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.
Looking for a unique new salad to make for dinner or a holiday meal? Try this hot honey brussels sprouts salad.
Thin-sliced brussels sprouts and apples are tossed with salty crumbled bacon, feta cheese, and almonds in a homemade hot honey dressing. It's got the perfect balance of salty, sweet, and spicy flavor!
Serve hot honey brussels sprouts salad with your next weeknight meal or holiday dinner with the family. It's great in the fall when brussels sprouts and apples are in season.
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.
- Oil - I recommend extra virgin olive oil as the base of the dressing.
- Lemon juice - Adds a bit of acidity and brightness to the dressing.
- Seasoning - Salt and pepper enhance the flavor of the dressing and red pepper flakes add heat. For a hotter dressing, add more red pepper flakes or even a dash of your favorite hot sauce. The longer your dressing sits, the more the flavor of the red pepper flakes will release into the dressing.
- Dijon mustard - Adds tangy flavor to the dressing and acts as an emulsifier.
- Honey - Adds sweetness to the dressing. Honey could be substituted with maple syrup if desired.
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.
Storage
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.
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.
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
- Salad is best served within 24 hours for best flavor and texture.
- Leftover salad will keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- 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!