Make a hot honey brussels sprouts salad to go with your next meal or holiday dinner. Thin sliced brussels sprouts, apple, bacon, and feta cheese are tossed in a hot honey dressing that's perfectly sweet and spicy.
Recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Thin-sliced brussels sprouts and sweet apple slices are tossed with salty crumbled bacon, feta cheese, and almonds in a homemade hot honey dressing. It's got the perfect balance of salt, sweet, and spicy flavors!
Serves: 8 people
Similar to: Broccoli Cauliflower Salad, Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Brussels sprouts - The base of the salad. You'll need 16 ounces of fresh brussels sprouts. I recommend small or medium brussels sprouts because they're more tender and have a slightly sweeter flavor. Large brussels sprouts can sometimes have a bitter taste.
- Apple - One small, sweet apple adds a hint of sweetness and crunch and balances well with the heat in the dressing. Honeycrisp or fuji apples are great options.
- Almonds - Adds a bit of nuttiness and crunch. Almonds could be substituted with sunflower seeds or chopped walnuts.
- Feta cheese - Adds salty flavor and a bit of creamy texture. Feta cheese could be substituted with goat cheese or blue cheese if desired.
- Bacon - You'll need four slices of cooked and crumbled bacon. Store bought bacon bits or pieces can work as a substitute.
- Hot honey dressing - Olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, Dijon mustard, and honey create a simple dressing. Honey could be substituted with maple syrup. For a hotter dressing, add more red pepper flakes or a dash of your favorite hot sauce. The longer your dressing sits, the more the flavor of the red pepper flakes release into the dressing.
How to make brussels sprouts salad
- Thinly slice your Brussels sprouts.
- Thinly slice your apples.
- Whisk dressing ingredients.
- Drizzle dressing over your salad and toss to coat before serving.
Tips and tricks
Prepare your dressing first - This allows the red pepper flakes to rehydrate in the dressing and add that hot flavor we're looking for in a hot honey dressing.
Use a whisk - Whisk together your dressing ingredients to allow the mustard to emulsify. This creates a creamy, smooth dressing.
Thin slicing brussels sprouts - Brussels sprouts can be thin sliced using a knife, mandolin slicer, or in a food processor with a slicing attachment. Be sure to trim tough ends off first.
Frequently asked questions
I recommend serving brussels sprouts salad within a day of preparing for best flavor and texture.
Yes, brussels sprouts are perfectly safe to eat raw. I recommend using small or medium sized brussels sprouts, which have a tender texture and slightly sweeter flavor. Large brussels sprouts can be tough and have a bitter flavor (these are best for roasting - try my parmesan roasted brussels sprouts recipe).
Give your dressing a few minutes to sit before doing a taste test. The red pepper flakes need time to rehydrate in the dressing and release that hot flavor you're looking for.
Brussels sprouts salad will keep for about 3 to 4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. I recommend serving your salad within a day of assembly for best flavor and texture.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Hot Honey Brussels Sprouts Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Salad
- 16 ounces brussels sprouts, ends trimmed
- 1 small apple
- 4 pieces bacon, cooked and crumbled
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- ¼ cup feta cheese
Instructions
- In a bowl, add olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, honey, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine. Set aside to allow red pepper flakes to rehydrate.
- Thin slice brussels sprouts and apple and add to a bowl along with bacon, almonds, and feta cheese.
- Top salad with dressing and toss to coat.
- Chill until ready to serve. Toss salad once more before serving in case any dressing has settled in the bottom of the bowl.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Serve same day: Salad is best served within 24 hours for best flavor and texture.
- Storage: Leftover salad will keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- Spice adjustment: For more heat, add more red pepper flakes or a dash of your favorite hot sauce to the dressing. Red pepper flakes need time to rehydrate before you'll taste the heat of the dressing. Over time, dressing heat will increase.
I had so much fun creating this recipe! I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I do. If you have a question, check out the post above, which is packed with information about the recipe. Tried the recipe? I'd love to hear your thoughts — leave a comment and a star rating to share your feedback!