Switch up your salad routine with a crunchy shredded brussels sprouts salad with apples, blue cheese, pecans, and bacon vinaigrette. It's a delicious fall and winter salad! (gluten-free)

overhead view of shredded brussels sprout apple salad on a plate with a half apple, pecans, gold spoon, and a napkin surrounding it.

If you're stuck in a rut with the same old dinner salad every night, it's time to mix it up! You absolutely don't have to be stuck with the same lettuce-tomato-cucumber-crouton combo each night when there are so many other interesting options just waiting to be made! This shredded apple brussels sprout salad with pecans and blue cheese is the perfect way to mix up your salad routine and try something new this season.

Why You'll Love This Salad

This salad is so easy to make with just a few simple ingredients, and it's full of flavor and crunch! It's got lots of delicious contrasts in flavor and texture, from sweet crunchy apples, to nutty toasty pecans to creamy blue cheese, all topped off with a warm, savory bacon shallot dressing. Brussels sprouts are a great change from regular lettuce, and perfectly in season in the fall and winter.

overhead view of brussels sprouts, pecans, blue cheese, apples, and bacon dressing on a white marble background.

The Ingredients

Brussels sprouts - Look for tightly closed sprouts with green, unblemished leaves. To save time, you can also buy pre-shredded bagged brussels sprouts.
Apples - Use 1 small or half of a large apple of any variety. My favorites are honeycrisp and granny smith.
Pecans - Toasting the pecans adds a delicious nutty flavor to this salad! Toast in a dry skillet on the stove or on a baking sheet in the oven.
Blue cheese - I like to keep a wedge of mild blue cheese, such as gorgonzola, in the fridge and crumble a bit for the salad. You can also buy pre-crumbled blue cheese.
Warm bacon shallot vinaigrette - This simple dressing is easy to make with leftover bacon grease, shallot, apple cider vinegar and maple syrup! It's so delicious and adds lots of flavor to shredded brussels sprouts.

How To Make It

four image collage showing steps for making shredded brussels sprout apple salad.

Toast the pecans either in a dry skillet on the stove or on a baking sheet in the oven at 400°F for about 10 minutes.
Wash the brussels sprouts and trim the ends. Use a sharp knife to thinly slice the brussels sprouts from top to bottom and place them in a bowl.
Dice the apple and crumble the blue cheese and add them to the bowl. Add the pecans, too.
Whisk up the dressing and pour it on top. Toss to coat everything and serve!

closeup of apple brussels sprouts salad on a plate with a gold spoon.

Storing Leftovers

Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You may want to make extra dressing, because leftovers tend to get a little dry in the fridge.

Love brussels sprouts? Try these other delicious brussels sprouts recipes!

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the comments!

Apple Blue Cheese Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad

Print Recipe

Switch up your salad routine with a crunchy shredded brussels sprouts salad with apples, blue cheese, pecans, and bacon vinaigrette. It's a delicious fall and winter salad! (gluten-free)

Author: Kaleigh
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: side dish
Method: chopped
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

½ lb brussels sprouts
1 small apple, any variety (or ½ large)
¼ cup crumbled blue cheese
¼ cup pecans

Bacon Shallot Dressing:

1 tbsp bacon grease, warmed
2 tsp minced shallot
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp maple syrup
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
⅛ tsp sea salt
⅛ tsp freshly cracked pepper

Instructions

Toast the pecans in a dry skillet on the stove over medium heat until fragrant, or in the oven at 400°F for 10 minutes.
Wash brussels sprouts and trim off the woody ends. Shred brussels sprouts by slicing thinly from top to bottom. Place in a large bowl.
Dice apples and crumble blue cheese. Add apples, blue cheese and toasted pecans to the bowl with the brussels sprouts.
Make the dressing (see below). Pour dressing over brussels sprouts and toss to coat.

To make the dressing:

If your bacon grease is cooled, warm it back up either on the stove or in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds.
Mince the shallot.
In a jar, add the warmed bacon grease, shallot, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil, salt and pepper. Whisk or shake to combine.
Use immediately on your favorite salad. If the dressing separates, stir or shake just before using.

Notes

If you don't have leftover bacon grease handy, you can use olive oil for the dressing. If you're making fresh bacon, feel free to add it to the salad if you'd like!
I love honeycrisp and granny smith apples in this salad. You can use any apple you prefer.

Keywords: apple brussels sprout salad, brussels sprouts salad with apples and blue cheese