This healthy Brussels Sprouts Slaw with Cabbage and Apples is the perfect side dish for any meal. Also goes great on tacos! (gluten free, paleo, vegetarian, vegan)
I have a confession to make: I need a little crunch in my life. With the cold weather not letting up, my slow cooker and stock pot have taken over the kitchen. And whether I’d like to admit it or not, the nice thing about making slow cooked soups and stews is that it requires minimal effort, which is perfect because I’ve been pretty lazy in the kitchen during the week.
The slow cooking process can sometimes make veggies and other ingredients overly soft and sometimes mushy if overcooked. Don’t get me wrong – all the slow cooked soups and stews are tasty and flavorful, but I’m craving a little variety. I need some crunch.
What better way to fully experience the crunch factor than making a slaw? Today I’m sharing with you a recipe for healthy brussels sprouts slaw with cabbage and apples served with a lemon-dijon vinaigrette and chopped walnuts.
Let me toot my own horn for a bit –Â this is seriously the perfect side dish. You’ve got your Brussels sprouts, Granny Smith apples and walnuts, all topped with an easy lemon-dijon vinaigrette made with honey and Dijon mustard.
It goes perfectly with any protein and is great as a topping on tacos to help add some brightness and crunch. Here are some taco recipes that would be go great with this slaw.
- Mexican Slow Cooker Chicken Carnitas Tacos
- Fish Tacos with Chipotle Lime Crema
- Slow Cooker Chipotle Beef Tinga Tacos
If you’re looking to save some time, many grocery stores like Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods and even your local grocery store carry bags of pre-shredded Brussels sprouts and pre-shredded bags of red/green cabbage. They definitely come in handy when you’re in a pinch. And while I haven’t found a great substitute for the lemon-dijon vinaigrette, there are many dressings that could work really well with this slaw. Some of the flavors and brands I recommend are:
- Tessemae’s All Natural Green Goddess Dressing (soooooo good!)
- Tessemae’s All Natural Zesty Ranch
- Annie’s Homegrown Lemon & Chive Dressing
Annie’s brand can be found in many grocery stores and even larger stores like Target. I’ve only been able to find Tessemae’s brand at Whole Foods (in the refrigerated section).
The best part of this dish is how well it holds up in the fridge. The toughness of the shredded Brussels sprouts and red cabbage lend themselves very well to leftovers or even just making this dish hours ahead of time. And because of the lemon juice in the vinaigrette, the Granny Smith apples don’t turn brown quickly and stay fresher longer.

Ingredients
For the slaw
- 3 cups brussels sprouts, shredded
- 2.5 cups red cabbage, shredded
- 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
- 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
For the Lemon-Dijon Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp lemon juice (about 1 lemon, juiced)
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/8 tsp ground ginger
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a small mason jar, add all the ingredients for the vinaigrette and cover with lid. Shake well to mix and let set aside until ready to use.
- In a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients for the slaw and stir to combine.
- When ready to serve, shake the mason jar again to combine all the ingredients as some separation may occur.
- Pour the vinaigrette on top of the slaw and lightly toss to evenly coat the veggies. Serve and enjoy!
Isabel’s Tips:
Nutrition Information
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I made this salad for Christmas dinner and it was well loved! I did make three small changes. First, I used fresh ginger instead of ground ginger just because I happened to have some on hand, and it was a nice addition. I also completely forgot the apple! I had mixed up the dressing and cut the other ingredients in advance, but I planned to cut the apple and mix it all up right before dinner. Well in the rush of getting all the food out I dressed the salad but didn’t even think about the apple. It was still delicious without but I’d definitely like to try it with apples next time. Finally, I used some pepitas instead of walnuts because of a nut allergy among the guests. This salad is beautiful and the perfect tangy counterpoint to a heavy meal. I’ll be making it again for sure!
Thank you so much Jen! We’re glad you enjoyed it!
Are these low sodium meals dr.says I’m on low sodium
Extremely delicious, trying to find serving size and calories
Making this slaw as a light & crunchy side for Thanksgiving dinner– a friend made it the other night for our Friendsgiving, and it was so fab I had to make it right away! Using napa cabbage with the Brussels sprouts, a Honeycrisp apple, toasted hazelnuts instead of walnuts, and diced dried cranberries for some Thanksgiving flair! Oh, and fresh grated ginger in the dressing. My taste testers are raving– can’t wait for dinner!
Thanks for the great recipe!
Thanks so much, Jen! Fresh ginger in the dressing sounds so good! I’m going to have to try it. Happy Thanksgiving!
How can I follow your disqus?! I love your blog so much!!
Thank you so much, Amna! I’m not quite sure how to follow via Disqus but you can sign up for my weekly newsletter updates. You can find that sign up form in my sidebar or at the very bottom of each page.
This looks so delicious!
That sounds so good right now and love the apples!
Thank you!
Delicious recipe! Love how you added apples!
Thanks, Ros! It’s nice to have a little sweetness in there 🙂