Why this salad? Not what you’d expect.
A lot of Brussels sprout salads look pretty, refined—like a magazine shot. But I wanted to strip that away. No fancy dressing, no perfect piercing crunch—just honest greens and the smell of toasted seeds wafting up. The way the raw sprouts bite back a little, with that sharp, nutty tang—it’s like biting into the plant itself, in a good way. It’s what I crave after a long week, when I want something honest, no fuss, no pretension. Plus, it looks kind of wild—like I just tossed everything together without a care. But that simplicity? It’s the best part. Seasonal? Definitely. It’s the kind of salad that makes you realize how weirdly satisfying raw Brussels can be—when they’re good, they really stand their ground.

Raw Brussels Sprouts Salad with Toasted Seeds
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Use a sharp chef’s knife and a mandoline to thinly slice the trimmed Brussels sprouts into fine strips. Place the slices into a large mixing bowl.
- Heat a dry skillet over medium heat and add the mixed seeds. Toast, shaking the pan frequently, until the seeds are golden and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet used for toasting seeds and heat over medium until shimmering. Add the toasted seeds back to the pan and toss to combine, allowing their flavors to meld for 1 minute. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, then transfer mixture to the mixing bowl with the raw Brussels sprouts.
- Gently toss the mixture in the bowl until the shredded Brussels sprouts are evenly coated with the toasted seeds and oil. Serve immediately for a crisp, fresh salad texture.
Sometimes I think about how much food gets polished up, styled, made perfect. This salad is the opposite. It’s messy. It’s real. It’s what I actually want to eat on a random Tuesday. No idea if it’ll stick around, but it feels like one of those dishes that sticks in your mind—even if you forget the exact recipe.
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