Kale & Brussels Sprout Salad with Walnuts, Parmesan & Lemon-Mustard Dressing
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Be prepared to love this salad of crisp greens, walnuts and lemony Dijon dressing. It tastes like a healthful, crunchy Caesar.
Made with crisp power greens, toasted walnuts, chunks of Parmesan and a lemony Dijon dressing—this kale Brussels sprouts salad tastes like a healthful, crunchy Caesar. Trust me, you’ll love it—even if you’re not a “greens” person. My husband, who usually avoids Brussels sprouts, devoured it without even realizing they were in there (until my 10-year-old daughter spilled the beans, giggling with every bite he took). It’s perfect for weekday lunches or as a side to cedar planked salmon, grilled flank steak, or grilled chicken. Bonus: it keeps well and can be made ahead of time!
What You’ll Need To Make Kale & Brussels Sprouts Salad
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by toasting the walnuts in a 350°F oven for 5-8 minutes, or until fragrant.
Meanwhile, slice the Brussels sprouts. You can do this by hand or using the slicing blade of the food processor.
Remove the kale leaves from the tough center ribs.
Then thinly slice.
Make the dressing by whisking together the mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, shallots, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Pour the dressing over the greens and toss.
Add the toasted walnuts and Parmgiano-Reggiano.
Toss to combine, then let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to several hours to allow the flavors to meld and the vegetables to soften. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with more walnuts and cheese.
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Kale & Brussels Sprout Salad with Walnuts, Parmesan & Lemon-Mustard Dressing
Be prepared to love this salad of crisp greens, walnuts and lemony Dijon dressing. It tastes like a healthful, crunchy Caesar.
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped, plus more for serving
- 12 oz Brussels sprouts, trimmed and shredded (about 5 gently packed cups after shredding)
- 1 large bunch (about 12 oz) Tuscan or curly kale, thick center ribs removed, thinly sliced (about 5 gently packed cups after slicing)
- 1 cup coarsely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
For the Dressing
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, from about 2 lemons
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots, from one large shallot
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easy clean-up. Bake the walnuts for 5 to 8 minutes, until toasted and fragrant. Keep a close eye on them; they burn quickly.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, oil, mustard, shallot, garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Assemble the salad: Combine the Brussels sprouts and kale in a large bowl, and pour the dressing over top. Toss to combine. Add the most of the walnuts and cheese and toss again. Let the salad sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes (or up to a few hours in the fridge) to allow the flavors to meld and the vegetables to soften. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle more walnuts and cheese over top, if you like. Serve at room temperature.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories: 256
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated fat: 4g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Sugar: 3g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 10g
- Sodium: 432mg
- Cholesterol: 10mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Healthy, delicious and so fresh! Another winner!
We make this semi-regularly and everyone loves it. My 8 year old son tonight: “it’s obviously the best salad in the world.”
LOL — that’s so cute – glad the whole family likes it!
This salad is so fantastic. We eat it all the time. I tried it tonight with a pink lady apple chopped up and mixed inside and it added a great flavour to the already delicious salad. You can’t go wrong!
There are some salads I like better the next day and for me, this is one of them. If you can make it the day before it really does wonders. Such a wonderful recipe! Thank you!!
This salad lacked flavor. Followed to a T but was just eh. I made it again because I had tons of kale and Brussels sprouts leftover, but added bacon and pecans. It turned it up a notch but still not great.
Very healthy salad, but very tasty and good. My wife is not a big fan of brussel sprouts and kale, but she would eat this. It’s refreshing and can serve as a meal. I typically use pine nuts instead as I like its nutty/buttery taste of pine nuts. This salad is a great base salad, meaning you can do some adjustments by adding rotisserie chicken, salmon, shrimp, or any protein. Good stuff!
Love this salad! I initially made it as a side for Thanksgiving (something healthy on the table!) and added some pomegranate seeds for color. I have since made it as written several times – healthy, filling and delicious! As the greens are so hearty, it keeps for days and tastes better the longer it sits.
A Go-To salad so popular, my boyfriend’s mother requests it regularly. I make this for an easy weeknight meal with Grilled/Baked Chicken or Shrimp. Instead of baking the walnuts in the oven (when I forget to preheat), I add them on the stove in a heavy pan until fragrant (as directed) or a little toasty (when distracted).
This is one of my favourite salads. I’ve made it for friends who proudly proclaim hating kale and they later ask me for the recipe!
The salad keeps very well and I have enjoyed it two or three days after making it, despite it being dressed.
The walnuts offer a great flavour to the greens. I’ve also tried it with toasted pumpkin seeds and it’s also wonderful. So, you don’t need to shy away if you are allergic to walnuts!
Crunchy, tasty and different to present or bring at pot luck! We do it often now at home on Sundays with chicken or fish.