If you are in need of a new side dish for the fall/winter seasons, this warm Brussels sprouts salad with bacon and apple fits the bill. A bounty of flavors and textures comes together in one skillet, and it’s dressed with an easy homemade maple citrus vinaigrette.
As soon as the first leaves start to fall, it’s time for all things cozy, roasted, and a little sweet. This warm Brussels sprouts salad has everything you could want in a fall side dish—crispy sprouts, salty bacon, sweet crunchy apples, and a bright, citrusy-sweet vinaigrette that ties it all together.
Think: classic comfort food… just in salad form.
Why You’ll Love This Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad
- Savory-sweet balance: Salty, smoky bacon + sweet maple syrup + bright orange zest = total flavor magic.
- Maximum texture: Tender Brussels sprouts, crisp bacon, crunchy apples, and toasted pecans make each bite interesting.
- Warm & hearty: It’s a salad, but cozy enough for chilly nights (and totally worthy of your Thanksgiving table).
- Skillet recipe: Perfect when your oven’s busy with other dishes.
- Holiday-ready: Elegant enough for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, or a dinner party, yet simple enough for a weeknight meal.
Ingredients You Need
Brussels sprouts, bacon, shallot, garlic, apple, pecans, and dried cranberries make up the base of this warm salad. Everything’s tossed in a simple maple-orange vinaigrette made with olive oil, fresh orange juice, maple syrup, and a touch of Dijon mustard.
A sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top is optional, but adds a delicious finishing touch.
How to Shred Brussels Sprouts
There are a few easy ways to shred Brussels sprouts, depending on what tools you have on hand. Use the slicing blade of a food processor, or trim the base of the sprout and thinly slice by hand. For a quick shortcut, look for pre-shredded Brussels sprouts in the produce section of the grocery store.
It Comes Together in 1 Skillet
Start by thinking ahead: do you want the pecans on your salad toasted? If so, add them to the skillet first and cook for a few minutes, stirring often, until lightly toasted and fragrant. Transfer to a plate and set aside while you cook the other ingredients.
Next, cook the bacon until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, then drain off most of the bacon fat, leaving about 1 Tablespoon behind. Return the skillet to the heat and sauté a chopped shallot in the remaining bacon fat until softened.
After that, add the garlic, Brussels sprouts, salt, and pepper. Cook until the sprouts cook down and begin to brown, then remove from heat and stir in a splash of fresh orange juice.
(Meanwhile, you can chop the bacon and slice the apple.)
Now it’s time to build the salad with the toasted pecans, chopped bacon, apple, dried cranberries, cooked Brussels sprouts, and the dressing.
Maple Citrus Dressing
In a jar or small bowl, whisk together olive oil, orange juice, maple syrup, Dijon, salt, and pepper. Shake or whisk until fully emulsified.
When working on this recipe, we initially planned to use lemon juice. However, we had run out, so we swapped orange in instead. What a happy accident! The flavor turned out beautifully balanced and bright, adding just the right amount of sweetness without overpowering the salad.
Technically, since there is no vinegar and citrus provides the acidity, this isn’t a true vinaigrette. But it delivers that same tangy-sweet flavor you expect from one.
Shortcut tip: You can make the dressing up to 5 days ahead. Store in the fridge and bring to room temp before using.
Definitely! Skip the bacon and try roasted sweet potato or chickpeas for a hearty, meat-free version. Roast the sweet potato in the oven, or cook drained chickpeas in a little olive oil after toasting the pecans. Just be sure to add a Tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet before sautéing the shallot.
Fresh is best for this recipe since frozen sprouts tend to be quite soft after thawing. If you must use frozen, thaw completely, pat dry, and expect a less crisp result.
While you can serve this salad cold, it tastes best warm or at room temperature. Prep the components in advance: toast the pecans, cook the bacon and sprouts, and make the dressing. Store each separately (refrigerate everything except the pecans). Before serving, bring the ingredients to room temperature and warm the dressing for a few seconds in the microwave or on the stove, then toss to combine.
What to Serve With This Salad
This salad is super versatile! Serve it with:
- Roasted chicken, turkey, or pork tenderloin
- A bowl of creamy soup
- Your Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving feast
- As a main dish alongside cornbread or sweet potato rolls
Description
This is a warm Brussels sprouts salad filled with crispy bacon, sweet apple, toasted pecans, and dried cranberries, all tossed in a bright maple-orange dressing. This is a flavorful, hearty side dish for fall or winter meals. You can make it vegetarian, if desired. See recipe Note for details.
Salad
- 1/2 cup (60g) roughly chopped pecans
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 small shallot, thinly sliced (or 1/4 cup (35g) finely chopped yellow onion)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 16 ounces (1 lb./454g) Brussels sprouts, shredded
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice or orange juice
- 1/3 cup (50g) dried cranberriesÂ
- 1 apple, thinly sliced and halved for bite-size pieces (I recommend Honeycrisp)
- optional, for garnish: 2 Tablespoons freshly shredded parmesan cheese
Citrus Maple Dressing
- 1/4 cup (57g/60ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons (30g/ml) fresh orange juice
- 1 Tablespoon (21g/15ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- Toast the pecans: Cook the pecans in a large (ungreased) skillet over medium heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring often, until lightly browned and fragrant. Transfer to a plate or bowl and set aside.
- Cook the bacon: Add the bacon to the skillet and cook until crisp. Transfer cooked bacon to paper-towel-lined plate, and then remove all but 1 Tablespoon of bacon grease from the skillet.
- Cook the vegetables: Add the sliced shallot and sauté, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, shredded Brussels sprouts, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sprouts cook down and begin to brown, about 8–10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the fresh lemon or orange juice. Transfer to a serving dish or bowl.Â
- Chop the bacon into bite-size pieces. Add to the Brussels sprouts, along with the dried cranberries, apple, and toasted pecans. Toss to combine.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, fresh orange juice, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Pour over the salad and toss to combine.
- If desired, top with optional parmesan cheese before serving. Serve salad warm.
- Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make-Ahead Instructions: You can make the dressing in advance and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. For the salad, prep the components a day or 2 in advance: toast the pecans, and cook the bacon and sprouts. Store each separately (refrigerate everything except the pecans). Before serving, bring the ingredients to room temperature and warm the dressing for a few seconds in the microwave or on the stove, then toss to combine.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowls | Silicone Spatula | Whisk
- Can I Serve This Salad Cold? While you can serve this salad cold, it tastes best warm or at room temperature. See Note above about making it ahead.
- Can I Make This Vegetarian? Yes. Skip the bacon and try roasted sweet potatoes or chickpeas for a hearty, meat-free version. Roast the sweet potato in the oven, or cook drained chickpeas in a little olive oil after toasting the pecans. Just be sure to add a Tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet before sautéing the shallot.
- Can I Double the Recipe? Yes, simply double all of the ingredients and use an extra-large skillet (or cook in batches). The larger volume of Brussels sprouts will require an extra few minutes to cook down and brown.
- How to Shred Brussels Sprouts: There are a few easy ways to shred Brussels sprouts, depending on what tools you have on hand. Use the slicing blade of a food processor, or trim the base of the sprout and thinly slice by hand. For a quick shortcut, look for a bag or container of pre-shredded Brussels sprouts in the produce section of the grocery store.
- Can I Use Frozen Brussels Sprouts? Fresh is best for this recipe since frozen sprouts tend to be quite soft after thawing. If you must use frozen, thaw completely, pat dry, and expect a less crisp result.
- Best Apple to Use: Crisp, sweet-tart apples like Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Fuji are best in this salad.
