Brussels Sprouts Salad with Grapefruit Vinaigrette

Filled with creamy avocado, sweet bits of clementines and meaty pistachio kernels, this quick and easy Brussels Sprouts Salad recipe is dressed with a light and tangy Grapefruit Vinaigrette. This recipe was created for my client Pompeian but all opinions are my own.

We are swiftly approaching the official start to winter (and already firmly planted in cold-dom), so who wants to eat salad? Refreshing, cool salads harken more toward the balmy days of summer than the bone-chilling days of winter. And this time of year comfort food rules with its hearty stews and roasts …

But why can’t salads — the right salads — almost be perfect for winter?

They can be, for sure, especially if you’re talking about a fabulous citrus-y salad with raw Brussels sprouts, creamy avocados and meaty pistachios. That’s a salad perfect for winter — because those are the flavors that are in season right now.

With a subtle mix of flavors and textures, this salad uses shredded Brussels sprouts raw. They add a nice crunch to the bright flavors and textures. Brussels sprouts are my favorite vegetable, but it wasn’t until the last year (thanks to a crazy popular salad mix sold at Costco) that I realized they are fabulous served raw.

For the dressing for this Brussels sprouts salad, I used fresh grapefruit juice, garlic, salt and pepper with Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I love the flavor of this olive oil, and it pairs so well with the bright flavor of grapefruit (I used ruby red, but you could use a more tart variety, if you prefer) and zesty garlic. You might remember that I have been working with Pompeian this year developing recipes, but I can tell you that even if I wasn’t I would be buying this oil for dressings because it has such a nice olive-y flavor.

And something cool this holiday season? You can go to Facebook.com/Pompeian or Pompeian.com  to create your own personalized bottle of Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil — all you have to go is use the tool there to generate and print a customized label to place on a 24 oz. bottle of Pompeian extra virgin olive oil. How fun, right?

Making this Brussels sprouts salad is so quick and simple. Here’s what you do: Mix the ingredients. Whisk together the dressing. Pour over the veggie mix. Toss well. Chill. That’s it. In just a few minutes, it’s all made and just waiting for you to dig in.

And, of course, you could dig in right away. But this is a salad that gets better when it has a few minutes to chill a bit. The flavors meld together into a pleasant, craveworthy thing. And if you want, serve it with something warm like grilled chicken or steak or sauteed shrimp. That makes it all the better.

Are you a Brussels sprouts fan?

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Disclosure: I was compensated for creating this post but all opinions are my own.