Mexican Brussels Sprouts Salad with Tomatillo Dressing

5 from 17 votes

Mexican Brussels Sprouts Salad with Tomatillo Dressing

Mexican Brussels Sprouts Salad with cotija cheese, avocado, sweet corn, and creamy tomatillo dressing. Enjoy as a side dish, or top with blackened shrimp or grilled chicken for a total flavor fiesta meal.

Prep Time25

Cook Time5

Total Time30

Course: Salad/Side Dish

Cuisine: Mexican

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Servings:

Author: Jamie Vespa MS, RD

Equipment

Medium saucepan
Blender or Nutribullet

Ingredients

Pickled Red Onions

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup rice vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
1 Tbsp. sweetener of choice (granulated sugar, honey, or maple syrup)
1 tsp. salt

Brussels Salad

1 lb. Brussels sprouts
1 cup frozen/thawed, canned, or fresh corn kernels (I use frozen fire-roasted corn)
1 medium avocado, diced
1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup sliced almonds

Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

3 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems
1/4 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt, sour cream, or mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. neutral oil (such as avocado, canola, or grapeseed oil)
1/2 fresh jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. each salt and black pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. ground cumin

Serving Suggestions

Blackened shrimp or chicken, crispy oven-roasted chickpeas

Instructions

Pickle Red Onions:
Place red onions in a medium heat-proof bowl.
In a medium saucepan, combine vinegar, 1/2 cup water, sugar, and salt; bring to a boil. Turn off heat and pour vinegar mixture over red onions.
Let sit for at least 30-45 minutes (or up to 2 hours) at room temperature. (Note: you can prepare and refrigerate red onions up to 3 days in advance.) Drain before using.
Prepare Tomatillo Dressing:
In a blender or nutribullet, combine tomatillos, cilantro, yogurt, oil, jalapeño, onion powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cumin; blend on high speed until smooth and creamy.
Assemble Salad:
Shave or very thinly slice Brussels sprouts and add to a large bowl.*
Add corn, avocado, cotija cheese, almonds, and a pinch of salt. Add about two-thirds of dressing and toss well to combine. Transfer salad to a serving platter and drizzle remaining dressing overtop. Scatter pickled red onions over salad, and garnish with additional cotija cheese and sliced almonds, if desired.

Notes

How to Shave Brussels Sprouts:

Food Processor: If you have a food processor with a slicing blade like this, this is by far the quickest route. It takes fewer than 5 minutes to shred all of the sprouts.
Mandoline. The second-best option is a mandoline slicer. Hold the sprout firmly by the stem end and watch your fingers VERY carefully as you reach the end.
Knife: Use a sharp chef's knife to very thinly slice Brussels sprouts crosswise.

Make-Ahead:

Pickle the onions up to 3 days ahead. Refrigerate in an airtight container.
Blend dressing up to 1 day ahead. Refrigerate in an airtight jar or blender bottle.
Shave Brussels sprouts 1 to 2 days ahead of time. If preparing the whole salad in advance, I suggest lightly moistening it with half the desired amount of dressing, then adding the remaining dressing right before serving.

Store: Prepared salad will last up to 2 days refrigerated.

*I like this recipe for Blackened Shrimp

Nutrition