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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I made this for tomorrow’s lunch.
It’s been sitting in the fridge for already 3-4 hours.
Just tasted it and it’s amazing!!
I never had brussels sprouts before but they taste heavenly!
Btw
I had only salad kale, not the curly one.
And it’s still really good!!!
Thank you!
I have made this salad many times over. So good!
This was an easy, make-ahead salad. This year, I wanted to do something different with brussels sprouts for our Thanksgiving dinner (other than roasting them – which is great, but I still wanted something different). So, I decided to give this a try – awesome! I made it about 3 hours before and it was perfect. Instead of juicing 2 lemons, I only juiced one and a half, since I have learned to add acidity little by little and by one’s preference of taste (like salt). My hubby said the salad was actually even better the next day. What do you know, everyone ate the salad. Everyone. Even those relatives that claim they don’t eat brussels sprouts. ‘Til this day, they don’t know. 🙂
Surprisingly refreshing and delish! Was a little nervous bc the greens are raw and I’m used to eating them cooked, but it was great. So healthy and flavorful- even my kids ate it.
I have made this salad several times. It is a great light meal on its own or really good when paired with a piece of grilled salmon and glass of white wine. The dressing is fantastic – love the Dijon mustard! I have learned to slice the brussels sprouts on my mandoline – it makes for a super fine slice and very pretty salad.
I had difficulty deciding between this salad or the cucumber salad to bring to Thanksgiving dinner as they both are so good. The dressing is so refreshing. The difference with the salad ingredients leaves you with wondeful textures and tastes. Former brussel sport haters enjoyed this salad. There was alittle bowl left over that was every bit as good the next morning
Have made this recipe for many holidays now and on the weekends to have for the next couple of days; make a double batch! Wonderfully healthy and delicious. My 14 year old daughter just asked if we could make it because she loves it!
I loved it but my husband thought it was a little too acidic so I added a touch of honey to offset the lemon and it was fantastic
I made this last night and I roasted the kale which gives it a better flavor and kick. I highly recommend to roast your kale! I also did not use the mustard dressing and instead used a little evoo and fresh lemon juice. Delicious!
did you toss in olive oil or roast plain? length of time? temp? tossed in olive oil of plain.
This was a huge hit….next time I will make double or triple the recipe!! Some tennis players whose match was extra long didn’t get to try this…I made it the day before…I think I will include this in my Thanksgiving menu..