This Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad with Farro and Maple Dijon Dressing will quickly become your new favorite fall or winter side dish. It’s jam-packed with a world of textures and cozy seasonal flavors you’ll love! Easy to make ahead of time.
If you need more seasonal sides, try My Favorite Kale Salad, this Stuffed Butternut Squash, or these Roasted Cauliflower Steaks.
Once I learned how to make perfect roasted brussels sprouts, I never looked back. Overnight, this once-hated vegetable became a side dish my kids and I can’t get enough of! They’re crispy and golden on the outside, tender on the inside, and packed with flavor (who would have guessed?).
And with these best-ever brussels sprouts, my Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad was eventually born. Our favorite roasted brussels sprouts are tossed with cooked farro, chopped apples, and dried cranberries, then dressed in a lemon maple Dijon dressing. It’s the kind of winter or holiday side dish I look forward to every year.
I love it most served warm for maximum heartiness, but it tastes just as great chilled. You know I’ll be pairing it with my Mushroom Wellington and Vegan Green Bean Casserole this holiday season!
Why you’ll love this warm winter salad
- Warm and hearty – I love a warm winter salad starring roasted brussels sprouts and farro. It’s the most comforting of all the salads and is even hearty enough to enjoy as a main (especially with tofu bacon on top).
- Texture and flavor heaven – There are crisp and juicy apples, tender brussels sprouts, crunchy pistachios, and chewy dried cranberries in every bite of this salad. Prepare yourself for some serious flavor and texture!
- Make it ahead – This is the type of side dish you can prep a day or two in advance, then put together right before your guests come over.
How to make a warm brussels sprouts salad with farro
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
To cook the farro, simmer the grains in salted boiling water until they’re tender, but still chewy. Drain and set aside.
Next, roast the brussels sprouts. Place the trimmed and halved brussels sprouts cut side down on a greased baking sheet.
Spray the tops lightly with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast until golden brown on the cut side.
Meanwhile, make the lemon maple Dijon dressing by whisking together the ingredients until smooth.
Assemble the salad by adding the cooked farro, roasted brussels sprouts, chopped pistachios, diced apple, and dried cranberries to a large bowl. Pour the dressing over top and toss to combine.
Divide the salad into serving bowls and serve warm!
Toast the nuts
If you have the time, try toasting the pistachios, hazelnuts, walnuts, and almonds in a dry skillet over low to medium heat before adding them to the salad. The heat will bring out their hidden oils and flavors, making them 10 times as good as raw nuts.
Frequently asked questions
So much! For protein, I’d suggest tossing the salad with crumbled tofu bacon or tempeh bacon, crispy chickpeas, avocado chunks, or 1/2 cup of cooked green or brown lentils. Some crumbled vegan feta cheese sprinkled on top would be delicious, too.
You can even swap the dried cranberries for pomegranate seeds, the apple for a pear, the farro for quinoa, and the nuts for pumpkin seeds.
Nope. It can easily be served at room temperature or chilled if you prefer.
Yes, you can shred the brussels sprouts with a box grater or a food processor fitted with a grating blade. Either serve the shredded brussels sprouts raw or sauté them in a lightly oiled skillet until wilted and tender.
I prefer them roasted, but air-fried brussels sprouts are just as tasty. Use my Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts recipe if you’d prefer to use your air fryer.
Unfortunately, frozen brussels sprouts don’t work as well as fresh sprouts. They tend to be a little soggier and don’t crisp up as nicely in the oven. If you must, it will work.
Absolutely. The roasted brussels sprouts, cooked farro, and maple Dijon dressing can all be prepped 1 or 2 days in advance. Just keep them in separate containers in the fridge, then assemble the salad as normal right before serving.
Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup farro
- 16 ounces brussels sprouts
- spray olive oil or a few tbs olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- few shakes ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped pistachios or hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds
- 1 medium honeycrisp apple diced
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
Lemon Maple Dijon Dressing
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cook farro – Bring about 3 cups of salted water to a boil, then add the farro and simmer for around 15 minutes until tender, but still chewy. Drain excess water for a few minutes and set aside.
- Roast brussels sprouts – Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with oil or line with parchment paper. Trim the bottom of the brussels sprouts, then slice in half. Place each sprout cut side down on the prepared pan (this will help them stay tender as they roast). Spray lightly with oil, then sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown on the cut side. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Make the dressing – In a small-medium bowl, add all dressing ingredients and whisk until well-combined. Or shake in a mason jar with a lid.
- Toss salad and dressing – In a large bowl, add the cooked farro, roasted brussels sprouts, chopped pistachios, diced apple and dried cranberries. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Serve warm or chilled, if desired.
Notes
- You can substitute quinoa or another grain for the farro.
- May leave out the oil in the dressing if desired.
This was delicious!!! Flavor profile was spot on. I did omit the oil and increased the remaining dressing ingredients by 50% and it was so good. We thought the flavor was best at room temperature.
Hi Shannon. How great to read your terrific review and feedback! I’m so glad that you loved the salad recipe! I appreciate your support! Wishing you happy cooking.