Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad with Bacon and Cranberries
This shredded Brussels sprout salad with crispy bacon lardons, sweet dried cranberries and toasted pumpkin seeds is a quick side salad made in the Thermomix TM7. The machine chops the sprouts finely in seconds and whisks the honey-sherry vinaigrette to a silky consistency, giving you a fresh, crunchy winter salad with minimal effort.
About this recipe
Shredded Brussels sprout salad with bacon and cranberries is a Thermomix TM7 recipe that transforms the most underrated winter vegetable into a vibrant, restaurant-style salad. Instead of spending a quarter of an hour slicing sprouts by hand, the all-in-one kitchen machine shreds a whole bowlful in mere seconds, giving you fine, even ribbons that soak up the honey-sherry vinaigrette beautifully. The combination is irresistible: crispy fried bacon lardons bring a smoky saltiness, dried cranberries add chewy sweetness, and toasted pumpkin seeds deliver a nutty crunch in every forkful. The quick vinaigrette of lemon, sherry vinegar, runny honey and Dijon mustard is emulsified directly in the mixing bowl, so every leaf is coated rather than drowned. Whether you need a quick weeknight side, a festive Christmas salad or a make-ahead lunchbox option, this sprout salad delivers big flavour with very little hands-on work, and it holds up remarkably well even the next day.
Preparation tips
- Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan until they pop and smell nutty before adding them to the sprout salad; this simple step deepens their flavour and keeps them crunchy against the honey-sherry vinaigrette.
- Fry the bacon lardons slowly so the fat renders properly, then whisk a spoonful of that rendered bacon fat into the Dijon mustard vinaigrette for an extra savoury depth in every bite of the shredded sprouts.
- This sprout salad actually improves after resting, so dress it half an hour before serving; the cranberries plump up slightly and the raw sprout ribbons soften while keeping their bite, making it ideal for festive buffets.
Recipe variations
- Vegetarian version: replace the bacon lardons with smoked almonds or crispy fried shallots and swap the honey for maple syrup; the smoked paprika in the dressing keeps that savoury depth alongside the cranberries and pumpkin seeds.
- Festive winter variation: add thin slices of pear or roasted chestnuts and a crumble of blue cheese over the shredded sprouts, turning the salad into an elegant Christmas starter that still comes together in minutes in your TM7.
Thermomix TM7 Benefits
- Precision chopping - The Thermomix shreds the Brussels sprouts into fine, even ribbons in seconds, replacing ten minutes of careful knife work. [Chopping]. [Precision Control]
- Built-in scale - TM7 weighs the sherry vinegar, honey and olive oil directly in the bowl for a perfectly balanced vinaigrette every time. [Weighing]. [Time Savings]
- Silky emulsifying - The Thermomix whisks the Dijon mustard and lemon juice into a smooth dressing that coats every sprout strand evenly. [Whipping]. [Multi-Function]
- Gentle heating - The TM7 warms the vinaigrette at a controlled low temperature so the honey dissolves completely without cooking the lemon juice. [Heating]. [Precision Control]
- Golden browning - The Thermomix crisps the bacon lardons hands-free while you toast the pumpkin seeds, giving evenly golden, crunchy lardons. [Browning]. [Hands-Free]
Ingredients
- bacon lardons
- extra virgin olive oil
- dried cranberries
- pumpkin seeds
- garlic cloves
- lemon
- sherry vinegar
- runny honey
- Dijon mustard
- fine sea salt