the exact opposite of my experience with this. Somehow, and I cannot figure the science behind this, this slaw soaks up dressing and dries out if it sits. If you leave it for more than a few hours, you will need to add extra dressing or it will be really dry. It's delicious, though! Big crowd-pleaser.

This is an excellent salad as it is. Due to family preferences I cut the Mayo in half and only put one tablespoon of olive oil. It was perfect.

I had a similar salad at Pecora Bianca in New York, so I was eager to see how this compared to that. I followed the recipe and enhanced it with a few good additions. To the dressing, I added about 1 teaspoon of fish sauce. Then I added golden raisins (plumped up in a little apple cider vinegar), roasted sunflower seeds, and finely grated Parmesan cheese. I think those additions really elevate this recipe. I made it 5 hours ahead and had no problems with sogginess. Highly recommended!

I used tacos instead of Brussels sprouts and salsa instead of lemon juice and I put some cheese on it and put it in the microwave and it still turned out really good. Super fresh and succulent.

It would be fantastic if all Times recipes included nutrition information.

We made this and it was good but not great. There didn't seem to be enough dressing to taste, even though I knew logically there was. After making a big batch and giving it a try twice (dinner and then lunch the next day), I debated tossing the rest but I hate wasting food so I decided to toss the remainder into a hot skillet to char a bit. Lo and behold, it was delicious warmed up. The flavours were enhanced and the sprouts softened. We might make it again but as a hot dish!

Terrific recipe!!! Definitely allow more time to core and prep Brussels if you’re using a knife (I’m terrified of the mandoline) but tasty, simple, and a perfect side for bbq or burgers. Didn’t have the mint, but didn’t notice its absence. Could also see adding pistachios or possibly dried cranberries as riffs on the original. Definitely a keeper!

Why would you core Brussels sprouts? You just have to trim off the end! And a standard grater (or food processor) is good for shredding. Brussels sprouts are way too small (even the big ones) for safe mandoline usage, imho.

I love this salad I added some slivered almonds and two dates.

Maybe a few fried capers in this would be nice?

This is delicious as is. I do think it was better from sitting in the fridge for 8 hours, and there was no excess liquid to drain.

A fine, bracing, refreshing counterpoint to the rest of turkey day dinner. I enjoyed this a lot.

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