This vegetarian shaved brussels sprouts salad is ideal for busy weeknights when you only have about 30 minutes to get dinner on the table. Sautéed sprouts with coriander roasted chickpeas and creamy lemon tahini, plus a handful of sunflower seeds and dried cherries (or cranberries) for entree-worthy flavor and texture.
You know those nights when you want a dinner that's super quick and easy but still full of flavor? That's been me pretty much all of the time lately, and since it seems like we're all pretty busy right now, I thought I'd share this new favorite 30-minute dinner.
Sauté some veggies, top them off with roasted chickpeas, and drizzle in some creamy tahini. You can't go wrong and it's so easy.
This salad is filling enough to be a meal all on its own, but if you're looking for another recipe to serve on the side, my Creamy Spiced Carrot and Lentil Soup would be delicious!
Instructions
There are three main steps to making this shaved Brussels sprouts salad. Roasting the chickpeas, whisking the lemon tahini, and sautéeing the shaved Brussels sprouts. You can take care of the tahini and Brussels sprouts while the chickpeas are in the oven to make the whole thing come together more quickly.
How to Roast Chickpeas
It's no secret roasted chickpeas make the best salad topper. I also love them on soups and eat them all on their own for a snack, too. You can use either dry or canned chickpeas. Just be sure to dry them on a clean towel before adding them to the mixing bowl.
In the bowl, mix the chickpeas with oil and spices, and then spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast in a 400-degree oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they're golden and crispy on the edges.
Dressing
In the meantime, you can mix the dressing, which is just a simple mix of tahini (sesame seed paste), lemon, maple syrup, and salt and pepper. Once you have those ingredients mixed together, stir in a spoonful of water (or more if needed) to thin the dressing out to the right consistency.
Different tahini brands can vary quite a bit when it comes to how thick or thin they are, so you have to use a little judgment here. Just keep adding water gradually until the dressing is easy to pour.
Tahini dressing also thickens over time, so keep in mind you might also need to thin it out with another tablespoon or two of water if you make it ahead of time.
Prep Work
If you want to cut out all of the chopping work, use a bag of shaved brussels sprouts for this recipe. Otherwise, you can shave Brussels sprouts with a food processor, mandoline slicer, or a good old-fashioned knife and cutting board.
Cooking
Once the chickpeas are in the oven and the lemon tahini dressing is mixed, heat up a large skillet on the stovetop over medium heat.
Add a few tablespoons of grapeseed oil (or your favorite cooking oil) and then stir in the shaved Brussels sprouts and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until the sprouts turn brown on the edges, which should take about 8 minutes. Stir every couple of minutes, but not too often because you want to give the sprouts some time to brown in the bottom of the pan.
Serving
Once all the components are ready, assemble the salad together in a large bowl. Stir the cooked Brussels sprouts with sunflower seeds and dry cherries. Then pour in half of the lemon tahini (I like to save the rest for serving) and toss the ingredients until they're evenly coated.
Transfer the salad to a serving dish, spoon the roasted chickpeas on top, and serve with the rest of the tahini.
Can you make this recipe ahead of time?
I personally like the Brussels sprouts best right out of the oven, but you can roast the chickpeas and mix the dressing up to a few days ahead of time to make this dinner super quick. Then you can just sauté the sprouts and toss everything together on the night of.
What's the best way to store this recipe?
The salad is still good for a few days even when it's all mixed together. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. To maintain more of the texture, store chickpeas, dressing, and sunflower seeds separate from the rest of the dish. If the dressing thickens in the fridge, just stir in another tablespoon or two of water to thin it out again.
How do you make this recipe vegan? Is it gluten-free?
The recipe as written is already gluten-free. To make it vegan, just be sure to opt for the maple syrup instead of honey for the sweetener.
Looking for more quick and easy vegetarian meals?
You can make all of these dinners in 30 minutes or less, too.
- Easy Peanut Noodles
- Crispy Eggplant BLT with Harissa Mayo
- One-Pan Eggplant Caprese
- Spinach Cacio e Pepe
- Easy Edamame Crunch Salad
- Tempeh Burrito Bowls
Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Crispy Chickpeas and Lemon Tahini
Equipment
- rimmed baking sheet
Ingredients
Chickpeas:
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Lemon Tahini:
- ¼ cup tahini
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup (see note)
- Salt and pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons water
Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad:
- 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil or as needed to coat the pan
- 5 cups shaved Brussels sprouts (12-ounce bag)
- Salt and pepper
- ½ cup dry cherries or cranberries
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds, toasted if desired (see note)
Instructions
Prepare the chickpeas:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Dry chickpeas with a clean towel and transfer to a bowl. (I like to keep the outer skins, but you can also pick these out if preferred.) Stir in coriander, grapeseed oil, salt, and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and roast 20 minutes, or until golden.
