Brussels Sprouts and Pomegranate Salad

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This crunchy, tangy, brussels sprouts and pomegranate salad is what your Thanksgiving spread needs. It adds texture, color, and no oven space required! You’re going to love this easy, healthy side!

With Thanksgiving a week away (not sure how that happened), it’s time to put pen to paper and get our ducks, er, turkeys, in a row. That’s right, I’m in serious list-making mode. From finalizing the menu, to making the shopping list, to making my daily task and timeline lists, I’m all business today.

The basics of my Thanksgiving menu stay pretty much the same each year, with a little tweaking to keep it interesting. Of course there’s turkey and gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. And I always need something green. Whether it’s simply blanched haricot vert or my take on a green bean casserole, green beans are usually in the mix.

As are brussels sprouts, a crowd-pleasing favorite. Roasted brussels sprouts are always a winner, but with oven space at a premium on the big day, I love turning brussels sprouts into a salad.

A salad is a great addition to the Thanksgiving spread for more reasons than one. 

• A crisp salad cuts the richness of all the creamy and decadent sides.
• No heat required! One less dish jockeying for oven time is not only welcome, but necessary.
• This salad has vibrant color and texture, which helps to make an eye-catching spread.
• You can prep this salad in advance which means you can focus on mashing and carving right before serving.

Tips for success

• Because you’re not cooking the brussels sprouts, it’s best to slice them as thinly as possible for the tastiest results.
• Brussels sprouts are hearty and won’t wilt if dressed early. In fact, the salad tastes better if you toss it with the dressing a couple hours before to let the flavors meld.
• Don’t want stained hands from seeding pomegranates? Quarter the pomegranate, and immerse it in a bowl of water, and remove the seeds. The seeds will sink and the white pith will float to the top, making it easy to remove.
• Prep all the ingredients for the salad (except the apple) the day before, including making the dressing. Keep the salad ingredients in a sealed plastic bag and the dressing in a separate container. Cut the apple and toss the salad with the dressing about two hours before serving. Keep in the refrigerator until time to serve.

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Brussels Sprouts and Pomegranate Salad

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

40 mins

 

This crunchy, tangy, brussels sprouts and pomegranate salad is what your Thanksgiving spread needs. It adds texture, color, and no oven space required! You're going to love this easy, healthy side!

Course: brussels sprouts, Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: brussels sprouts salad

Servings: 6 Servings

Calories: 237 kcal

Author: Cathy Roma | What Should I Make For...

Ingredients

• 4 oz pancetta, cut into 1/4 inch dice
• 1 1/2 lbs brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and brown outer leaves removed
• 1 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1 apple, cored and cut into matchsticks
• 1 Tbsp parsley, minced
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Buttermilk Dressing

• 2 Tbsp mayonaise
• 1 1/2 Tbsp stone ground mustard
• 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 cup buttermilk

Instructions

1. Cook pancetta in a small saute pan until crisp and drain on a paper towel lined plate. Reserve.

2. Halve the brussels sprouts from top to stem and then lay each half cut side down and slice very thinly.

3. Combine brussels sprouts, pancetta, pomegranate seeds, apples, and parsley in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss well.

4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Dress the salad 2 hours before serving and keep in refrigerator until serving.

Buttermilk Dressing

1. Whisk all the ingredients together until emulsified.

Recipe Notes

• Because you're not cooking the brussels sprouts, it's best to slice them as thinly as possible for the tastiest results. 
• Brussels sprouts are hearty and won't wilt if dressed early. In fact, the salad tastes better if you toss it with the dressing a couple hours before to let the flavors meld.
• Don't want stained hands from seeding pomegranates? Quarter the pomegranate, and immerse it in a bowl of water, and remove the seeds. The seeds will sink and the white pith will float to the top, making it easy to remove.
• Prep all the ingredients for the salad (except the apple) the day before, including making the dressing. Keep the salad ingredients in a sealed plastic bag and the dressing in a separate container. Cut the apple and toss the salad with the dressing about two hours before serving. Keep in the refrigerator until time to serve.

Nutrition Facts

Brussels Sprouts and Pomegranate Salad

Amount Per Serving

Calories 237 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Fat 14g22%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Cholesterol 16mg5%

Sodium 442mg19%

Potassium 602mg17%

Carbohydrates 21g7%

Fiber 6g25%

Sugar 11g12%

Protein 7g14%

Vitamin A 960IU19%

Vitamin C 101.4mg123%

Calcium 77mg8%

Iron 1.9mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Update Notes: This post was originally published in November 2017 but was republished with tips in November 2018.