Are you looking for a hearty and easy salad that will keep you satiated for hours? Look no further, as this Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with White Miso Vinaigrette should be your pick! Thinly shaved Brussels sprouts are the base of this salad, with volume, crunch, and substance waiting to soak up this lusciously creamy miso vinaigrette. This salad can be made for a quick weeknight dinner or is perfect for any hosting occasion. It’s substantial, easy, and, more importantly, super healthy to fill all your needs!
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What is a raw Brussels sprouts salad, and can I eat it raw?
Brussels sprouts are mini cabbages best broken down when eaten raw. They contain a large amount of fiber and are most digestible when thinly shaved. They can cause some people to be gaseous and feel a bit bloated. However, when thinly shaved, they are a fantastic salad base! Also, when eaten raw, you give your body the total amount of vitamins and nutrients that the vegetable contains.
Why did I choose to create this shaved Brussels sprouts salad?
This salad is a derivation of a dish I used to make when I worked behind the line at Mario Batali’s Italian Osteria, @lupaosteria. We used to mix parmesan, water, and lemon to make a vinaigrette and then thoroughly coat perfectly crunchy Brussels. I decided to combine Italian and Japanese flavors for this vinaigrette. The sweetness of the miso pairs wonderfully with the currants, and the contrasting Parmigiano Reggiano adds the perfect nutty bite to round out the flavors. Miso and the Parmigiano Reggiano create a wonderfully creamy and flavor-packed punch to the Brussels sprouts.
What is Miso?
- Miso is a Japanese fermented soybean paste. It is made by combining soybeans with a fermentation fungus, Aspergillus orzae (more commonly known as Kōji), and other varying ingredients such as salt, barley, and seaweed.
- It is often used to create flavor and add body to seafood, meat, and vegetable dishes.
- It provides an umami flavor, as it is salty, sweet, earthy, and sometimes fruity.
- Most people are familiar with miso, as it is the main ingredient in miso soup. Miso soup combines the paste with dashi (seaweed and fish) stock and is garnished with cubed tofu, seaweed, and green onions.
- There are three most common varieties of miso paste:
I love this salad, as you can eat it every season! It’s a beautiful holiday party potluck or buffet item, and it would be fantastic at summer soirées!
Is miso paste healthy for you?
- Miso is incredibly healthy for you, as it is packed with vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and nutrients. It contains calcium, copper, manganese, zinc, and vitamin K. It’s also an excellent plant-rich protein source.
- Because it is fermented, it is also a probiotic which helps promote a healthy gut and immune system.
Here’s how to make this easy Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with White Miso Vinaigrette
Homemade Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with White Miso Vinaigrette Ingredients
Brussels Sprouts: These mini cabbages are a fantastic base for salads when thinly sliced.
Orange, Yellow, or Red Pepper: I used orange pepper in my recipe, but you are welcome to use yellow or red. These peppers are sweeter than green and add a nice contrast to the salad.
Red Onion: Red onion gives this salad the right amount of bite! I love how it contrasts against the sweetness of the peppers and the currants.
Currants: Re-hydrating currants are an absolute must! It makes them softer, more flavorful, and more porous.
Parmigiano-Reggiano: Using Parmigiano-Reggiano will change your life! Look at the label when buying your cheese to make sure it comes from Italy. Other Parmesan imposters will not have the same nutty and crystalized taste and texture.
Miso Paste: I used mixed miso, a cross between red and white, in this recipe. However, any miso will work! You can find miso in most supermarkets near the tofu in any Asian or organic market. (internal link – Miso Master Miso Mellow White)
Boiling Water: I have a hot water kettle, which is incredibly fast and handy in the kitchen! The boiling water is essential for breaking up the density of the miso.
Lemon Juice: ALWAYS squeeze fresh lemon juice instead of any packaged brand. This small extra step will make a difference in this salad and anything you make. It is also cleaner, healthier, and has no preservatives.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A high-quality extra virgin olive oil is also key to a superb salad!
Korean Dried Chili Flake: For this recipe, I used a Korean chili flake called Gochugaru. If you do not have this ingredient, you can use:
Needed Equipment
Set of Stainless Steel or Glass Mixing Bowls
Process:
- Cut the Brussels sprouts in half, lengthwise, and thinly slice the halves.
- Lob off both ends of your pepper, stand it up on your board, and make one linear cut down the side. Open up the pepper to make one long strand with the seeds and core facing upwards.
- Run your knife across the length of the pepper strand, removing all of the core and seeds.
- Slice the cleaned pepper into 4-5 planks, cut the planks into strips, and then the strips into a fine dice.
- Lob off the blossom end of your onion, and cut directly through the root to create two halves. (Reserve one half for another use). Make linear cuts through the onion half, following the natural contour (making sure not to cut through the root).
- Place your hand flatly across the onion half, and make three horizontal cuts into the onion. Place your hand in a claw-like grip over the onion half and make horizontal cuts through the onion to create a small dice.
- Place your currants in a heat-proof bowl, submerge them with boiling water, and allow them to rehydrate for 3-4 minutes. Strain and discard the soaking liquid.
- Using a box or hand grater, finely grate the Parmigiano Reggiano.
- In a separate medium-sized heat-proof bowl, add the miso paste and the ¼ cup of boiling water. Take a whisk and loosen up the paste with the water until it’s smooth.
- Cut one lemon in half and juice it.
