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 was very good, I did feel like it needed a touch of sweetness so I added some dried cherries and cranberries, next time I might try green apple slices.
Awesome way to get superfoods into your diet! Taste is wonderful. Crunchiness of the toasted walnuts against all the other ingredients brings out an entirely amazing level of taste. Great for keto. I have found that the ingredients are a bit lower in net carbs than you have calculated so “YAY!” for us keto lifestylers. Leftovers are wonderful. Brighten them with a squeeze of lemon juice.
Delicious! Followed the recipe exactly. Loved that I could prepare it well in advance and it was even better the next day.
Yum yum yum! Made this last night, along with a light romaine salad, as sides for an Italian birthday dinner. Lovely complement to the dinner, and nice that it could (must!) be made in advance. The prep sounds time consuming, but is actually quite easy. I added one cut up Roma tomato for color. THANK YOU!
I’ve made this wonderful salad several times, springing it on unsuspecting guests. Each time, I get a genuine “YUM!” and a request for the recipe. This time, I had a lonely pomegranate to use before it went bad. So I put a healthy dose of arils on top as a garnish. What an amazing addition! Thanks for all your fabulous recipes. You’re my go-to when it comes to amazing meals.
Love love love this salad! Always looking for vegetarian meals that hit the mark and this one is a huge winner. My only modifications are I add dried cranberries and I often have Manchego cheese on hand and use it instead of Parmesan, which works wonderfully with the flavors. I just hit this recipe up again as I’m preparing for Thanksgiving. Love offering healthy alternatives. Your recipes are fantastic.
I always love your recipes and was excited to try this. I substituted pine nuts for the walnuts and added cranberries and it was absolutely amazing! Really – my boyfriend and I can’t wait to have it again. Thanks, Jen, for this simple but wonderful creation!!
This salad is delicious! I had to try it because it looked so good – and I’m not a fan of brussel sprouts or kale.
Jenn- this salad is a no brainer on my Thanksgiving table Every year as it’s healthy and the bright lemon flavor cuts through the other creamy, fatty side dishes. I have someone with a nut allergy coming this year- is there something else I could sub for the walnuts for crunch? Maybe sunflower seeds? Suggestions welcome- thanks!
Sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds would both work well (and glad you like the salad)!
Fantastic salad-everyone loved it. I substituted candied walnuts which Balanced the tartness a bit. Love your recipes- thank you!