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
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/340 g) 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
- Toast the nuts: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) 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
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 is the Holy Cow of salads! Not a guest at Christmas dinner last night was less than pleased to have seconds and asked for your recipe! Good thing I had extra kale and Brussels, my husband and I will enjoy this for our light after Christmas dinner. The flavors are amazing, I might cut back on the oil a little and used a finely grated cheese which made it stick to the chopped salad. A winner in our family!
Outstanding recipe! Very easy to make.
I really want to try this! Would it be okay to prepare the night before serving?
Definitely – hope you enjoy!
I made this for a large family dinner as a “healthy” side and loved it!! ..which is crazy because I do not like brussels sprouts and I do not like kale, but I love this salad. My family did too. Since then I have brought it to numerous events and every time, without fail, someone asks for the recipe. I use the prewashed packaged shaved /sliced sprouts to save time. They work great!
Great recipe! I enjoy a lectin free diet. This was wonderful. Fresh and satisfying. Finding new ways to enjoy more greens in my life—YUM! A new favorite recipe.
Thanks Jenn 🙂
Can you substitute mustard greens for kale in this recipe?
I’ve never made this with mustard greens, but I think it would work. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
I have made this salad 4-5 times, and my husband says it’s his favorite salad. We both love it and are so glad to have leftovers that we enjoy just as much as the first day. It’s perfect as is…and I’m glad to read comments that a food processor slicing blade is suitable. That’s what I will use the next time, even though I’ve been proud of my improved slicing skills after making this several times.
This healthy salad rocks! I made it for the first time this Thanksgiving. I have many cookbooks, but made three of Jenn’s recipes to bring to the gathering. Everyone raved about each dish, but this salad had the most comments. It wasn’t dry (some kale is tougher than others?) and the Reggiano and roasted walnuts made it special. I love that it keeps for a few days….makes a great lunch!
This salad is so fresh and tasty. It’s my go to salad for all our summer parties. Doesn’t get soggy or limp before serving. Even my picky eaters loved it!
I made this salad for a side dish contribution on Thanksgiving. It was so well received, with several family members asking me for the recipe! When I looked at the ingredients in picture form, I smiled and thought… “that’s just what I buy!” I knew I had a winner from the start. I did experiment with pushing about 1/2 of the brussels sprouts (still whole) through my food processor’s very thing slicing blade, and then changing the blade to a grater for the other half. This gave it a nice variety of sizes and textures, making it interesting to look at and chew. I loved the dressing too, making more of it – just to add if needed – and saving the rest for tossing into other salads at a later date. Yummy all the way around!