This Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad is an autumn twist on a classic caesar salad! With a base of raw, shredded Brussels sprouts, it's topped with crispy bacon, savory parmesan, toasted breadcrumbs and a rich, homemade miso maple caesar dressing. It's the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas as it can easily be prepped ahead of time, and you can keep things simple by pairing it with my air fryer ham and air fryer mashed potatoes!
Quick Look: Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad
- ⏱ Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 👩🏻🍳 Cook Time: 15 minutes (to cook bacon and toast breadcrumbs)
- ⏳ Total Time: 35 minutes
- 🍽 Servings: 8 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 421 per serving
- 🔥 Flavor/texture: crisp texture from the Brussels sprouts, bacon and breadcrumbs; sweet and savory umami flavor from the miso maple dressing.
- 👌 Difficulty: easy to make and assemble.
- ❤️ Why you'll love: maple syrup in the dressing balances natural bitterness of the Brussels sprouts; raw shaved sprouts hold their crunch longer than romaine; easy to prep ahead; perfect holiday side dish.
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Why this recipe works
I first made this salad with my egg-free caesar dressing recipe and the results didn't meet my expectations. I love my egg-free dressing on more traditional caesar salads like my air fryer chicken caesar salad, but the salty, acidic flavor of the dressing just enhanced the natural bitterness of the Brussels sprouts.
But, I loved the crunchy texture of this salad so I didn't want to give up on the recipe. I considered going in a different direction and use my no buttermilk ranch dressing, but, in the end, I decided to revisit the caesar dressing and adjust the ingredients.
The miso maple dressing that I created for this salad is super creamy thanks to a mayonnaise base, and doesn't contain any raw eggs. While it includes a little Worcestershire sauce, I left out the anchovies and went with white miso paste for the savory, umami flavor.
The winning ingredient, however, is the maple syrup. While it's not a lot, it's just enough to sweeten the dressing to balance the bitterness from the raw sprouts. The result is a crisp, sweet and savory Brussels sprouts caesar salad!
Table of Contents
Ingredient notes
- Brussels sprouts - You'll need 2 pounds for this salad recipe. Make sure they're not too large, as large sprouts tend to taste bitter. If you can find a package of pre-shredded sprouts at your grocery store, that's a shortcut that will save you a lot of time!
- Bacon - The recipe calls for ¾ cup of cooked, crumbled bacon, which is roughly 7-8 slices. You can buy pre-cooked slices or cook raw slices before you get ready to assemble the salad.
- Panko crumbs - Toasted breadcrumbs worked so well with my broccoli caesar pasta salad, I decided to go with them for this salad too. If you prefer croutons, you can use store-bought or try my homemade sourdough croutons. My air fryer chickpeas also work as a crispy alternative!
- Parmesan - The recipe calls for parmesan cheese in the salad dressing, and more to toss in the salad. While I prefer to buy a block and grate it myself, you can use packaged shreds to save time.
- Mayo - Full fat mayo is the base of the miso maple dressing. Feel free to use plant-based mayo if you prefer a completely egg-free caesar dressing.
- Miso - Miso is made from fermented soybeans. Just 2 tablespoons of white miso paste adds a tonne of umami flavor to this dressing.
- Maple syrup - Just 4 teaspoons will add sweetness to the dressing and help balance out any bitterness from the Brussels sprouts.
How to make caesar salad with Brussels sprouts
Step 1: Mix together the panko crumbs and seasoning. Spread out on a parchment lined baking sheet and lightly spritz with oil.
Step 2: Bake at 400F for 3-5 minutes, or until the crumbs turn a deep golden brown. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.
Step 3: Add all of the dressing ingredients, except the oil, parmesan and pepper, to a medium-sized bowl and whisk together until combined.
Step 4: Slowly stream in the oil, whisking constantly until fully mixed in.
Step 5: Stir in the parmesan and black pepper. Place in the fridge until ready to use.
Step 6: Wash and prep the Brussels sprouts. Trim a little bit off the stem and remove any damaged or yellow outer leaves. Add to a large capacity food processor.
Step 7: Pulse until the Brussels sprouts are shredded. (Little chunks throughout are fine).
Step 8: Transfer the shredded Brussels to a large bowl and add the bacon, parmesan and some of the dressing.
Step 9: Toss to combine, adding more dressing as desired.
Step 10: Serve with more cheese and toasted panko crumbs on top.
