Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Lemony Pecorino-Romano Dressing

Feb 17

SERVES: 4

I was an unusual child — while most kids turned up their noses at Brussels sprouts, I genuinely loved them! That appreciation has only deepened over time, as I’ve explored the many ways to prepare them beyond the usual roasted version. One of my favorite approaches is serving them raw, thinly shaved, in a salad that’s elegant and soooo easy to pull together!

Here, crisp brussels sprouts provide the perfect base for a bold, lemony Pecorino-Romano dressing — sharp, creamy, and balanced with a hint of Dijon and a touch of cayenne for subtle warmth. The salad is then layered with sweet, chewy medjool dates and buttery, toasted Marcona almonds, adding both texture and complexity. Finished with fragrant lemon zest and a crack of black pepper, this salad is layered, nuanced, and absolutely delicious. It’s a versatile dish equally suited as a refreshing, but substantial starter or as a bright, textural counterpoint to a hearty protein.

INGREDIENTS

For the dressing

2/3 cup Pecorino-Romano cheese; freshly grated
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 small cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the salad

1 pound brussels sprouts; cleaned, trimmed, thinly sliced
1/3 cup Pecorino Romano cheese; grated
1/3 cup medjool dates; roughly chopped
1/4 cup Marcona almonds; toasted and roughly chopped
Lemon zest
Freshly cracked black pepper

METHOD

For the dressing

Place all the ingredients in a blender or mini food processor and blend until creamy and emulsified. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

For the salad

In a large bowl combine half the dates, almonds and Pecorino-Romano with the brussels sprouts and toss with approximately 1/2 of dressing. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with remaining dates, almonds and cheese. Finish with fresh lemon zest and freshly cracked black pepper. Drizzle with additional dressing and serve.

Buon Appetito!

NOTES

This salad can be served room temperature
If time allows — after dressing the salad, let it sit for 15 minutes or so for the brussels sprouts to absorb the flavors, then finish adding additional ingredients and final drizzle of dressing.
For the best flavor use high, quality, freshly grated Pecorino-Romano.