If you’ve ever been to Little Original Joe’s in San Francisco and tried their shaved brussels sprouts salad, then you will absolutely fall in-love with my rendition of their classic recipe! This is my Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette, and it’s made from crunchy shaved brussels sprouts, tangy Pecorino Romano cheese, perfectly-toasted walnuts, and a splash of delicious champagne vinaigrette for the perfect meal-prep-friendly salad, ready in minutes.
Friends, with 2025 in full swing now, one thing that I am trying to do is focus more on meal-prep. Why? Well, for starters, there is nothing better than being hungry and realizing that you have a fridge full of fresh, delicious, healthy food to enjoy. But second, because meal-prepping is the ultimate “hack” for eating healthy, reaching your fitness goals, and spending less time in the kitchen and more time with the people that you love. What could be better than that?
While salads are, hands-down, my favorite thing to eat for lunch (I’ve been eating one of my Viral Crispy Rice Salads almost every day!) they can also be a bit difficult to meal-prep. Even without the dressing, traditional lettuce can get wilted over time, leaving you with a soft and soggy salad. There’s nothing worse than being hungry for lunch, only to open up your carefully meal-prepped salad to find that the lettuce has gone soggy. Luckily, this salad eliminates that problem.
This salad stays crunchy for days on end, and that’s because it’s made from shaved brussels sprouts, rather than lettuce. Not only are brussels sprouts packed with fiber, but they’re perfectly crunchy, which means that even as they sit mixed in with the dressing, they’ll soften without getting soggy.
Plus, the brussels sprouts are loaded with toppings. From sliced green onions and nutty Pecorino Romano cheese, to warm, toasted walnuts that add just the right amount of additional crunch, this salad is simple, easy, and all-around delicious. This salad was inspired by my favorite salad at one of my favorite San Francisco restaurants, Little Original Joe’s, and dare I say… my version is just as good.
Not only is the salad itself packed with delicious ingredients, but it’s also topped off with a homemade champagne vinaigrette that comes together in less than five minutes. If you’re meal-prepping this salad, I do recommend storing the salad and vinaigrette separately however, for optimal freshness!
What You Need to Make This Vegetarian-Friendly Salad
- Shaved Brussels Sprouts: Of course, brussels sprouts are the star of this dish! You can buy pre-shaved sprouts, or shave them yourself using my food processor method described below.
- Green Onions: Sliced green onions may be small, but they pack quite the punch. Don’t skip them!
- Pecorino Romano: Freshly grated Pecorino Romano has a strong cheesy, nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with this salad. If you don’t have Pecorino Romano, you can also opt to use freshly grated parmesan cheese. However, I highly recommend the Pecorino – it’s worth the small splurge!
- Walnuts: In my opinion, every good salad recipe needs a crunchy element, and toasted walnuts are the perfect one here! Not only do t
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Olive oil is my favorite type of oil to use in dressings, because it’s full of healthy fats to keep you feeling fuller and more satisfied for longer.
- Champagne Vinegar: Of course, champagne vinegar is essential to making a champagne vinaigrette! If you don’t have champagne vinegar you can also use red wine vinegar for an easy (and equally delicious) substitution.
- Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard adds a salty, tangy flavor that is absolutely delicious in this recipe.
- Honey: A little honey adds the perfect pinch of sweetness to the dressing, helping to balance out the tanginess of the vinaigrette – don’t skip it!
- Garlic: I will always recommend using fresh garlic cloves, whenever possible, and this recipe is no exception.
- Sea Salt & Ground Black Pepper: A touch of salt and pepper makes this salad truly shine!
How to Make This Crunchy Meal Prep-Friendly Salad
To make this salad, start by preparing the dressing. Add all of the dressing ingredients (the olive oil, champagne vinegar, dijon mustard, honey, garlic, sea salt, and ground black pepper) to a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed, then set it aside.
Next, prepare the salad. Wash and shave the brussels sprouts (if not shaved already) and add them to a large bowl. To shave them, simply add the brussels sprouts to a food processor with the grater attachment and lightly pulse them until they’re finely shredded. You can also opt to use a mandolin, if you prefer. Add the shaved brussels sprouts to a large bowl. Then, slice the green onions and grate the pecorino romano and add them to the bowl as well.
Prepare the walnuts by chopping them finely and adding them to a saucepan, on the stove, over medium heat. Stir the walnuts to toast them until they’re golden and fragrant, watching them carefully to ensure that they don’t burn.
Once the walnuts are done, remove them from the heat and add them to the salad bowl.
Finally, pour the dressing on top of the salad and toss to fully combine. Once it’s done, serve immediately and enjoy!
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.
** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim
Equipment
- Food Processor this is the easiest way to shred the brussels sprouts!
Ingredients
For the Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad:
- 4 Cups Shaved Brussels Sprouts, this is approximately 2 pounds
- 1 Bunch Green Onions, thinly sliced
- ¾ Cup Pecorino Romano , grated
- ½ Cup Walnuts, finely chopped and toasted
For the Champagne Vinaigrette:
- ½ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ¼ Cup Champagne Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 2 Tablespoons Honey
- 2 Cloves Garlic
- ½ Teaspoon Sea Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- To make this salad, start by preparing the dressing. Add all of the dressing ingredients (the olive oil, champagne vinegar, dijon mustard, honey, garlic, sea salt, and ground black pepper) to a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed, then set it aside.
- Next, prepare the salad. Wash and shave the brussels sprouts (if not shaved already) and add them to a large bowl. To shave them, simply add the brussels sprouts to a food processor with the grater attachment and lightly pulse them until they're finely shredded. You can also opt to use a mandolin, if you prefer.
- Add the shaved brussels sprouts to a large bowl. Then, slice the green onions and grate the pecorino romano and add them to the bowl as well.
- Prepare the walnuts by chopping them finely and adding them to a saucepan, on the stove, over medium heat.
- Stir the walnuts to toast them until they're golden and fragrant, watching them carefully to ensure that they don't burn.
- Once the walnuts are done, remove them from the heat and add them to the salad bowl.
- Finally, pour the dressing on top of the salad and toss to fully combine. Once it's done, serve immediately and enjoy!
Rate & review
SELECT A RATING and tell me what you think!
What others are saying
This is fantastic! Made it for my husband tonight and he loved it! I did substitute Sicilian lemon balsamic vinegar for the champagne vinegar, because I couldn’t find any. It was so good anyway! I will try the champagne vinegar if I ever find any!
I am so glad it turned out well for you, Jill! Thank you so much for your review!
Finally made this salad for lunch today-mmmmmmm! I did make a few substitutions (nothing major) and I added grilled chicken for extra protein. The dressing is definitely the star, I could eat that on everything! This will go into rotation. Thanks for the recipe.
I am so happy to hear that, Tina! Thank you for your review!
This is a refreshing salad and the dressing adds the right amount of flavor! I love the toasted walnuts on the salad too. I have used champagne vinegar in other recipes but not for a dressing. Very flavorful!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Roberta! Thank you so much for your review!