Expert tips
- Size of food processor: Two pounds of Brussels sprouts is a lot. If you have a small food processor, you will need to shred the sprouts in batches.
- Make ahead: To make this recipe ahead of time, prep the components a day in advance and store them separately. Assemble the salad just before serving.
- Breadcrumbs: Don't toss the toasted panko crumbs into the salad right away. They love to soak up the salad dressing so they'll lose their crunch. Keep them on the side and sprinkle them over top of the salad before serving.
- Amount of dressing: The recipe makes a lot of dressing (about 1.5 cups), so just use as much as you like in the salad. I always like to have a little extra on hand in case guests prefer extra dressing.
Brussels sprouts caesar salad FAQs
I bought 2 pounds of whole Brussels sprouts. It was a 907 gram package. Once I trimmed the stems, removed any outer leaves and shredded them, I was left with about 725 grams or 27 ounces.
The easiest way is to use a food processor. You can use the shredding disk, but I just add the whole Brussels to the food processor and pulse a few times. I like that you get shreds but also some chunkier pieces, which I think works well in this salad. Even when I used the larger holes on the shredding disk, I thought the shreds were a bit too small for the salad.
When raw, shredded Brussels sprouts are exposed to the air for too long, they will oxidize and brown. To prevent this, once shredded, make sure the sprouts are dry and store them immediately in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also store them in a ziplock bag with a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture. For good measure, you can vacuum seal them, especially if you're prepping them a day in advance.
Brussels sprouts are naturally bitter, and some can be more bitter than others, especially if they're larger sprouts. If your salad is still bitter even after adding the salad dressing, stir in more maple syrup, one teaspoon at a time, until the bitterness is minimized. Avoid adding salt or more lemon juice as this will only enhance the bitterness.
Absolutely! If you prefer roasted Brussels sprouts, you can follow the steps in my air fryer Brussels sprouts recipe or roasted Brussels sprouts recipe. Just keep the seasonings simple and leave out the add ins for those recipes. Toss the sprouts in the salad while they're still warm.
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📖 Recipe
Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad
Ingredients
For the breadcrumbs:
- ½ cup (30 g) panko crumbs
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- spray oil
For the dressing:
- ⅔ cup (165 g) full fat mayonnaise
- ¼ cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice, about 1 large lemon
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste
- 4 teaspoons maple syrup
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup (40 g) finely grated parmesan cheese
- ¾ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
For the salad:
- 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, see note #1
- ¾ cup cooked, crumbled bacon, about 7-8 slices
- ½ cup (40 g) finely grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, mix together the panko crumbs, smoked paprika, garlic powder and salt. Spread out on the prepared baking sheet and lightly spritz with oil.
- Bake for 3-5 minutes, or until a deep golden brown. You'll need to stir them around to ensure they brown evenly. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
- Add all of the dressing ingredients, except the oil, parmesan and pepper, to a medium-sized bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Slowly stream the oil into the mixture, whisking constantly until fully incorporated. Add the parmesan and pepper and stir until well combined.
- Trim the stems of the Brussels sprouts and remove any damaged or yellow outer leaves. Rinse with water in a colander and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Place the Brussels sprouts in a large capacity food processor, and pulse until shredded into small pieces with a few bigger pieces throughout.
- Add the shredded Brussels to a large bowl. Top with bacon and parmesan, and drizzle on some of the dressing. Toss to combine. Add more dressing as desired.
- Serve with the toasted breadcrumbs on top.
Notes
- Amount of Brussels sprouts. I bought a 2 pound (907g) package. Once I trimmed the stems, removed any outer leaves and shredded them, I was left with about 725 grams or 27 ounces.
- Size of food processor: Two pounds of Brussels sprouts is a lot. If you have a small food processor, you'll need to shred the sprouts in batches.
- Make ahead: To make this recipe ahead of time, prep the components a day in advance and store them separately. Assemble the salad just before serving.
- Breadcrumbs: Don't toss the toasted panko crumbs into the salad right away. They love to soak up the salad dressing so they'll lose their crunch. Keep them on the side and sprinkle them over top of the salad before serving.
- Amount of dressing: The recipe makes a lot of dressing (about 1.5 cups), so just use as much as you like in the salad. I always like to have a little extra on hand in case guests prefer extra dressing.
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Nutrition Facts per Serving
Disclaimer
Nutrition information is an estimate only and will vary depending on the substitutions made and the brands used.
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