With all of the most delicious flavors of fall, this sautéed Harvest Brussels Sprouts Salad with cranberries recipe is wonderful any time of year! It’s made with fresh and dried fruits, nuts, and served with tender cooked quinoa. It’s a lovely main dish or the perfect holiday side dish!
I even got my grandpa to try this salad!
Brussel sprouts sometimes get a bad rep. My grandpa hated them, and I mean he seriously hated them! About 10 years ago, the first time I made this Harvest Brussels Sprouts Salad, he flat out refused to try it (I wasn’t offended).
After hearing everyone else in the family rave about it all night, and because he looooooved me so much (can you blame him?), and after just a little prodding, he agreed to try it. And you know what? He loved it!
If you’ve tried brussels sprouts before and don’t like them (like my Gramps), I think I know why. It’s because it’s really easy to overcook them, and when you overcook brussels sprouts, they get bitter.
And to be frank, overcooked brussels sprouts get a little stinky, too.
But when properly cooked, they totally come alive! Personally, I think Brussels Sprouts are best when lightly sautéed or roasted, cooked just enough to brighten the flavor and soften them a bit.
Recipe Ingredients
The short ingredients list is one of the selling points of this salad! Here’s what you need:
- Brussels Sprouts
- Apples
- Garlic
- Nuts or Seeds: choose any combination of pecans, sunflower seeds, and/or almonds
- Ghee or Olive Oil
- Dried Cranberries: I use cranberries naturally sweetened with apple juice instead of sugar (affiliate link)
- Optional Ingredients: 6 pieces of cooked, crumbled Sugar-free Bacon; 1 tbsp Flax seeds.
When you mix the sautéed brussels sprouts with some fruit for sweetness and nuts and seeds for crunch, it turns into an absolutely delicious dish!
I like to serve it with quinoa, but that’s totally optional. If you leave it off, the recipe is 100% Whole30 compliant. You can also serve it with simple burger, roasted salmon, crispy salmon, roasted chicken, or lemon chicken.
Making the Recipe
The steps to making this Brussels sprouts salad with cranberries are very simple. Best of all, you can prepare most of the steps ahead of time, and then toss it together to cook just before you’re ready to serve it.
- First, shred the Brussels sprouts with a sharp knife or mandolin, removing the woody stems.
- In a large skillet, sauté the sprouts and garlic in the ghee, stirring often.
- Remove from heat and stir in the nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. Season to taste.
- Serve with quinoa (be sure it’s gluten free), any protein of choice, or all by itself, and enjoy!
Check out some of the other mouth-watering salad recipes:
Broccoli and Bacon Salad (Whole30), Curry Chicken Salad with Carrots (Whole30, Low Carb), Harvest Spinach Salad with Rosemary Grilled Chicken (Whole30), or Zucchini Caprese Salad (Low Carb).
Like this recipe? Drop a star rating below!
Sautéed Brussels Sprouts & Cranberry Salad
Ingredients
Brussels Sprouts Salad
- 2 cups shredded brussels sprouts
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/3 cup any combination of nuts or seeds suggestions: sunflower seeds, pecans, almonds or walnuts
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1 apple diced
- salt and pepper to taste
Quinoa (optional)
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
Instructions
Brussels Sprouts Salad
- Trim the stems from brussels sprouts and thinly slice with a knife or shred with a mandolin. Mince the garlic. *Time saving tip: Buy a bag of pre-shredded sprouts!
- In the a large skillet, heat the ghee or butter over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and the shredded brussels sprouts. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until they turn a a bright & dark shade of green. *Be careful not to overcook them – brussels sprouts get bitter if you do.Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in cranberries, nuts, and apple.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, and divide in bowls. Serve with the quinoa or all by itself!
