Who needs a salad after all that food Thursday?? (👋 Hi, me!) Today I whipped up this super simple Warm Brussels Sprouts and Pear Salad to fill the vegetable void I was feeling. Brussels sprouts are usually pretty expensive in my area, so I don’t get to make them often, but when I saw a bag of pre-shredded Brussels sprouts at Trader Joes, I couldn’t resist. Buying pre-shredded makes preparation incredibly simple, and I balanced the cost out with a small amount of homemade dressing and pears, which are very inexpensive this time of year.
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Can I Use Whole Brussels Sprouts?
Yes, absolutely. If you can’t buy them pre-shredded, or buying whole fresh Brussels sprouts are a lot less expensive, you can still make this salad. I suggest (carefully) using a mandoline, or a food processor to shred your Brussels sprouts.
Dress Up Your Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Pear Salad
And as per my usual style, I kept this salad very simple to keep costs low. If you have a few extra pennies and want to dress it up a bit more, you can add something like crumbled blue cheese or feta, walnuts, or even some bacon bits (you could cook the bacon first and then use the bacon grease to sauté the shredded Brussels sprouts).
Serving Sizes
This recipe makes four small side salad-sized servings, but don’t let that fool you. Those hearty Brussels sprouts are extremely filling!
Warm Brussels Sprouts and Pear Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette
Ingredients
DIJON VINAIGRETTE
- 1 small clove garlic ($0.08)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.22)
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar ($0.03)
- 1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard ($0.04)
- 1/8 tsp salt ($0.01)
- 1/4 tsp sugar ($0.01)
- Freshly cracked pepper ( $0.03)
SALAD
- 10 oz shredded Brussels sprouts ($2.79)
- 1/2 Tbsp olive oil ( $0.06)
- 1 D’anjou pear ($0.69)
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries ( $0.60)
- salt and pepper to taste ($0.05)
Instructions
- To make the vinaigrette, mince the garlic and add it to a small bowl with the olive oil, vinegar, Dijon, salt, sugar, and freshly cracked pepper. Whisk the ingredients together until the dressing becomes light and almost creamy in appearance. Set the dressing aside to allow the flavors to blend.
- Place the dried cranberries in a small bowl and add very hot water. Let the cranberries soak for about five minutes, or until they soften slightly. Drain the cranberries and set them aside. Slice the pear into thin strips.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 Tbsp olive oil and tilt the pan until it is covered. Add the shredded Brussels sprouts and sauté them until they begin to soften, but are still bright green (about 5 minutes). Remove them from the heat and season with salt and pepper. They will continue to soften from the residual heat in the skillet.
- Add the pear slices and cranberries to the wilted Brussels sprouts. Drizzle some of the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Add more dressing as needed. Finish with a final pinch of freshly cracked pepper.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Nutrition
How to Make Warm Brussels Sprout Salad 0 Step by Step Photos
Make the Dijon Vinaigrette first so that the flavors have time to blend. Mince one very small clove of garlic and add it to a bowl with 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp sugar, and some freshly cracked pepper. Whisk the ingredients together until it takes on a creamy yellow appearance. The Dijon mustard acts as an emulsifier and keeps the dressing cohesive instead of allowing it to separate. Set the dressing aside.
Add 1/3 cup dried cranberries to a small bowl and cover them with hot water. Let them soak for about five minutes to soften, then drain them and set aside.
Slice one D’anjou pear into thin strips.
These are the shredded Brussels sprouts that I used. I actually bought two bags thinking that each bag was kind of small, but they’re deceiving. After emptying one bag into the skillet I knew one would be enough. Not only are they bulkier than they appear in the bag, but because they are so hearty, they are quite filling. You’ll only need one 10oz. bag of shredded Brussels sprouts for this recipe.
