This Shaved Brussels Sprout Caesar Salad is creamy, tangy, and smothered in a quick homemade Caesar salad dressing with mayo, garlic, and lemon. With crunchy croutons and crispy bacon, this hearty salad uses raw Brussels sprouts (no roasting required) and holds up well, perfect for packed lunches or holiday potlucks.
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We love cooking fusion food and mashup recipes – taking two dishes and combining them into an entirely new recipe. This hearty salad recipe combines one of our favorite winter vegetables, Brussels sprouts, with a classic Caesar salad for the ultimate shaved Brussels sprout caesar salad– a holiday potluck recipe we’ve been making for years!
Served raw, we skip the added step of roasting the Brussels sprouts and instead shave them with a mandolin for a crunchy bite with a slightly sweet and nutty flavor. While Brussels sprouts are the main ingredient of this winter salad recipe, the star of this recipe is the homemade Caesar salad dressing with mayo instead of raw egg – one of my favorite salad dressing recipes. A spoonful of mayo mixed with anchovies and a rich garlicky lemon flavor makes for the quickest and best Caesar salad dressing, in our opinion.
Toss it together, add crispy bacon and crunchy croutons (try our homemade Sourdough Croutons), a generous shaving of Parmesan cheese, and serve it as a side-dish to a holiday spread, with pasta recipes like One-Pot Gnocchi with Creamy Lemon Sauce and Basil, Butternut Squash Gnocchi, or even our Meatballs in Marinara Sauce or Perfect Roast Chicken.
Ingredient List
- Bacon: we use pre-sliced natural cured bacon from the butcher, however, any pre-sliced bacon from the grocery store will provide the same results.
- Croutons: sourdough baguettes are our preferred choice for homemade crunchy croutons, alternatively, we would use white baguettes from the grocer.
- Olive oil: good quality extra virgin olive oil.
- Brussels sprouts: use only fresh Brussels sprouts. Save time by purchasing pre-shredded Brussels sprouts if available, however, we find it doesn’t taste quite as fresh.
- Parmesan cheese: we encourage you to buy a chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano and grate it as needed. The flavor is just so much better than pre-packaged and truthfully goes such a long way the price is almost the same as the imitation parm.
- Mayonnaise: we use avocado mayonnaise, however, traditional mayonnaise will work just as well.
- Lemon: fresh lemon is always best for packaged lemon juice.
- Garlic cloves: for the freshest flavor, use fresh whole garlic.
- Anchovy fillets: whole anchovy fillets packed in oil.
- Dijon mustard: use good quality Dijon mustard, preferably smooth.
- Worcestershire sauce: bonus points if you know how to pronounce Worcestershire.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Recipe Steps: How to Make Shaved Brussels Sprout Caesar Salad
1. Bake the croutons.
Preheat your oven and toss croutons with olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake until golden and crisp.
2. Cook the bacon.
Meanwhile, arrange bacon slices in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the bacon for 8-12 minutes, turning once or twice until crisp. Drain excess grease, chop the bacon, and set aside in a bowl.
3. Prepare the caesar dressing.
In a large salad bowl, mash the anchovies, garlic, and mustard with a fork. Whisk in the mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire, half the Parmesan, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
4. Toss the salad.
Place the Brussels sprouts in the bowl with the dressing. Top with half the croutons and bacon, then toss everything together until evenly coated in the dressing.
5. Style and serve.
Before serving, top the salad with remaining croutons, bacon, and Parmesan.
Chef's Tip
A mandolin (affiliate link) is the best tool to shred the Brussels sprouts, as it provides the most consistent results. Alternatively, you can very thinly slice them with a chef’s knife or shred them with a food processor.
Substitutions and Variations
- Time Saver: Substitute the croutons, bacon, and dressing for store-bought versions to put together this Brussels sprouts Caesar in just a few minutes.
- Alternative Greens: Go classic with romaine lettuce instead of Brussels sprouts. The dressing also pairs well with a kale Caesar salad.
- Anchovies: Feel free to omit the anchovies if you prefer not to use them. You still get some of the flavors from Worcestershire, or you can even mash capers as a replacement for the anchovies in Step 3.
- Croutons: Make this Caesar salad gluten-free by replacing the croutons with gluten-free croutons or crispy chickpeas.
