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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This recipe was easy to make and so delicious. I made it yesterday for my Dad’s birthday dinner and everyone really enjoyed it. I did make sure to dress it a few hours ahead of time and let it sit in the fridge before taking it out and serving it at room temp. Making the salad a few hours ahead really let all the flavors meld together.
Absolutely AMAZING, incredibly HEALTHY salad.
Easy to make ahead – will not wilt – it just softens the kale and raw brussels sprouts. Delicious!!! Thank you Jenn!
This salad is so delicious! We made this dish a staple in our diet. Thank you Once Upon A Chef!
Even this brussels sprouts hater loved this salad! So yummy!
You had me at Kale. One of my favorite Salads. I have made this a few times and love it more each time, leftovers, yes please.. I was out of nuts and used dried cranberries, yummy. I am a fan.
Loved the salad! It makes a nice big batch and I was worried about how well it would keep. I thought it was even better the next day–didn’t get soggy and the flavors were great. I’m glad I came across your blog I’ll definitely check out some other recipes 🙂
This salad is WONDERFUL! My SO usually makes super-mature gagging noises when we’re having salad for dinner, but I had to shoo him out of the kitchen to stop him from eating this salad out of the bowl while it was sitting. I served it with grilled chicken on top and he said “If all salad tasted like that, I’d eat it a lot more often”. Great recipe!
Hi there! This salad looks so delicious my mouth is watering — BUT, I’m a bit turned off by the fat content of the dressing. (It’s healthy fats, I know. It’s just my thing.) I’m hoping to make it with 1/4 cup of olive oil, half the amount in your recipe. Can you recommend any additions that might make up for the lost oil?
Hmmm, you could try subbing some of the oil with a little chicken or veggie broth and/or juice such as apple cider or orange juice. Let me know how it turns out!
As a frequent (cooked) kale and Brussels sprout eater, I thought this would be just a “variation” of these veggies. Wrong, wrong, wrong!! This is quite possibly the most flavorful and nutritious salad I ever had – added bonus – the family agrees! Thank you.
An amazingly delicious salad!
I had the same result you did, Jenn… My family turned their noses up when I told them what was in it… served it suggesting they try one bite and they couldn’t get enough..
I will make this a lot as it makes a large quantity, is easy and a change from usual fare. Thank you!