Mohamed Shili Joanna Gaines Brussel Sprout Salad is a fresh American side dish that brings a crisp crunch to any dinner table. This vibrant recipe pairs shredded sprouts with juicy blueberries and toasted almonds in a zesty poppy seed dressing.
Approach B (the warning): If you do nothing else, make sure you toast the almonds before they go into the bowl. That’s the difference between a dull, chewy salad and one with a deep, smoky crunch that stands up to the raw greens. I’ve found that even two minutes in a dry pan changes the entire flavor of the dish.
The first time I made this, I tried to serve it immediately and the sprouts were far too tough to chew comfortably. Now I always let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour so the rice vinegar can soften the leaves. This waiting period is what turns a pile of hard brassicas into a tender, marinated slaw that actually holds its flavor.
Joanna Gaines Brussel Sprout Salad Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 2 pounds (900g) Brussels sprouts
- 2 cups (300g) blueberries
- 1 cup (100g) sliced almonds, toasted
- 2 tablespoons minced chives, for garnish
For the Dressing:
- 1/2 cup (120ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup (60ml) rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
How To Make Joanna Gaines Brussel Sprout Salad
- 1. Shred the sprouts: Use a sharp knife to thinly slice each sprout crosswise, stopping about 1cm from the base so you don’t cut into the woody core. Discard those tough ends and toss the shredded green ribbons into a large mixing bowl.
- 2. Combine the base: Add the blueberries and toasted almonds to the bowl with the sprouts and toss them together with your hands. Make sure the almond slices are spread out so they don’t clump together once you add the wet ingredients later.
- 3. Prepare the dressing: Whisk the olive oil, rice vinegar, honey, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper in a small jar or bowl until the honey fully dissolves. You want the oil and vinegar to look like one smooth liquid before you pour it over the greens.
- 4. Toss and chill: Pour the dressing over the salad and stir it well until every shred of sprout is shiny and coated. Cover the bowl and put it in the fridge for at least one hour but no more than two.
Don’t skip the chilling time because the salt and vinegar need those 60 minutes to break down the cellular walls of the raw sprouts. If you leave it much longer than two hours, the blueberries might start to bleed purple juice and the almonds will lose their snap.
- 5. Garnish and serve: Give the salad one last toss to bring the dressing up from the bottom of the bowl and sprinkle the fresh chives over the top. Serve it cold while the sprouts still have a bit of bite left in them.
Recipe Tips
- Slice them thin: If the sprout pieces are too chunky, they’ll stay unpleasantly hard even after sitting in the dressing for hours. A mandoline works great if you’re careful, but a sharp chef’s knife gives you more control over the thickness.
- Dry the berries: Make sure your blueberries are completely dry after washing them before you add them to the bowl. Any leftover water on the fruit will thin out the poppy seed dressing and make the salad taste bland.
- Use fresh pepper: Grinding the black pepper right before you whisk the dressing makes a massive difference in the final taste. Pre-ground pepper often loses its punch, and you need that sharp heat to balance the sweet honey and berries.
- Toast almonds carefully: Watch the almond slices closely in the pan because they turn from golden to burnt in just a few seconds. I usually take them off the heat as soon as I can smell them, as the carryover heat finishes the job.
- Check the salt: Give the salad a quick taste right before you add the chives to see if it needs an extra pinch of salt. Raw vegetables soak up a lot of seasoning, so you might need to adjust it after the hour in the fridge.
- Wash sprouts early: Trim and wash your sprouts a few hours ahead of time so they can air dry on a kitchen towel. This ensures the oil-based dressing sticks to the leaves instead of sliding off onto the bottom of the bowl.
What To Serve With Joanna Gaines Brussel Sprout Salad
A roasted chicken or grilled salmon fillet pairs perfectly with these bright flavors. The acidity in the rice vinegar helps cut through the weight of roasted meats or fatty fish.
You could also serve this alongside a simple pasta dish or a bowl of creamy potato soup. Crusty sourdough bread is another great addition for soaking up any leftover poppy seed dressing on your plate.
How To Store Joanna Gaines Brussel Sprout Salad
- Fridge: Keep any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 24 hours. The sprouts will get softer the longer they sit, so it’s best to eat the salad as soon as possible after the initial chill time.
- Reheat: This salad should always be served cold or at room temperature. Heating it up will make the blueberries burst and turn the shredded sprouts into a mushy mess.
