The flavours of the Middle East elevate the humble Brussels Sprout to a new level in this delicious salad. Get the recipe below.
Shredded cabbage
I love cabbage in all its forms: whether its part of a roast dinner, fermented to make saurkraut or shredded in a salad or slaw. You may or may not realise the Brussels sprouts are, in fact, a form of tiny cabbage and so they can be enjoyed in much the same way.
The bulk of this salad is just shredded Brussels sprouts. There's no salad or other leafy green veg. Just pure Brussels sprouts! This makes it the perfect way of using up any leftover Brussels once the big day has been and gone.
The trick to slicing Brussels sprouts super fine is to cut the hard bottoms off first. Cut them in half lengthways and then to finely slice them. You will end up with vibrant green ribbons. Seperate them gently with your fingers before tossing with the rest of the ingredients.
Mos people think that Brussels sprouts have a strong, bitter flavour but you can combat this by picking the smallest sprouts. These will be much sweeter and milder in flavour. The ribbons of cabbage are the perfect carrier for a zesty, Middle Eastern inspired dressing.
Za'atar salad dressing
Za'atar is a spice blend often used as a seasoning for meats and vegetables or used as a dip across the Middle East. But, I love sprinkling it over salads or whisking into dressings to give them a real kick!
Za'atar seasoning differs from country to country and even family to family. Everyone makes it differently. The ingredients that each za'atar mix usually have in common are:
- dried oregano, thyme, and/or marjoram;
- sumac; and
- toasted sesame seeds.
This means the spice blend is a wonderful mix of fragrant, sour, and nutty. Which is exactly why it is the perfect addition to this salad. I add a spoon or two to olive oil and lemon juice before giving it a good whisk. I then drizzle this dressing over the shredded sprouts and toss.
The finishing touches
On top of the Brussels sprouts and the dressing I add slithers of almonds, pomegranate arils and just a couple of leaves of mint.
These added extras not only add sweetness and vibrancy to the salad but they also add extra crunch! This is exactly the kind of salad you need after a couple of weeks of over indulging on rich and fatty foods.
The recipe
Middle Eastern Inspired Brussels Sprouts Salad
Ingredients
- 250 grams Brussels sprouts
- 1 lemon juice and zest
- 4 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon za'atar
- 75 grams pomegranate arils (seeds)
- 50 grams almond slithers
- 3 leaves mint
Instructions
- Cut off the thick stems from the Brussels sprouts and remove any damaged outer leaves.
- Finely shred the Brussels sprouts and place into a salad bowl.
- In a small jug, whisk togetehr the lemon juice, zest, olive oil and za'atar until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper as required.
- Pour the dressing over the shredded Brussels sprouts and toss well.
- If possible, leave to rest for 10-15 minutes.
- Add in the pomegranate seeds, almond slithers and mint leaves (also shredded) immediately before serving.
If you like this you'll love...
... this Winter Citrus Salad.
For more delicious salad recipes check out my recipe archives.
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