Heat a large skillet over medium flame, then add 1/2 Tbsp olive oil. Tilt the skillet to coat the bottom, then add the shaved Brussels sprouts. Sauté the Brussels sprouts until they begin to soften, but are still bright green (about 5 minutes), then turn the heat off. You want them to still have a bit of texture, so don’t over cook them. They’ll continue to cook a little from the residual heat in the skillet as you add the rest of the ingredients. Season the Brussels sprouts with salt and pepper.
Add the sliced pear and the cranberries.
Add some of the Dijon Vinaigrette, then toss everything to coat. Add more dressing as needed. I liked this salad with a lot of dressing. It helps balance the sweetness of the pears and cranberries.
Finally, season the salad with a bit more freshly cracked pepper. Serve immediately.
Who said salads aren’t for winter? This Warm Brussels Sprouts and Pear Salad says otherwise.
Love winter salads? Try this Roasted Cauliflower and Quinoa Salad, Parsley Salad with Almonds and Apricots, Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad, or Sweet Crunch Winter Salad.
Seriously, this was one of the best bites of food I’ve ever put into my mouth. So warm and aromatic and such a great balance of sweet and savory. This is going into my list of staple recipes.
I just made this, it is amazingly good!
This was so delicious! I added gorgonzola- not a particularly budget friendly addition, but delicious. This, with some ham, was just as good the next day served cold for lunch!
I bought whole Brussels sprouts and then shredded them in my food processor with the shred blade. So easy. I made two large dinner salads.
Wow! This was so easy and so good! My husband and I couldn’t stop eating it. I used fresh cranberries that I pulled out of my homemade cranberry sauce leftover from Thanksgiving. I figured it would be healthier than dried cranberries. The bright red with the green would be great for Christmas dinner. Thanks for the recipe!
Woow This is Awesome!
I like a well-dressed salad, so I doubled the dressing. Pretty good! I shredded most of the Brussels sprouts in the food processor and sliced a few by hand so I would have some bigger pieces.
This is such a perfect fall salad – I love these flavors! :)
I just discovered your site and made this. I just could not wait for my pears to ripen! It was still delicious.
Ha! Yes I’ve done that before.
Well received for holiday dinner. Was not as crunchy but still good the second day
Glad to hear it!
I LOVE brussel sprout salads! So Good. And with fried shallots…yum!!
Wow this salad looks amazing and perfect for the holidays!
It really is Malissa!
Thanks so much for this recipe! I love that you added mustard, can’t wait to make this at home.
I just discovered your site and made this. I just could not wait for my pears to ripen! It was still delicious.
That will happen! Glad you like it.
I made this salad for dinner last night and served it alongside a simple pan seared chicken breast.
Sounds like a perfect dinner!
This is such a perfect fall salad – I love these flavors! :)
Wow this salad looks amazing and perfect for the holidays!
One thing which came to my mind after reading the recipe – “Its a perfect post workout diet”. I tried the same adding some broccoli and spinach, it was so good.
Keep coming with such awesome recipes! :D
These warm brussels sprouts and pear salad are so Instagrammable and adorable! As you know I made it a short while ago and it was lovely! Thx for sharing!
This salad is AMAZING and SO EASY to make! My husband was pretty much drooling afterwards. This will be a keeper for sure! I added feta cheese and it was delicious!
Ok, I made this with bacon, walnuts and goat cheese…YUMM!
I have been telling everyone about this site . Thanks For Sharing
this was delicious. though i would prefer to cook whole sprouts and then toss them in a pan. because semi raw sprouts can give bad gas. 😂
Wow! I was looking for inspiration on a warm Brussels sprout salad, and I am not disappointed! Since I was making for a family of 5 (with only about 15 sprouts), I baked up some crispy kale (olive oil and salt at 400 degrees til slightly browned), sauteed sprouts on top, small apple chunks, and roasted pecans with that yummy Dijon vinaigrette! Served it with chicken salad and cranberry orange relish on toast- Delish! Ty
So AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS! A little tart, a little sweet, a little earthy, and so easy. Inexpensive and filling too. But best of all, totally rocking the Autumn flavors.
