I’ve got a jar of tahini sitting in the fridge, and have been trying to come up with some clever ways to use it. Besides making some hummus, I used quite a bit to make these wonderfully thin and chewy Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies. As much as I wanted to make cookies again, I decided to go the healthier route this time: a fall shredded Brussels sprouts salad with maple tahini dressing.
This salad has all the fall flavors going on. Pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, seasonal veggies, and a sweet and nutty dressing to top it all off. I’ve actually been making quite a few fall salads lately… so much so that I may have bought enough dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds to last me through winter!
Roasting Brussels sprouts has always been my favorite way to enjoy them, but have you tried them raw? When sliced super thin, they work perfectly in salads! You can choose to shred the Brussels sprouts yourself, or you can use 24oz of pre-shredded or shaved Brussels sprouts for more convenience! If you prefer to shred them yourself, a food processor fitted with the slicing blade is very convenient… but a mandolin slicer or hand slicing works even better for thinner slices.
This is one of those salads where you can mix up the main ingredients to your liking. Try adding ¼ cup chopped pecans, or sub butternut squash for the sweet potato. It makes a great side salad for dinner gatherings or holiday meals!
Fall Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed
- 2 cups sweet potato, peeled and cubed
- ¼ cup roasted pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- 3-4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt, more to taste
- ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
For the Maple Tahini Dressing:
- ¼ cup tahini
- 3 Tbsp pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup)
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- Pinch of salt
- 1-2 Tbsp water, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉.
- Prepare the maple tahini dressing by whisking together all the dressing ingredients, except the water, in a small bowl. Some brands of Tahini are thicker than others, so if you find your dressing is too thick, add a little water until it reaches the desired consistency. You can also add a little extra vinegar if needed. Once done, set the dressing aside.
- Toss the cubed sweet potato with olive oil, salt, and ground cinnamon until potatoes are well coated. Place on a parchment-lined sheet pan and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, tossing the potatoes about halfway through, until they are slightly browned and cooked through. Set aside to cool.
- While the potatoes are roasting, cut the Brussels sprouts in half and thinly slice them. You can do this by hand with a knife, using a mandolin slicer, or in your food processor fitted with the slicing blade (this is the method I prefer). You can either discard the hard centers/core or thinly slice them.
- Place the shredded Brussels sprouts in a large mixing bowl or salad bowl and pour ¾ of the dressing over the shredded/shaved Brussels sprouts. Toss to coat well, then set aside for 15-20 minutes to soften some.
- Place the roasted sweet potato, pumpkin seeds, and dried cranberries in the bowl with the shredded Brussels sprouts, add the remaining ¼ of the dressing and toss to combine. Top with crumbled feta cheese.
Notes
- Try using 24oz pre-shredded or shaved Brussels Sprouts if you prefer to not shred them yourself!
- You can aways mix up some of the main salad ingredients to your liking. Try adding ¼ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts, or use butternut squash instead of sweet potato.
- If you don’t want to spend the time roasting your sweet potato, you can plan them in a large skillet with an additional Tablespoon of olive oil and sauté them until soft and tender.
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