You're going to love this kale and Brussels sprouts salad recipe, studded with crunchy candied pecans and tart cranberries and flavored with an easy maple and Dijon vinaigrette. It's the perfect side dish for everything from a weeknight meal to festive holiday dinners.
I love to make salads--especially out-of-the-box salads. This one combines some of my favorite cruciferous vegetables: Brussels sprouts and kale. Both are served raw in this salad but the trick is to massage the leaves with olive oil first. It helps tenderize the greens and make them oh-so-delicious. No bitter, tough greens here!
To the greens, I add candied pecans--you can usually find those alongside other nuts, in the produce department near the salad greens, or alongside the salad dressings and toppings. Sometimes they're labeled praline pecans.
For color and tartness, you'll find sweet craisins in this salad too. Finally, a generous dousing of a Dijon and maple vinaigrette dressing brings it all together. Pro tip: Keep some of the dressing on-hand in the fridge. It's great on lots of other salads too.
This winter salad is fantastic anytime of year and goes especially well with my grilled pork chops. Or, it's a great addition at Thanksgiving alongside my spatchcock turkey. It's also a great side dish to serve with soup to round out the meal. Try it with my mushroom and noodle soup or loaded potato soup. Ready to make it? Let's do it.
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Ingredients
Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this Brussels sprouts and kale salad recipe:
- Brussels sprouts
- red kale
- candied pecans
- sweetened dried cranberries
- apple cider vinegar
- maple syrup
- Dijon mustard
- extra-virgin olive oil
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
(See recipe card for quantities.)
Instructions
Now that we've got our ingredients, it's time to make this Brussels sprout salad!
- First, shred the Brussels sprouts and thinly slice the kale and transfer to a large bowl.
- Then, add 2 tablespoons of the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Massage the Brussels sprouts and kale until thoroughly coated.
- Next, whisk together the remaining oil, vinegar, mustard, and maple syrup in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Finally, pour the dressing into the bowl. Add the pecans and cranberries and toss to coat.
Hint: Don't be tempted to skip the massaging step. It helps tenderize the raw kale and Brussels sprouts so they're not tough.
Substitutions
Here are some suggestions for ingredient substitutions:
- Brussels sprouts - You can sometimes find pre-shredded Brussels sprouts. Make sure they're not discolored--that will cause the salad to be bitter.
- Kale - I used red kale for this recipe but feel free to use your favorite variety of fresh kale. Curly green kale and lacinato (or Tuscan) kale are both great alternatives.
- Vinegar - Instead of apple cider vinegar, use balsamic vinegar, rice vinegar, or sherry vinegar. You can also use lemon juice.
- Dijon mustard - If you don't want to use regular Dijon mustard, coarse-ground, spicy brown, and whole-grain mustard are delicious too.
- Maple syrup - Substitute honey or agave for the maple syrup if you'd like.
- Dried cranberries - Feel free to use dried cherries or fresh pomegranate seeds instead.
Variations
Looking to change things up? Check out these variations:
- Spicy - To add a little kick of heat, add crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the dressing.
- Deluxe - Add bacon, sliced red onion, sliced apples or pears, and your favorite cheese. Blue cheese, goat cheese, Parmesan cheese, and feta are all wonderful options.
- Main Course Salad - This salad is an easy recipe to make into a main dish. Add roasted sweet potatoes or squash as well as your favorite protein like rotisserie chicken, turkey, or pork.
Equipment
Here's the equipment you'll need for this tasty fresh healthy side:
- chef's knife
- measuring spoons
- dry measuring cups
- large bowl
- small bowl
- whisk
Storage
Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
This salad does not freeze well.
Tasty Tip
This is a salad you can make ahead of time. Make it a day before you plan on serving it--the flavor only gets better!
Frequently asked questions
They look like it, don't they? But no, Brussels sprouts are not mini cabbages. They are in the cruciferous family though like cabbages.
I like to. It increases the surface area and allows for more opportunities of crusty browned bits.
If you're using them raw like I do here for this recipe, thinly slice them with a sharp knife. You can cut the Brussels sprouts in half so you have a flat surface for easier slicing, or you can use the slicer setting on a box grater or food processor.
Fill a large bowl with cold water and plunge the Brussels sprouts in it. Allow them to soak and dunk a couple of times to clean the leaves.
Fresh, uncooked Brussels sprouts will last about 1 week in the refrigerator.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this kale Brussels sprouts salad:
🍽Get the recipe
Brussels Sprouts Salad with Maple Vinaigrette
Equipment
- chef's knife
- measuring spoons
- dry measuring cups
- large bowl
- small bowl
- whisk
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts
- 1 bunch red curly kale
- 5 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 ½ tablespoon real maple syrup
- 1 ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 cup candied pecans, coarsely chopped
- ½ cup sweetened dried cranberries
Instructions
- Remove and discard any brown outer leaves from the Brussels sprouts. Trim the ends. Thinly slice the Brussels sprouts and place in a large bowl. Remove the tough inner stem from the kale. Roll up the kale leaves and thinly slice the kale. Add to the bowl with the shaved Brussels sprouts.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the oil to the bowl. Sprinkle the Brussels sprouts and kale with salt and pepper. Massage the leaves of the kale and Brussels sprouts with the oil until thoroughly coated. Set aside.
- Make the vinaigrette: Whisk together the remaining olive oil, the maple syrup, vinegar, and mustard in a small bowl.
- Add the pecans and cranberries to the salad. Pour the vinaigrette over the top and toss to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
RECIPE GUIDELINES AND TEST KITCHEN TIPS
When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:
- Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
- When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
- I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
- When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
Food safety
Finally, don't forget to keep these food safety tips in mind when making this recipe.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
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