Everyone Loves My "Ridiculously Delicious" Brussels Sprouts Salad
I love a Brussels sprout salad — it holds its texture well over time (so your leftovers don’t suck), and the shreddy bits get dressing in every little nook and cranny. It makes the perfect base for a winter version of one of my favorite summer salads: fattoush.
Fattoush is a Lebanese bread salad made from toasted or fried pita bread, tomatoes, radishes, and cucumber tossed with a lemon-sumac dressing. You’ll find riffs on this salad throughout the Middle East. I love it for the crunchy pita and tart dressing — both are things that taste great in a salad even when cucumbers and tomatoes are looking a little sad and out of season.
Here, I start with shredded Brussels sprouts, radishes, onion, and diced green apple. It all gets tossed in a pomegranate molasses vinaigrette. Pomegranate molasses is often used in traditional fattoush recipes, and I think it goes especially well here. What you end up with is a more seasonally driven version of a really delicious, classic salad. There’s a lesson in there somewhere, and I’ll dig it out for you: If you love a salad, but one of the ingredients is out of season or looks sad, replace it with something at its peak for a satisfying twist.
My little hack for extra-crispy pita bits without staling bread, baking, or frying is to quickly toast store-bought pita chips in a pan so they taste freshly and deeply roasted. Then I sprinkle them with a little sumac for a lemony kick. If you leave the toasted pita chips on the side, the leftovers will store quite well in the fridge. This salad (which only takes about 25 minutes to make, by the way) will really wow your family and friends, or it can be lunch prep for the week. Either way, it’s a big, delicious win.
Why You’ll Love It
Zhuzh up store-bought! Quickly toasting store-bought pita chips gives them a much deeper flavor — you’ll swear they taste homemade.
A dressing you’ll want to bookmark. Tangy-sweet pomegranate molasses makes this simple vinaigrette feel instantly special. I promise you’re gonna want to use it on other salads, too.
Key Ingredients in Brussels Sprout Fattoush
Brussels sprouts: You don’t need to slice them paper thin — just make sure they’re thin enough that they can bend easily when pressed between two fingers. It’s OK if any leaves fall off while slicing; you can just add them to the bowl.
Pita chips: Toasting crushed store-bought pita chips for a couple of minutes gives them a much deeper flavor, like they’re homemade!
Pomegranate molasses: Sweet-tangy and extra syrupy (like the texture of molasses), it’s a reduction of pomegranate juice mixed with lemon juice and a little sugar.
Apple: Tart Granny Smith apple adds a juicy crunch to every bite.
Sumac: Flecks of red, lemony sumac make the pita chips feel fancier and look pretty sprinkled over the salad before serving.
Feta cheese: Salty, creamy feta cheese is optional, but it adds a great contrast to the sweetness in the dressing.
Helpful Swaps
Instead of adding feta, spread a generous layer of plain yogurt (or add a little garlic and salt) on the bottom of your serving plate, then build the salad over.
Some coarsely chopped, roasted pistachios would fit in deliciously.
Skip the toasting step and just add regular crushed pita chips.
Or, if you’re feeling a little bit more ambitious, make your own pita chips.
Swap out diced green apple for fresh pomegranate arils.
Add some za’atar spice to the pita chips along with the sumac.
How to Adapt Salads, Seasonally
Instead of clinging to mealy out-of-season tomatoes or other sad produce, swap things out for a fresh approach to your favorites. Here are a few tips to get you started.
Think about what the ingredient is adding to the overall dish, and replicate it. Here, tart and juicy green apples stand in for crunchy cucumbers and tangy tomatoes.
Pick a produce item at its seasonal peak and figure out what it could replace (like swapping lettuce for Brussels sprouts). Even if it’s not necessary to swap, it’s a nice seasonal spin.
Consider the core of the dish. Are there things you can’t change without losing the vibe? You can put Caesar dressing on practically any vegetable and still “give Caesar,” but take away Caesar dressing and you’ve lost the plot. Keep what makes sense!
More Recipes to Use Up That Bottle of Pomegranate Molasses
Salad Person is my column dedicated to making better, more delicious salads at home that you’re actually excited to eat. Each month, I’ll provide tips and techniques so you can enjoy them as much as I do — which is a lot! Follow along and find the recipes here.
Brussels Sprouts Fattoush Recipe
Game-changing two-minute pita chip hack? I’m listening.
Prep time 25 minutes
Cook time 2 minutes
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
For the vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 clove garlic, finely grated
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
For the salad:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups pita chips, crushed into bite-size pieces
1 teaspoon ground sumac, plus more for sprinkling
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly shredded (about 6 cups)
1 medium Granny Smith apple, cored and small diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
4 red radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup, optional)
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint or parsley leaves, or a combination (from about 8 sprigs), torn
Instructions
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Make the vinaigrette:
Whisk 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, and 1 finely grated garlic clove together in a large bowl. While whisking constantly, slowly pour in 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil and whisk until incorporated. Taste and season with kosher salt as needed.
Make the salad:
Heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add 1 1/2 cups crushed pita chips. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly browned in spots, about 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon ground sumac and toss to coat.
Add 1 pound thinly shredded Brussels sprouts, 1 small diced medium Granny Smith apple, 4 thinly sliced red radishes, and 1/2 thinly sliced small red onion to the vinaigrette. Toss to evenly coat. Taste and season with kosher salt and black pepper as needed. Top with the toasted pita chips and 3 ounces crumbled feta cheese if desired. Garnish with 1/4 cup torn fresh mint leaves and a sprinkle of ground sumac.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: The vinaigrette can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container; re-whisk before using. The Brussels sprouts can be shredded up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated in a resealable plastic bag with the air pressed out.
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days; the pita chips will soften.
Further Reading
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