- Add half of the grated Parmigiano Reggiano to the miso paste and stir until combined.
- Loosen the vinaigrette with some lemon juice and then olive oil. Slowly alternate between the two, and whisk until smooth and creamy.
- Add the chili flake, and season to taste with salt.
- Combine everything and enjoy!
Tips and tricks for success
Brussels Sprouts
- Sometimes outer layers will come off the sprout, and I just add the leaves to my sliced pile.
Bell Pepper
- When slicing the pepper, ensure the rough side is facing up on your cutting board. The shiny outer part of the pepper is much more challenging to cut through, so you want to ensure this end is facing down on your board.
Red Onion
- It is essential to keep the root intact during the entire process of dicing the onion. If you go through the root and slice through the onion, your layers will fall apart, making it much more difficult to dice.
Vinaigrette
- It is important to alternate between the lemon juice and the olive oil when adding it to the miso/Parmigiano mixture. This is because the mixture is already thick, the lemon juice will loosen the vinaigrette, and the oil will tighten it/make it thicker. If you add all of the oil or lemon juice at once, your vinaigrette might break (separate), and the goal is to have a smooth, emulsified vinaigrette.
- Sometimes, it may be necessary to add more olive oil. That is why I call for 1/3-1/2 cups in the recipe. Again, it depends on how thick you prefer your vinaigrette.
FAQs
Brussels sprouts are incredibly healthy, containing vitamins, nutrients, and fiber!
I love pairing this salad with my favorite meat or seafood! Look at my meal pairing below.
The healthiest way to eat Brussels sprouts is raw, as you consume the total amount of their vitamins and nutrients.
This salad is better when it’s made close to consumption. The Brussels get mushy and lose their body and crispness if soaked in the vinaigrette for too long.
Brussels contain a fiber called raffinose that can cause people to feel bloated and gaseous because it’s hard for some people to digest.
Often you can find a Brussels sprouts/ kale mixture cut and packed together in many grocery stores in the greens section.
Miso must be refrigerated and is often located near the tofu and other packaged health foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut, seitan, non-dairy meat, cheese, etc.
Any miso will work for this vinaigrette. The white miso tends to be sweeter, and the dark and red miso tends to be more pungent.
Because miso is already preserved, it can keep in your refrigerator for up to one year.
If too much oxygen gets into the paste, it becomes hard and crumbly. If this happens, I will discard it.
It is sweet, earthy, and somewhat fruity!
Variations
- Vegan/Dairy Free: Use finely shredded coconut flakes instead of the Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Soy and Gluten Allergy: Some miso pastes contain barley, which is not gluten-free. Check your label. However, if it does contain barley, you can replace the miso paste with tahini.
- Seed Allergy: You could use a thick Greek yogurt or hummus instead of the tahini.
- Spice: You can use Italian chili flake, Japanese togarashi, chili crisp, or whatever spice factor you have in your pantry.
Suggested Meal Pairings
Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with White Miso Vinaigrette
Equipment
- 1 Chef Knife
- 1 Set of Mixing Bowls
- 1 Electric Kettle
- 1 Strainer
- 1 Large Metal Spoon
- 1 Box Grater
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Citrus Juicer
- 1 Wooden Salad Mixing Set
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 lbs Brussels sprouts, cut in half and thinly sliced
- 1 orange, yellow, or red Bell pepper, minced
- ½ red onion, minced
- 3/4 cup currants, rehydrated in hot water, and then strained
- 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
- ¼ cup miso paste
- 1/4 tbsp boiling water
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 1/3-1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 ½ tsp Korean dried chili flake, Gochugaru
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
Salad
- Place all of the cut vegetables and rehydrated and strained currants in a large mixing bowl.
- In a separate medium-sized heat proof bowl, add the miso paste and the ¼ cup of boiling water.
- Take a whisk and loosen up the paste with the water until it is smooth and one consistency.
- Add half of the grated Parmigiano Reggiano to the miso paste and stir with a spoon until combined ( a spoon is better than a whisk at this point, as the vinaigrette is so thick and chunky).
- Loosen the vinaigrette with some of the lemon juice and then olive oil. Alternate between adding the lemon juice and the olive oil stirring and then whisking (when loose enough) until smooth and creamy.
- Add the chili flake and whisk to combine. Season to taste with salt.
- Add half of the vinaigrette to the salad bowl and mix to combine. Depending on how heavily “dressed” you like your salads, add more if desired.
Notes
- Sometimes outer layers will come off the sprout, and I just add the leaves to my sliced pile.
- When slicing the pepper, ensure the rough side is facing up on your cutting board. The shiny outer part of the pepper is much harder to cut through, so you want to ensure this end is facing down on your board.
- It is essential to keep the root intact during the entire process of dicing the onion. If you go through the root and slice through the onion, your layers will fall apart, making it much more difficult to dice.
- It is important to alternate between the lemon juice and the olive oil when adding it to the miso/Parmigiano mixture. This is because the mixture is already thick, the lemon juice will loosen the vinaigrette, and the oil will tighten it/make it thicker. If you add all of the oil or lemon juice at once, your vinaigrette might break (separate), and the goal is to have a smooth, emulsified vinaigrette.
- Sometimes, it may be necessary to add more olive oil. That is why I call for 1/3-1/2 cups in the recipe. Again, it depends on how thick you prefer your vinaigrette.
