Cranberry Feta Brussels Sprout Salad with Candied Pecans and Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

Cranberry Feta Brussels Sprout Salad with Candied Pecans and Warm Bacon Vinaigrette is the perfect side dish for the winter months and holiday season! Slightly sweet, savory, salty and crunchy, this hearty salad strikes a beautiful balance because it’s a little bit sweet, a little bit salty and a LOT a bit delicious.

Close up of a bowl holding a serving of Cranberry Feta Brussels Sprout Salad with a fork on a dark blue tiled surface

2023 Update: This recipe was originally shared in December 2016. I have added more details to the recipe. The post has been updated to include new photos, as well as more tips and tricks. I hope you love this salad, which is great during the holiday season and beyond!

I’m a sucker for brussels sprouts, and this recipe, which was originally developed in 2016, celebrates my love for them.

While we’ve roasted them a few times on my site, I really wanted to do a raw application.

And what better way to showcase raw sprouts than in a salad that can be served as a main dish… or as a side, depending on what you’re in the mood for.

Why I love this recipe:

Salad for lunch is one of my favorite things in the world. I love the simplicity of it, as well as playing with the flavors of it to make it unique and interesting. And this salad is a total delight.

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    In fact, I will go out on a limb to say that this is the BEST Brussels Sprouts salad around because it combines some simple ingredients that happen to be my favorite seasonal flavors.

    Shredded Brussels sprouts work as the base of our salad… and then we add crispy bacon, dried cranberries, feta cheese, homemade caramelized pecans AND a hot bacon vinaigrette.

    Real talk: the joy of a salad is in those toppings. And these delightful seasonal toppings make this salad extra delicious.

    You can make this in bits and spurts, then put it together when you’re ready to eat, too, so it’s make-ahead friendly! (More info on this in a bit.)

    This salad is easier to make than you think (though, let me note that you are going to have to shred the sprouts yourself, and I know that is a pain in the tush, but it is a WORTHWHILE pain).

    The end result is utterly delightful, whether served as a wintertime lunch or a side dish at a holiday party. Honestly, it’s one of my favorite ways to enjoy brussels sprouts these days.

    More salad recipes to try this season: Chicken Spinach Salad with Apples and Strawberries | Roasted Fennel Orange Salad | Easy Steak Salad with Orange Vinaigrette | Ramen Noodle and Clementine Salad | Summer Quinoa Salad

    Need some side dish inspiration? Head on over to my Side Dish recipe index for more ideas.

    Ingredients to make a Brussels sprout salad in bowls on a dark blue tiled surface

    What you need to make this recipe:

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    Let’s talk ingredients!

    In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.

    Here’s what you’ll need for the salad ingredients:

    • Fresh brussels sprouts — trim and chop them (finely!) yourself. The pre-shredded bags at the grocery store work for cooking, but they are a bit too thick for a salad like this. (Please note that I used a bag of the pre-shredded stuff for these photos and my kids pitched a fit because of the texture. I do not blame them. Learn from my mistake.)
    • Bacon — we use both the meat and the fat in this recipe! The bacon fat will add a ton of flavor to the warm bacon vinaigrette recipe.
    • Dried cranberries — we like to grab the lightly sweetened kind, but you do you!
    • Feta cheese — this adds a nice salty pop and some creaminess to the salad without weighing it down
    • Unsalted butter — we need this to make the candied pecans recipe.
    • Granulated sugar — also known as white sugar, this is the sweetener for the candied pecans.
    • Pecans — you can use pieces or halves. 
    • Kosher salt — we’ll need this for the pecans. You might consider adding it to the vinaigrette, too, if you think it needs more, but I tend to skip that since the bacon fat tends to be decently salty.
    • Ground cinnamon — just a hint of warming spice adds something extra to the pecans!
    • Garlic — you’ll need one big clove to add to the salad dressing. It adds SO MUCH flavor.
    • Apple cider vinegar — this is not the same thing as apple cider. Please make sure you’re using the correct ingredient.
    • Grainy Dijon mustard — this is an emulsifying agent that will help the vinegar and oil stick together. It also adds a little bit of flavor.
    • Honey — this is going to add just a touch of sweetness to the dressing. You could swap it out with maple syrup for a seasonal twist.
    • Black pepper — I like to add a pinch at the end once I’ve tasted the vinaigrette. If you’re sensitive to black pepper, hold off on this.

    How to make substitutions in this recipe:

    I have not substituted ingredients here, but there is some wiggle room in this raw brussels sprouts salad.

    • Swap the cheese. Use crumbled goat cheese, manchego cheese parmesan cheese instead of feta. Blue cheese could also work, if you’re into that.
    • Use different nuts/seeds. I love caramelized pecans, but you can use another nut, if desired. Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and toasted pine nuts would also add a lovely crunch here, though I do not recommend caramelizing them.
    • Swap out the dried fruit. Pomegranate seeds would add a lovely pop of color, as well as crunch.
    A large red mixing bowl holding individual ingredients to make a cranberry feta Brussels sprout salad on a blue tile surface next to a container of salad dressing

    How to make Easy Caramelized Pecans

    You can read an entire post about this: Glazed Pecans. But if you want an overview of how to do this here…

    Melt the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.

    Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. This is where the candied pecans will cool, and it is essential to have something nonstick to prevent the pecans from sticking to the pan.

    Add the sugar to the skillet. Season with salt and cinnamon.

    Stir the ingredients constantly around the pan with a rubber spatula. We do this so they do not burn.

    As it heats, the sugar will melt and begin to bubble

    Add the nuts, then keep stirring to coat the nuts.

    Pro tip!

    Keep an eye on the pecans as they are cooking because they can burn very easily, especially nearing the end of the candying process.

    Keep an eye on the pecans as they are cooking because they can burn very easily, especially nearing the end of the candying process.

    Immediately remove from the heat and transfer to the prepared sheet pan.

    Use the rubber spatula to separate the nuts so they don’t clump together as they cool. As the sugar cools and hardens, they will be challenging to break apart.

    The candied coating will harden in about 5-10 minutes.

    You can store them or add them to your salad once they’ve cooled off! 

    Hot bacon vinaigrette pours on top of a bowl of salad

    How to make a Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

    You can learn all about this in my post, Hot Bacon Vinaigrette, but here is an overview.

    • Cook the bacon until the fat has rendered. You may do this in a nonstick skillet on the stovetop or you can bake the bacon
    • Drain the bacon on a paper towel. Save it for the salad. KEEP THE RENDERED BACON FAT, TOO.
    • Cook the garlic in the bacon fat until fragrant.
    • Pour the fat and garlic into a mason jar.
    • Measure the apple cider vinegar, the Dijon mustard, honey and black pepper.
    • Shake ’em up and set aside.

    Pro tip!

    If you make the warm bacon vinaigrette in advance and it cools off, reheat it in the microwave for 5-10 second intervals until warmed through.

    Cranberry Feta Brussels Sprout Salad with Candied Pecans and Warm Bacon Vinaigrette in a large red bowl on a blue tiled surface before tossing

    How to make the Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

    Shave the Brussels sprouts or thinly slice with a sharp knife or in a food processor using a shredding blade. You can purchase a bag of shaved brussels sprouts from the store, though I have found those are a little thicker cut and do not like their texture in a salad like this. (I KNOW, I KNOW.)

    Combine the Brussels sprouts with the cooked bacon, dried cranberries, feta and candied nuts in a large mixing bowl.

    Drizzle the warm vinaigrette over the salad. 

    Toss using tongs.

    Serve immediately, and enjoy

    Sprinkle additional feta, candied pecans and bacon on top of the finished salad, if desired.

    How to store:

    Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. Since the brussels sprouts are a tougher green, they will not wilt in the dressing. However, you will want to pop the leftovers in the microwave to warm the dressing through before eating.

    Close up of salad tongs in a bowl with a Cranberry Feta Brussels Sprout Salad with Candied Pecans and Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

    Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

    This shredded brussels sprouts salad situation would be an amazing side dish for a holiday gathering or even a potluck. It’s bursting with flavor, it’s colorful and it’s decently easy to make in stages!

    If I were going to make this for an occasion, here’s what I’d do:

    • Double or triple the recipe. Depending on your people and what else you’re serving, you could easily make double this recipe.
    • Candy the pecans in advance. Store them in an airtight food storage container for up to a week.
    • Make the vinaigrette early, too. Store it in the fridge, and reheat until warmed through before you pour it into the salad.
    Three bowls holding individual servings of Cranberry Feta Brussels Sprout Salad on a dark blue tiled surface

    Quick tips and tricks to the best brussels sprouts salad:

    • Make parts of the recipe in advance if serving for a gathering. The vinaigrette and nuts will keep if you put them together in advance. Also, store the cooked bacon in the fridge and warm it up before crumbling on the salad.
    • Use store-bought substitutes. While I love making my own candied nuts, I get that not everyone might. You can purchase bags of candied pecans. Those work here!
    • How to store: This salad will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days, though it really tastes best when enjoyed immediately because the bacon vinaigrette when warm is a thing of beauty.
    A brussels sprouts salad recipe in a large red bowl on a blue tiled surface before tossing with the text Cranberry Feta Brussels Sprout Salad

    Now let’s make this scrumptious salad!

