KALE & BRUSSELS SPROUT SALAD

Our daughter Madison made this salad for Thanksgiving in 2011 after discovering it in Bon Appetit magazine. We all fell in love with it and decided to keep it as a regular part of our repertoire to enjoy all year long.

The ready availability of bagged chopped kale and shredded Brussels sprouts makes this a quick and easy side with sturdy ingredients that allow this to be made a day ahead. It is perfect for dinner parties, picnics, a mid-week meal, or a grab and go lunch. Add your favorite protein to make it a complete meal.

Kale & Brussels Sprout Salad

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Mediterranean

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Salad

• 1 Large Bunch of Kale, washed & trimmed or 1 Bag, 10 ounces
• 5 Ounces Brussels Sprouts, trimmed & thinly sliced or 1/2 Bag of shaved Brussels Sprouts
• 1/4 Cup Almonds, roasted & roughly chopped
• 1/2 Cup Pecorino Cheese, finely grated

Vinaigrette

• 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice, freshly squeezed
• 2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
• 2 Teaspoons Minced Shallots
• 1/2 Clove of Garlic, finely grated
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
• Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste

Instructions

 

Vinaigrette

• In a medium-sized bowl, combine the Lemon Juice, Dijon Mustard, Shallot, Garlic, Salt, & a Grind of Pepper. Stir to combine and set aside for about 5 minutes or more. (The shallots will mellow, and somewhat pickle in the lemon juice during this time.)
• After 5 minutes, use a whisk while streaming the Olive Oil into the base Lemon Juice mixture.

Salad

• Kale: trim the leaves off the stems, wash & spin in a salad spinner, or wrap in a kitchen towel to dry. After dried, chop or slice the kale into bite-sized pieces. Discard the stems.
• Brussels Sprouts: trim off the ends then slice in half lengthwise. Lay each length on the cutting board and slice as thinly as possible. (Alternatively, you can use a food processor with the slicing attachment, or just use the bagged shaved Brussels Sprouts.)
• Combine the chopped Kale and Shaved Brussels Sprouts in a large bowl. *(This is a voluminous salad that appears much larger than it actually is.)
• Gradually pour over 1/3 – 1/2 of the Vinaigrette and taste. *(the “wetness” of a salad is a personal preference.). Gradually add more Vinaigrette as needed to coat to your liking.
• Sprinkle on the Chopped Almonds and grated Pecorino Cheese. *Again, this is a personal preference. If you like more almonds, or more cheese, by all means, add more!

Notes

1. We’ve found that the Kale and Brussels Sprouts are sturdy enough that this salad can be made one day ahead. If doing so, just wait until serving to add the Almonds and Pecorino Cheese, so that the almonds stay crunchy and the cheese is light and fresh on top. 

2. You can use our recipe for Classic French Vinaigrette CLASSIC FRENCH VINAIGRETTE & VARIETIES as an alternative to this vinaigrette, or use it as a base. If using as a base, all that needs to be added are the Shallots, Garlic, and an extra Tablespoon of Dijon. *If you like the sharpness of the shallot just add it right in. If you want to soften them, just squeeze a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar over them and let them rest for 5 minutes. Drain & add them in. (White wine, white balsamic, champagne, or apple cider vinegar would work.) 

3. A Microplane is a great tool for grating the garlic as well as the Pecorino cheese.  

4. To make this a complete meal add your favorite protein.  

Keyword Brussels Sprout, easy side dishes, easy Thanksgiving side dishes, Kale, Salad

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!