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Brussels Sprouts Kale Salad

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This shredded Brussels sprouts salad with kale and apples is quick and easy to make!

It's full of crunchy bits (apple and toasted nuts) and savory bits (olive oil massage kale and shredded parmesan).

It's a wonderful green salad that makes an excellent side dish!

A closeup shot of a brussels sprouts kale salad in a white serving bowl.
Brussels sprouts, kale, apples, parmesan, hazelnuts, walnuts, a sliced lemon, salt, pepper, and olive oil on a marble background.

What You'll Need to Make a Brussels Sprout Salad

To make this recipe, you'll need a full head of kale, a handful of Brussels sprouts, some good parmesan cheese, olive oil, walnuts, apples (we suggest Honeycrisp, but any crunchy apple will do!), and salt and pepper.

A large metal mixing bowl with shredded Brussels sprouts and sliced kale.
Sliced apples on a black cutting board.

How to Make a Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad

  • Shred, Slice, & Chop. Prep all the ingredients for the recipe (kale, Brussels sprouts, apples, walnuts, and parmesan).
  • Massage the leaves. Combine the kale and Brussels sprouts in a large salad bowl and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Massage until the leaves become soft.
  • Brown the nuts. Toast the walnuts in a small frying pan over medium-high heat for 3 minutes or until crispy and browned.
  • Combine all the ingredients. Add the apples, walnuts, and cheese to the salad.
  • Make the vinaigrette & dress the salad. Combine the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and salt and pepper. Whisk briskly to combine. Drizzle dressing across the salad and toss to combine.

Best Holiday Dinner Recipes

This Brussels sprouts salad is one of our favorite dishes to serve at Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. Here are some of the other classics that we love to make for the holidays:

And, of course, if you have any leftover turkey, I'd recommend any of these easy recipes for leftover turkey

An overhead shot of a white serving bowl with shredded brussels sprouts kale salad, topped with apples.

Tips for this Brussels Sprouts Salad

  • Recommended Ingredients - I recommend using Honeycrisp apples for this recipe. They are crisp and have a nice balanced sweet and acidic flavor. However, any crisp apple will work for this recipe!
  • Recommended Tools - You can use a mandoline to make all this chopping in this recipe faster. Here's the mandoline I use. I also have these cut protection gloves to protect my hands when using the mandoline.
  • Tips for Early Prep - If you are taking this salad to a holiday dinner, you can massage the leaves up to two hours before the event, but don’t add the apples till the last minute (they’ll brown - even if they still taste good).
  • Dietary Changes - If you want to make this recipe vegan just leave out the parmesan.
Yield: 6 side salad servings

Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad

A shredded Brussels sprouts kale salad with apples and parmesan.

This salad is a deliciously savory, crispy dish that's a perfect side for a fall or winter meal.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Total Time 23 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch Lacinato kale, thinly sliced
  • 3 cups (6 ounces) shredded Brussels sprouts
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 Honeycrisp apples, thinly sliced (⅛" on mandoline)
  • ⅔ cup hazelnuts
  • ½ cup walnuts
  • ½ cup (4 ounces) shaved parmesan
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Combine the kale and Brussels sprouts in a large mixing bowl and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Massage the olive oil into the leaves for at least 30 seconds.
  2. Toast the walnuts and hazelnuts in a small frying pan over medium-high heat for 3 minutes or until crispy and browned. Roughly chop them.
  3. Add the apples, walnuts, hazelnuts, and parmesan cheese to the salad, reserving a small amount of each of the ingredients to top the salad before serving.
  4. Combine the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and salt and pepper. Whisk briskly to combine.
  5. Drizzle dressing across the salad and toss to combine.
  6. Plate the salad in a large serving bowl or salad bowl. Top with your reserved ingredients.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 256Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 371mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 4gSugar: 8gProtein: 5g

Brussels Sprout & Kale Salad FAQ

Can this salad be made ahead?

This salad can be prepped and made in advance. Massage the kale and Brussels sprouts, but don't add the apples and vinaigrette until you are ready to serve.

What else can be added to this salad?

If you want to add additional items to this salad, it would be great with dried apricots, dried cranberries, or breadcrumbs.

Can this salad be made vegan?

If you'd like to make this salad vegan, leave out the Parmesan cheese. You can swap it out with additional apples or dried fruit.

Debi Cole

Saturday 20th of November 2021

Make for Thanksgiving at Rachel's house

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