This nutrient-dense Kale Brussel Sprout Salad is packed with hearty greens, toasted almonds, cheese, and sweet cranberries, all tossed in a tangy homemade Dijon dressing. Enjoy it for a light meal or serve it as a fall-inspired side dish.
1poundBrussels sproutsfinely chopped - I used my food processor
1cupgrated Parmesan cheese
½cupdried cranberries or pomegranate seedsoptional
For The Dressing:
½cupextra virgin olive oil
¼cuplemon juice
1tablespoonapple cider vinegar
1tablespoonDijon mustard
1clovegarlicminced
½small shallotminced (about 2 tablespoons) or red onion
½teaspoonKosher salt
¼teaspoonground black pepper
For The Nuts:
1cupsliced or whole almondsor chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
Prep the kale: Wash and rinse the kale leaves under cold water. Dry in a salad spinner. Remove the leaves from the center ribs and chop thinly. Place it in a large salad bowl.
Shave Brussel sprouts*: Place Brussel sprouts in a food processor fitted with the shredding blade. Turn the machine on and feed brussels sprouts into the tube and let the machine do all the work for you. Transfer the now-shaved Brussels sprouts into the bowl with kale.
Make the dressing by whisking together olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, shallot, and salt and pepper in a small bowl.
Drizzle the vegetables with the dressing and give it a toss to make sure all the leaves are evenly coated with the dressing. Set aside and let it rest.
Place almonds in a small empty skillet over medium heat. Toast for 4-5 minutes, keeping a very close eye on and stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly browned. Chop them up into large bite-size pieces.
To assemble, sprinkle the brussel sprout and kale salad with toasted almonds, parmesan cheese, and cranberries (or pomegranate arils), if using. Toss to combine and serve.
Video
Notes
Yields: This recipe makes 8-7 cups of salad that is ideal for serving 6 adults as a side dish. The nutritional values below are per serving.
When it comes to shredding brussels sprouts, you have two other options:
Use a sharp pairing knife and slice one by one as thinly as you can. This takes around 10-15 minutes for a pound of raw brussels sprouts.
Use a mandolin. This method produces evenly sliced Brussels spouts and takes about 8-10 minutes to shred a pound of brussels sprouts. If you need advice on a good mandoline, I just purchased this one (affiliate link), and I love it.
To make ahead:To make this salad ahead of time, prepare each component (i.e., salad, dressing, and toppings) one day in advance. Assemble it right before serving.
To Store: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days. You may also extend your salad’s storage time by storing each salad component separately and dressing individual servings as needed.