Prepare the lemon tahini:
- In the meantime, whisk tahini, lemon peel, lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Gradually whisk in water 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. The amount of water you use will depend on the consistency of your tahini and how thick or thin you want the dressing to be.
Prepare the Brussels sprouts:
- Heat grapeseed oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, stir in Brussels sprouts and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until browned on the edges. Add more oil as needed to prevent sticking during cooking. Transfer cooked Brussels sprouts to a large bowl and stir in dry cherries and sunflower seeds (reserve some for serving if desired). Pour half of the lemon tahini into the bowl and gently toss until the mixture is evenly coated.
- Transfer Brussels sprouts mixture to a serving dish. Spoon roasted chickpeas on top and drizzle with remaining lemon tahini. Garnish with additional sunflower seeds if desired.
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
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Did you try this recipe?
Rate and leave a comment below to let me know how it went. You can also tag @GratefulGrazer and #GratefulGrazer on Instagram. I'd love to see your creation!
Elliott says
I've made this a few times and each time I remember how much I love it and wonder why I don't make it more often. I roast the brussels sprouts in the oven because it's already on and I'd rather have fewer dishes. I eat this as a main dish, and would say there's two main dish servings here.
Stephanie McKercher, RDN says
Thanks, Elliott! So glad you enjoy the recipe 🙂
Kaleigh says
I have made this salad for two different people and they both were very impressed. It is a simple recipe to follow along. I shave the brussels sprouts thinly with a knife which can be a bit tedious but the results are very worth it. Will continue to make this every time I crave tahini. So good.
Stephanie McKercher, RDN says
Thanks so much for trying my recipe, Kaleigh! Glad it's been a hit! 🙂
Valerie says
What other dressings would be good with this? My husband does not like lemon.
Stephanie McKercher, RDN says
Hi Valerie, feel free to substitute any type of vinegar for the lemon in the tahini dressing. You could also serve this with a vinaigrette. Let me know if you try it! 🙂
Marybel says
I loved this recipe. I had FUN shaving the Brussels by myself with a knife and going the extra mile. The recipe came out SuPeRB. Thank YoU so MuCH for sharing such a DeLiCiouS recipe.
BLESSINGS
Stephanie McKercher, RDN says
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Marybel! Thank you for letting me know how it went! 🙂
Kristen says
This is delicious! I will definitely make again.
Stephanie McKercher, RDN says
Thanks, Kristen! So glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Alexi says
Made this twice now! So good. Tonight I added shallots along with the brussel sprouts and used dried apricot instead of the cherries. I think it'll be in the regular rotation.
Stephanie McKercher, RDN says
Thanks so much for commenting, Alexi! Dried apricots sound delicious here 🙂
Kelley says
I made this last night and it was delicious!! I omitted the dried cranberries and added a 1/2 cup of cooked brown rice to make it a little heartier for a vegan dinner. The flavors are SO good together! Definitely adding to my regular rotation. Thank you!
Stephanie McKercher, RDN says
Thanks, Kelley! Adding rice sounds delicious. So glad you enjoyed it!
Ronda says
I made this for lunch to day for my family. It was DELICIOUS and they loved it!!!
Stephanie McKercher, RDN says
So happy to hear this. Thanks, Ronda!
Wendy says
Easy, healthy and delicious!! A definite keeper
Stephanie McKercher, RDN says
Thanks, Wendy!
Jennifer says
Can you use dried garbanzos? Would you need to soak them the night before? Then what???
Stephanie McKercher, RDN says
Hi Jennifer, you can definitely use dried garbanzo beans, but you want to cook them first. I typically cook mine in the instant pot, so it's fairly quick and there's no soaking required. Then drain from the cooking water and use them in the recipe like normal.
Tina says
I made this last night and it was DELICIOUS! I subbed golden raisins for the dried cherries.
Stephanie McKercher, RDN says
Thanks, Tina! So glad you enjoyed it.
Natalie says
This was INCREDIBLE! Just shared the recipe (gave you credit) on my blog. Thanks so much for sharing this!
Stephanie McKercher, RDN says
Thanks, Natalie. Glad you enjoyed it.
Missair Audrey says
It looks super good, I'm going to test your recipe with kazidomi product!
Thanks for the idea!
https://www.kazidomi.com/fr/
Stephanie McKercher, RDN says
Thanks! Hope you enjoy the recipe.