Hmmm….surprised. I followed the recipe and it all sounded like a great combination but was so underwhelming …really lacking in acidity – a bit oily. This is the first recipe I’ve tried from the site, but I have several more book marked. I’m hoping for better luck with the next one.
Delicious! I wonder, but a lot of calories?
This salad is AMAZING and SO EASY to make! My husband was pretty much drooling afterwards. This will be a keeper for sure! I added feta cheese and it was delicious!
Thanks for the recipe, it’s delicious! And most importantly, it’s cheap.
Well i’m a pure vegetarian and i love these dishes which are tasty and fulfilled with nutrients. Thanks for posting this Recipe.
I made this over the weekend, and it was delicious! Definitely going into our regular recipe rotation. So quick to make, and yet it still feels like a special meal.
Warm brussels sprouts and pear salad definitely cool light salad. Of course I will recommend your recipe to my friends-vegetarians! Thx for sharing!
This has become a new family favorite. I, for one, cannot get enough of this delicious and simple dish!
Ok, I made this with bacon, walnuts and goat cheese…YUMM!
I have been telling everyone about this site – I haven’t made an even “if-y” meal yet.
This salad is incredible! I used local honey instead of sugar in the dressing, and added a few goat cheese crumbles (which became wonderfully creamy with the warmth of this dish). I would have also added chopped walnuts, but sadly had none on hand. Best part- it took less than 10 minutes to make. I will be making this again!
A complete healthy Salad to have for breakfast. Love the green color:)
Loved this salad! Sliced thinly by hand crosswise.
This is so good. It’s going to be my quick go to side. I added walnuts and crumbled blue cheese on top before serving.
Beth, I would love to try this recipe! But, I’d like to know – have you tried keeping the leftovers in the fridge? Does it reheat in the microwave decently?
Thanks!
Yep, I ate mine for a few days! I liked it just slightly warmed in the microwave.
I made this salad to eat with my dinner this evening and really enjoyed it. The sweetness of the fruits and the sour taste from the vinaigrette was a great combination for the warm brussels sprouts. It reminded me of a German side dish and pares well with a variety of meats or entree selections.
This turned out to be yummy even though I had to make some changes to use up produce in the fridge. The dressing is especially good and vegies + fruit in winter is a great idea. Thank you Beth!
Substituted a gala apple for pear and dried cherries for the cranberries. Next time I’ll buy whole brussels sprouts and cut them a bit differently (horizontally rather than vertically) so there are no slices that are basically all core.
Going to pair this with your Apricot Dijon Pork Chops recipe! Can’t wait!
Oooh, great pairing!
Brussels Sprouts, are great! Always on the hunt for new recipes to incorporate them in!
Oh man, I enjoy everything you put in this salad! I can only imagine it will taste awesome.
Loving the use of Brussels Sprouts! Getting my family to eat fruits and veggies is hard but with recipes like these it should be easier!
Ooooh, this looks amazing. I’m really starting to appreciate the versatility of Brussels sprouts.
Could you substitute apples in this? I have a ton of apples and no pears.
Yes, I think that would work just as well. :)
If you start with whole sprouts, do you cut the hard core off before shredding?
If the ends are really browned, I would trim some off, but you don’t have to cut the whole thing off. They’re like broccoli stems. They soften a bit when you cook them and are edible.
I just made this for dinner and it was delicious. I posted a picture of it at https://www.reddit.com/r/vegan1200isplenty
It looks better than mine! :D :D I wanted to use red pears because I knew they’d be extra pretty in this salad, but they didn’t have any at the store when I went. :P
This sounds great! I would never have thought to combine these flavors
Congratulations Beth on your Saveur Blog award 2016. I love your blog and have been following for several years.
Thank you!!
I have been following too, Beth, since I retired and got into Internet and have more time for cooking. Love your tasty, original recipes!