    Here’s how we make it:

    Close up of a bowl holding a serving of Cranberry Feta Brussels Sprout Salad with a fork on a dark blue tiled surface

    Cranberry Feta Brussels Sprout Salad with Candied Pecans and Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

    Erin Parker, The Speckled Palate
    Cranberry Feta Brussels Sprout Salad with Candied Pecans and Warm Bacon Vinaigrette is the perfect side dish for the winter months and holiday season! Slightly sweet, savory, salty and crunchy, this hearty salad strikes a beautiful balance because it's a little bit sweet, a little bit salty and a LOT a bit delicious.
    4.80 from 5 votes
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 748 kcal
    Prep Time 25 minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes
    Total Time 35 minutes

    Ingredients
      

    Caramelized Pecans

    • 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
    • ¼ cup granulated sugar
    • 1 cup pecan pieces
    • Pinch of kosher salt
    • Pinch of ground cinnamon

    Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

    • 5 tablespoons warm bacon fat (from the bacon below)
    • 1 large garlic clove minced
    • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
    • 1 ½ tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard
    • 1 ½ teaspoons honey
    • Black pepper to taste

    Brussels Sprouts Salad

    • 20 oz. Brussels sprouts trimmed and chopped finely
    • 4 slices bacon chopped and fried (reserve the fat for the vinaigrette)
    • ½ cup dried cranberries 80g
    • ¼ cup feta cheese crumbles 50g
    • 1 cup Caramelized Pecans (see recipe above)
    • Hot Bacon Vinaigrette (see recipe above)

    As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Instructions
     

    Make the Caramelized Pecans

    • Melt the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat,
    • While the butter melts, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. This will be used to cool the pecans. They will stick if you do not line the pan!
    • Add the sugar to the skillet. Season with salt and cinnamon. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the sugar begins to melt.
    • Add the pecans to the skillet. Move the ingredients around the skillet frequently with a rubber spatula so they don’t burn. (Please keep an eye on them. This is not a task where you should be focusing on anything else, as this can burn very easily, especially toward the end of the process.)
    • Continue stirring until the nuts are fully coated, then transfer immediately onto the prepared baking sheet.
    • Separate the nuts on the baking sheet with the rubber spatula into a single layer so they don’t stick together. If they cool together, you’ll have a hard time breaking them apart.
    • The candied coating will harden in about 5-10 minutes, then you can enjoy these!

    Make the Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

    • Cook the bacon in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until the fat has rendered and the meat is browned and crisp.
    • Remove the bacon from the pan, and set aside for the salad. Leave the fat in the skillet.
    • Add the garlic to the skillet, and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
    • Remove the fat and the garlic from the skillet, and pour carefully into a mason jar (or another container that can withstand heat.)
    • Measure the apple cider vinegar into the jar. Next, add the Dijon mustard, honey and black pepper.
    • Place the cap on the jar, and shake until combined. Similarly, you can whisk them together if you prefer.
    • Set aside until time to serve the salad. (If this is made in advance and the vinaigrette cools, reheat in 5-10 second intervals in the microwave until the desired temperature.)

    Make the Brussels Sprouts Salad

    • Combine the trimmed and finely chopped Brussels sprouts, the cooked bacon (from the vinaigrette portion), dried cranberries, feta cheese and the candied pecans in a LARGE mixing bowl.
    • Pour on the vinaigrette, and toss using tongs until all the ingredients are coated.
    • Serve immediately, and enjoy, sprinkling additional feta, candied pecans and bacon on top of the finished salads if so desired.

    Notes

    You may make the vinaigrette and candied nuts in advance. The candied nuts will keep in an airtight food storage container at room temperature for a week. The vinaigrette will keep in a mason jar in the fridge for a week. Reheat the vinaigrette before pouring onto the salad before serving.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 748kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 14gFat: 55gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 38gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 610mgFiber: 10gSugar: 43g
    Keyword brussels sprout salad, Brussels sprouts, brussels sprouts salad, Christmas, easy salad recipe, holiday salad recipe, salad recipe, shredded brussels sprouts salad, side salad, thanksgiving
    Course Side Dishes
    Cuisine American
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    About the Author:

    Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her

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    18 Comments

    1. Holy moly! This looks so good! I can imagine making large batches to take it to work all week.

      1. Thanks so much, Kelly! This salad is totally worth making in large batches to enjoy at work for lunch. One of my friends and I devoured this entire bowl for lunch one afternoon. 😉

    2. This is a meal dreams are made of! (Good thing I’m headed to the grocery store tomorrow morning!)

    3. Erin;

      I used your candied pecans recipe because it didn’t take much time. We also had the ingredients handy, and I imagine most people do as well.

      The glazed pecans are good looking and you just know at first glance are delicious. Fabulous they are!

      What i found is that the longer they sit, the crispier they become. Yum!

      We gave a container of candied pecans to a friend as a birthday gift. They we used those remaining as topping of our strawberry and (low fat) whip cream which added an unexpected burst of flavor.

      Thanks for sharing! We love many of your recipes!

      1. Thanks so much! I’m so happy to hear that you’ve used this recipe to make candied pecans for various things, as well as give them to friends. What a lovely (and scrumptious!) use! I hope you keep enjoying the recipes! 🙂

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