Recipe Card
Shaved Brussels Sprout Caesar Salad
Ingredients
- ½ baguette cut into thumb sized cubes
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt divided
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper divided
- 8 slices bacon
- 2 anchovy fillets
- 6 garlic cloves finely minced or grated
- 2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
- ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 2 lbs brussels sprouts shredded
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (325°F convection/fan).
- Toss croutons with olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl, and arrange on a large baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes then remove pan, stir the croutons and return to the oven to bake for another 5 minutes, or until golden and crisp.
- Meanwhile, arrange bacon slices in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the bacon for 8-12 minutes, turning once or twice until crisp. Transfer to a towel-lined plate to remove excess grease. Once cool enough to handle, finely chop the bacon and set aside in a bowl.
- In a large salad bowl, mash the anchovies, garlic, and mustard with a fork. Add the mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire, half the Parmesan, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk unti well combined.
- Place the Brussels sprouts in the bowl with the dressing. Top with half the croutons and bacon, then toss everything together until evenly coated in the dressing.
- Before serving, top the salad with remaining croutons, bacon and Parmesan.
Kathryn Gusio says
The most perfect winter salad ever. Saving this specifically for the mayo based Caesar dressing!
Philip Lago and Mystique Mattai says
Couldn't agree more! Thanks for taking the time to comment 🙂
Jess says
How long would the salad last for if you don't add the dressing to the whole batch?
Chef Sous Chef says
Hi Jess,
Thanks for stopping by. The unused shredded brussels sprouts can be stored up to two days in an airtight container in the fridge, and the excess dressing can be stored up to five days.
Thomas Paul says
Crunchy crunchy.. I love how this looks.
Bacon?? Oh bacon!!
Like perfect..
Best salad ever.
Denise from Urb’n’Spice says
Your recipe for Shaved Brussels Sprout Caesar Salad is brilliant, Philip! I love this idea! Many thanks for sharing such a unique way to feature Brussel sprouts. Happy Holidays!
Chef Sous Chef says
Such kind words Denise! It's a favourite salad in our home and we serve it many times over the holidays. Everyone loves it!
Lizzy says
I love brussels sprouts so much! I don't eat them shaved like this nearly enough so must try this recipe! Your photography is stunning too!
Chef Sous Chef says
Thanks so much Lizzy! Enjoy.
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking says
I've been meaning to try a shaved brussel sprout salad, and now I know this caesar version if the one I should try first! Looks great!
Chef Sous Chef says
It's one of our favourites!
Ayngelina says
I love brussels sprouts and i'm trying to get my mother to eat more of them. I think this will do the trick! Pinning for later!
Chef Sous Chef says
We've had a lot of people tell us that this is the recipe that made them finally enjoy brussels sprouts. Once you try it, make sure to let us know what you think!
Yvonne Langen says
I am all about this salad. I love using Brussels sprouts in place of lettuce. I love the crunch and touch of bitterness they bring to this recipe. P.S. SO excited for your forthcoming cookbook guys!
Chef Sous Chef says
We're so glad you enjoyed the salad. It's become a favourite in our house! Thanks so much for the kind words and support Yvonne ?
Madi Rowan says
I can't get over how stunning these photos are! So well done! Looks like a delicious recipe as well!
-Madi xo
http://www.everydaywithmadirae.com
Chef Sous Chef says
So sweet! Thanks Madi. Give the recipe a try and let us know what you think ?
Kristina says
Made this dish for two holiday parties, guests at both parties raved about it! Looks beautiful and tastes even better. This will definitely be a staple dish in my house. Thanks for the recipe, you two make a great team!
Chef Sous Chef says
The sweetest, thanks so much Kristina. So happy your guests enjoyed it!
Molly says
I love the brussels sprouts substitution. It was great for a potluck dish.
Chef Sous Chef says
Thanks Molly!
Amanda says
Guys! This is a delicious way to showcase the flavours of this cheese! Did you both get a chance to try it at FBC? It was my favourite cheese on the Friday night so I was very happy when it showed up on my doorstep!
I love the use of Brussels sprouts. I feel it’s always a challenge to think of new and exciting ways to serve these guys other than roasted.
Chef Sous Chef says
Hey Amanda! We definitely loved how the cheese played with the flavours in the dressing and the brussel sprouts. We didn't try it at FBC but this is such a great cheese.