How do I serve this brussels sprouts salad?

One of my favorite aspects of this recipe is how versatile it is when it comes to serving. You can serve this salad warm , right after mixing the warm brussels sprouts and almonds together with the rest of the ingredients. It also tastes delicious at room temperature , making this a great option for potlucks! And finally, this brussels sprout salad with cranberries also tastes amazing chilled . So again, this is a great option for parties and potlucks, because you can even make it a few hours ahead of time and just pull it out of the fridge when you are ready to serve it.

Can this brussels sprouts salad be made ahead of time?

As I mentioned, you can make this salad ahead of time and serve it either chilled or at room temperature. In my experience, I would only make this salad up to 3 - 4 hours ahead of time (stored in the fridge). Any longer than that, and the cranberries begin to soak up too much liquid and lose their bite. You could extend this time by leaving the dressing off until you are ready to serve. But, I like adding the dressing while the nuts and brussels sprouts are still warm, because they soak up all the delicious vinaigrette much better that way! If you are planning on making this salad ahead of time, I would also leave off the goat cheese until right before serving . Adding it earlier won't cause it to lose any flavor, but in my experience, it just doesn't look as fresh and inviting if you mix it in ahead of time.

Is this brussels sprouts salad vegetarian? Can it be made vegan?

This brussels sprouts salad is vegetarian. If you would like to make a vegan version of this salad, just leave out the goat cheese and swap the honey for pure maple syrup in the dressing. If you are not using goat cheese, you could add in a vegan cheese instead, or add in more almonds to help round out the salad. This salad is also gluten free , but please double-check that the particular brand of goat cheese and dried cranberries you are using are also labeled gluten free (especially a flavored goat cheese since there will be additional ingredients added).

How do I store leftovers?

As I mentioned above, once you mix the ingredients together with the vinaigrette, the cranberries will begin to plump up and will lose their chewy texture over time. That's why I recommended only making the completed salad up to 3 - 4 hours in advance of serving . However, it will still be plenty delicious the day after even with plump cranberries! And if you cut your almonds into large chunks, they should still maintain much of their crunchiness. After serving, you can store the brussels sprout salad in a covered container in the fridge for up to three days . That being said, I do think the salad is at its best the day of or the day after , since it starts to get a little soggy after the first day. But since this salad is so delicious, I don't think you will have any problems eating it all up right away!

Brussels Sprouts Salad with Cranberries

Brussels Sprout Salad with Cranberries

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4.8 from 12 reviews

Roasted brussels sprouts and almonds are tossed with dried cranberries, goat cheese, and a honey vinaigrette dressing. An easy side dish perfect for the holiday season!

Author: Kate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 8 servings 1x
Category: side dish
Method: roast
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

For the salad:

1 1/2 pounds (680 g) fresh brussels sprouts
kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
4 tablespoons (44 ml) extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup (140 g) whole raw almonds (see note 1)
6 ounces (170 g) dried sweetened cranberries
8 ounces (227 g) goat cheese (cranberry flavored or plain)

For the vinaigrette:

3 tablespoons (44 ml) honey
1/4 cup (59 ml) apple cider vinegar
6 tablespoons (89 ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt (see note 2)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F/220 degrees C.
Remove any wilted leaves off the outside of the brussels sprouts and trim the tip off of each brussels sprout stem (keep some of the stem intact to help the brussels sprout pieces stay together). Cut the trimmed brussels sprouts into quarters vertically.
Place the brussels sprouts onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (parchment paper is optional, but will make for easier cleanup). Drizzle the brussels sprouts with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Toss the brussels sprouts with your hands or tongs to evenly coat each piece in the oil. Spread them out evenly on the baking sheet and sprinkle generously with kosher salt and black pepper.
Roughly chop the almonds into large chunks. Place them on a separate small baking sheet lined with parchment paper (again, parchment paper is optional, but will make for easier cleanup). Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss the almonds with your hands or tongs to evenly coat each piece in the oil. Spread the almonds out evenly on the baking sheet and sprinkle generously with kosher salt and pepper.
Place both baking sheets into the preheated oven. Set a timer for 10 minutes, but watch the almonds for signs of browning beginning at the 8 minute mark, or once you can smell a "toasty" smell. Once the almonds are a deep golden brown color, remove them from the oven and set aside. This should take about 9 - 10 minutes.
When you remove the almonds, also remove the brussels sprouts and stir them on the baking sheet with a spatula or tongs. Spread them out again evenly on the baking sheet and return to the oven for an additional 10 - 12 minutes, or until the brussels sprouts are nicely browned.
Meanwhile, while the brussels sprouts are roasting, add the vinaigrette ingredients to a small bowl. Whisk with a fork or small whisk until the honey dissolves. Set aside.
Add the warm brussels sprouts and almonds to a large bowl along with the dried cranberries and vinaigrette. Toss together to combine.
The salad can be served immediately while still warm, at room temperature, or chilled. At this point, the salad can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 - 4 hours before serving. Right before serving, crumble the goat cheese into chunks and add to the salad, tossing gently to combine. Alternatively, arrange the salad on a large platter and crumble the goat cheese overtop.

Notes

If desired, roasted salted almonds can be substituted for the raw almonds. Just chop them roughly and toast them for only a few minutes until they smell nutty (no need to add oil or additional salt if they are already salted).

Kosher salt is coarse grained; if you want to substitute fine grain salt, use 3/4 teaspoon in the dressing rather than the 1 teaspoon called for.

The ingredients in this salad are all gluten free, with the caveat that you should check the label for the particular brand of cranberry goat cheese and dried cranberries you are using to ensure they are also gluten free!

The nutrition information below was calculated using 1 teaspoon kosher salt on the roasted brussels sprouts and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt on the almonds. This nutrition information is an estimate only, provided by an online nutrition calculator, and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical, health, or nutritional advice. See our full nutrition disclosure policy.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/8 recipe
Calories: 425
Sugar: 28.6 g
Sodium: 269 mg
Fat: 28.5 g
Saturated Fat: 6.1 g
Carbohydrates: 41.5 g
Fiber: 5.8 g
Protein: 8.4 g
Cholesterol: 5 mg

Find it online: https://nibbleanddine.com/brussels-sprout-salad-with-cranberries/