- Freeze: Don’t try to freeze this dish because the raw sprouts and fresh berries will turn to mush when they thaw. The dressing will also separate and ruin the texture of the toasted almonds.
Joanna Gaines Brussel Sprout Salad Nutrition Facts
Per serving (1 of 8):
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Protein: 6g
- Fat: 22g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 450mg
FAQs
Can I make Joanna Gaines Brussel Sprout Salad a day in advance?
No, it’s best to make this no more than two hours before serving so the ingredients stay crisp. If you leave it overnight, the salt will pull too much water out of the sprouts and they’ll become limp and watery.
What can I use instead of rice vinegar in this recipe?
Apple cider vinegar is the best substitute if you don’t have rice vinegar on hand. It has a similar mild sweetness that won’t overpower the blueberries, though you might want to add a tiny bit more honey to balance it.
Do I have to cook the Brussels sprouts?
No, this recipe uses the sprouts entirely raw to maintain their crunch and fresh flavor. The dressing acts as a marinade that softens them just enough during the hour they spend in the refrigerator.
Why did my almonds get soggy in the salad?
The almonds will naturally lose their crunch if they sit in the dressing for too long. To prevent this, you can wait to stir the toasted slices in until the very last second before you put the bowl on the table.
How do I stop the blueberries from staining the salad?
Gently fold the berries in at the end rather than vigorously stirring the whole bowl. If you’re too rough, the skins will break and turn the entire salad a muddy purple color.
Check out More Recipes:
Joanna Gaines Brussel Sprout Salad
Description
This Joanna Gaines-style Brussels Sprout Salad is a masterclass in modern farmhouse cooking—fresh, textural, and surprisingly vibrant. By shredding the sprouts into fine ribbons and allowing them to quick-pickle in a rice vinegar and poppy seed dressing, the vegetable loses its bitter reputation and takes on a tender, slaw-like consistency. The addition of fresh blueberries and toasted almonds creates a sophisticated sweet-and-savory crunch that makes this a standout side dish for any season.
Ingredients
For the Salad:
For the Dressing:
Instructions
- Shred the sprouts: Use a sharp knife to thinly slice each sprout crosswise, stopping about 1cm from the base so you don’t cut into the woody core. Discard those tough ends and toss the shredded green ribbons into a large mixing bowl.
- Combine the base: Add the blueberries and toasted almonds to the bowl with the sprouts and toss them together with your hands. Make sure the almond slices are spread out so they don’t clump together once you add the wet ingredients later.
- Prepare the dressing: Whisk the olive oil, rice vinegar, honey, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper in a small jar or bowl until the honey fully dissolves. You want the oil and vinegar to look like one smooth liquid before you pour it over the greens.
- Toss and chill: Pour the dressing over the salad and stir it well until every shred of sprout is shiny and coated. Cover the bowl and put it in the fridge for at least one hour but no more than two.
- Garnish and serve: Give the salad one last toss to bring the dressing up from the bottom of the bowl and sprinkle the fresh chives over the top. Serve it cold while the sprouts still have a bit of bite left in them.
Don’t skip the chilling time because the salt and vinegar need those sixty minutes to break down the cellular walls of the raw sprouts. If you leave it much longer than two hours, the blueberries might start to bleed purple juice and the almonds will lose their snap.
Notes
-
Slice them thin: If the sprout pieces are too chunky, they’ll stay unpleasantly hard even after sitting in the dressing for hours. A mandoline works great if you’re careful, but a sharp chef’s knife gives you more control over the thickness.
Dry the berries: Make sure your blueberries are completely dry after washing them before you add them to the bowl. Any leftover water on the fruit will thin out the poppy seed dressing and make the salad taste bland.
Use fresh pepper: Grinding the black pepper right before you whisk the dressing makes a massive difference in the final taste. Pre-ground pepper often loses its punch, and you need that sharp heat to balance the sweet honey and berries.
Toast almonds carefully: Watch the almond slices closely in the pan because they turn from golden to burnt in just a few seconds. I usually take them off the heat as soon as I can smell them, as the carryover heat finishes the job.
Check the salt: Give the salad a quick taste right before you add the chives to see if it needs an extra pinch of salt. Raw vegetables soak up a lot of seasoning, so you might need to adjust it after the hour in the fridge.
Wash sprouts early: Trim and wash your sprouts a few hours ahead of time so they can air dry on a kitchen towel. This ensures the oil-based dressing sticks to the leaves instead of sliding off onto the bottom of the bowl.
