Vegetarian Thanksgiving

December 4, 2023

Winter Butternut Squash Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad

Name: Winter Butternut Squash Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: For the butternut squash:; 3 cups ½ inch cubed butternut squash; 1 tablespoon olive oil; ½ tablespoon honey or pure maple syrup; Freshly ground salt and pepper; For the sweet and salty toasted pecans:; ½ cup pecan halves; 1-2 teaspoons pure maple syrup; sea salt; For the salad:; 1 pound (16 ounces) brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and yellow outer leaves removed; ¾ cup seeds from 1 small pomegranate; 1 large apple, thinly sliced (honeycrisp or pink lady apples are great); ½ cup chopped Medjool dates; ⅓ cup shaved manchego (or shaved parmesan); For the caesar dressing:; ¼ cup tahini; 2 tablespoons olive oil; Juice from ½ large lemon; 1 clove garlic, finely minced; 1 teaspoon finely diced capers; 1 teaspoon caper brine (from the jar of capers); 1 teaspoon dijon mustard; 1-2 tablespoons warm water, to thin dressing; Freshly ground salt and black pepper

Gorgeous brussels sprouts caesar salad full of flavor thanks to tender roasted butternut squash, shaved brussels sprouts, apple, pomegranate, dates, sweet & salty maple pecans and tossed in a savory vegan caesar dressing. This delicious vegetarian caesar salad makes the perfect lunch or festive side dish!

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

45 mins

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When I was growing up, salads never seemed to be a consideration for the holiday table. The greenest thing we had was my aunt’s cream of mushroom green bean casserole (check out my healthfied version!)

A few years back when I hosted Thanksgiving I created this beautiful butternut squash brussels sprouts caesar salad and my guests not only fell in LOVE with the flavors and textures, but they also appreciated having something fresh and green on the table.

I had been wanting to make a vegan or vegetarian caesar salad with an Ambitious Kitchen creative twist, and this salad truly checks all of the boxes. It’s crunchy, sweet, savory, and has the most incredible vegan caesar dressing with a tahini base. Add it to your weekly meal prep or serve it for the holidays!

Brussels sprouts caesar salad ingredients

This isn’t your average caesar salad, so don’t expect it to be. Rather, it’s a unique take on a traditional caesar salad jazzed up with fresh seasonal produce. Instead of basic romaine in the caesar salad, I decided to use shredded brussels sprouts and also add tender roasted butternut squash. But I couldn’t stop myself there. I tossed it all together with a simple vegan caesar salad dressing that’s literally SO FREAKING GOOD you wouldn’t even know it’s vegan. Here’s what you’ll need to make this fabulous recipe:

For the roasted butternut squash: olive oil, butternut squash, honey or maple syrup and a bit of salt and pepper.
For the toasted pecans: you’ll just need maple syrup, pecans and salt.
For the salad: we’re skipping the romaine and adding shaved brussels sprouts, apple, dates, pomegranate and manchego (or parmesan).
For the vegan caesar dressing: you’ll need tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, capers, caper brine (from the jar), dijon mustard, a little warm water to thin and salt & pepper.

I’M TELLING YOU, THIS SALAD IS DAMN GOOOOOOOOOD.

Customize this brussels sprouts caesar salad

Add protein. Add a boost of protein with chickpeas or chicken breast.
Make it vegan. Simply omit the cheese or use a sprinkle of dairy free cheese to keep the salad vegan and dairy free. Be sure to also use maple syrup instead of honey.
Choose your toppings. Mix up your toppings with candied walnuts, sliced pears, dried cranberries, or even bacon crumbles!

How to make vegan caesar salad dressing

Making a vegan caesar salad dressing is a lot easier than you would think. You’ll simply mix together tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, capers, caper brine (from the jar), dijon mustard, a little warm water, salt & pepper until it’s smooth and creamy. You can also shake up all of the ingredients in a mason jar!

I like to make the base of my caesar salad dressings with tahini because I love the nutty flavor it adds. However, the most crucial part of making a caesar salad dressing is using capers, caper brine, fresh lemon juice, garlic and a tiny bit of dijon mustard; these ingredients create a nice traditional salty, robust flavor that’s found in caesar salad dressings.

Easy ways to shred brussels sprouts

Use a food processor: trim the small stem off of the brussels sprouts and add them to your food processor about a handful or so at a time. Use the slicing attachment on your food processor and pulse until they’re nice and shredded.
Use a box grater: you can shred your brussels sprouts against a box grater on the side with the largest holes. I’d suggest spraying the grater with a bit of cooking spray so that the sprouts easily glide against the grater.
Shred them with a knife: this is the method I typically use, and once you get the hang of it it will go pretty quickly. Using a sharp knife cut the stem off of your brussels sprouts and then cut them in half lengthwise. Then, with each half laying flat side down, chop your brussels sprouts into fine shreds. No need for them to be perfect!

Tips for cubing butternut squash

I have a full tutorial here where you can learn how to easily (and safely) peel and cube your butternut squash! You can, of course, buy pre-cubed squash, but this tutorial makes it super easy when using fresh butternut squash.

Looking to serve a crowd?

If you are serving this to a crowd/gathering, I recommend layering it on a platter. Start by tossing your brussels sprouts in the dressing so that they get nice and coated, then spread them out on a platter. Evenly top with the roasted butternut squash, pomegranate seeds, apple slices, dates, shaved manchego, and then the toasted pecans.

Storing tips

Another reason you’ll love this twist on caesar salad is that the brussels sprouts hold up beautifully for day! No soggy lettuce here. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for a few days. You can either store it with the dressing mixed in or save the dressing on the side to add when you’re serving. I will say that the dressing marinates the brussels to make them extra delicious, so don’t be afraid to dress it up and serve later!

More seasonal salads you’ll love

Get all of my salad recipes here!

I hope you fall in love with this brussels sprouts ceasar salad, because we have! Bring it to Thanksgiving to impress everyone, or simply throw together for your weekday meals for something a little different and fun. If you make it, be sure to leave a comment & a rating so I know how you liked it!

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