Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad
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This kale and Brussels sprout salad is filled with shredded kale and sprouts, cranberries, marinated onions, almonds and pecorino cheese. It’s simple, fresh, and sure to be a family favorite!
If you’re in need of an extra side dish or some green veggies to add to your list of Thanksgiving recipes or Christmas recipes, I’ve got you covered! This shredded kale and Brussels sprout salad is SO good. It might be my new favorite salad!
I know most people could care less about salad when there’s turkey, gravy, potatoes and stuffing to be had, but this isn’t your average salad recipe. It’s jazzed up with dried cranberries, marinated onions, toasted almonds and a good amount of pecorino cheese. Trust me, you’ll want to make room on your plate for it. And if you’re like me, you’ll probably go back for seconds because it’s that good!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Salad
- Crunch and texture – Shredded kale and Brussels sprouts give a hearty base, while toasted almonds add the perfect crunch. Plus, the dried cranberries bring a chewy sweetness that balances everything out.
- Make-ahead friendly – This salad actually gets better as it sits! You can make it a day ahead, and it won’t get soggy—perfect for meal prep or holiday gatherings.
- Nutrient powerhouse – Packed with fiber, healthy fats, and vitamins, this salad doesn’t just taste good; it’s also super nourishing.
Ingredients Needed
- kale – the base of this salad! I prefer Lacinato kale (also known as Dinosaur kale, Black kale or Tuscan Kale) for this salad, but you can use curly kale if that’s all you can find.
- brussels sprouts – adds a hearty crunch. I shred them nice and thin to mix well with the kale and soak up all the dressing goodness.
- almonds – brings that perfect crunch and a dose of healthy fats.
- parmesan or pecorino romano – I love adding cheese to my salads! Freshly grated makes all the difference for flavor; parmesan brings a mild, nutty taste, while pecorino romano has a sharper, saltier bite. Either one adds a delicious touch, so go with the one that sounds best to you.
- dried cranberries – I love the tartness the dried cranberries add to this salad, but other dried fruits like dried cherries, dates or figs will work too.
- garlic – fresh and minced to add flavor to the dressing.
- olive oil – brings richness to the dressing and helps all those flavors meld together.
- balsamic vinegar – a tangy, slightly sweet addition to the dressing that helps tie everything together. Apple cider vinegar works too, it will just add more tang.
- fresh lemon juice – brightens up the greens and adds a bit of zest. I love using freshly squeezed lemon for that extra freshness!
- yellow onion – thinly sliced to soak up the dressing and add flavor. You can skip it if raw onion isn’t your thing, but it mellows out as it marinates.
- red pepper flakes – just a hint for a little heat.
- nutmeg – it may sound a bit unusual in a salad, but a small pinch really complements the other flavors.
Substitutions
- Cheese – For a dairy-free option, try my vegan parmesan cheese, made with hemp seeds! Or, add nutritional yeast for that cheesy flavor. You could also just skip the cheese all together and this salad is still amazing.
- Almonds – I love the nuttiness and crunch that the toasted almonds add to this salad, but I bet toasted pecans or walnuts would also be delicious. If you need this salad to be nut-free, feel free to skip the nuts or swap them with sunflower seeds or pepitas.
- Dried cranberries – If you don’t have cranberries, try raisins, dried cherries, or chopped dried apricots for a sweet touch.
How to Make a Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad
Toast your almonds – Start by toasting your almonds on a baking sheet. Bake at 350ºF for 5 minutes and then stir. Bake for 3-4 minutes longer or until the almonds are golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Mix dressing ingredients – While the almonds are toasting, toss together the ingredients for the dressing by muddling together the minced garlic with sea salt and black pepper using a mortar and pestle. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle use the back of a spoon in a bowl! Place the muddled garlic and spices into a mason jar with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and thinly sliced onion. Shake to combine and set aside to marinate.
Shred Brussels sprouts and kale – In a food processor fitted with a slicing blade, shred the Brussels sprouts first and then the kale. If you don’t have a food processor, you can chop the kale and Brussels sprouts by hand. Just be sure to slice them very thin. Once shredded, place the Brussels sprouts and kale in a large bowl.
Mix – Pour the lemon juice over the kale and Brussels sprout mixture, sprinkle on a little sea salt and massage with clean hands. Once the kale mixture is massaged, add in the cranberries, red pepper flakes and nutmeg to the bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and give it a good stir. Add the cheese and stir again. Top with toasted almonds and enjoy right away or let sit a bit to marinate before serving.
Brittany’s Tips
- Massage the kale – Don’t skip this step! Massaging the kale with lemon juice and a pinch of salt softens it up and makes it way more enjoyable to eat.
- Shred the Brussels sprouts thinly – Go as thin as possible with those Brussels sprouts. A food processor makes it easy, but slicing by hand works too, just watch your fingers! I find the thinner, the better for soaking up that delicious dressing.
- Toast the almonds – Toasted almonds are a game changer. They add a deep, nutty flavor that raw almonds just can’t match. Keep a close eye, though—they love to go from golden to burnt in seconds (been there, done that).
- Make it ahead – This salad only gets better with time, so making it a day in advance is a win-win. Perfect for meal prep or if you’re the “plan-ahead” type. I know I love having lunch ready to go!
What to Pair With This Salad
This salad is the perfect side dish for a holiday dinner with ham, or turkey. It would also be a great vegetarian side for a weeknight meal! Or you could double the recipe and bring it to a cookout or potluck. Here are some pairing ideas:
- Holiday dinners – This salad makes a bright, fresh side for holiday mains like ham, air fryer turkey breast, or my lentil loaf. It’s a great balance to heartier dishes.
- Weeknight side – Perfect as a quick, healthy side for weeknight dinners. Try it alongside honey lemon garlic salmon, grilled chicken, or my healthy lasagna.
- Hearty additions – Bulk it up with roasted sweet potatoes, roasted butternut squash, or quinoa to make it even more filling.
- Make it a meal – For a protein boost, top with chickpeas, tempeh, tofu, or add this shredded chicken. It makes for a perfect lunch on busy days.
- With soup and bread – Pair with a cozy soup (try my cozy potato soup or chicken noodle soup) and a slice of crusty sourdough bread for a satisfying, complete meal.
Storage and Make Ahead Tips
This salad will keep for 2-3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. To make the salad in advance, you can prepare it fully and keep it in the fridge up to 24 hours. I’ve found that it keeps well, even with dressing.
That said, for ultimate freshness it’s probably best to prep the almonds, shredded kale/sprouts and the dressing and keep them in separate airtight containers. Store the kale and sprouts and the dressing in the fridge and the almonds at room temp. You can do this prep work up to 24 hours in advance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Massage the kale before adding the dressing. Just sprinkle on a little lemon juice or salt, then massage it with your hands until the leaves start to soften. This simple step makes the kale tender and less bitter—definitely worth it!
Yep, raw Brussels sprouts are totally fair game! Shredding them helps them soak up the dressing, so they soften just a bit and blend right in with the kale.
Absolutely! I like using Lacinato (dinosaur) kale for this, but curly kale works just as well. Whichever type you choose, give it a good massage to make it tender and extra tasty.
More Brussels Sprout Recipes:
- Apple Cider Vinegar Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Brussels Sprout Chopped Salad
- Date Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
- Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies
- Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts on the Stalk
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
More Kale Salads:
- Kale Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash
- Mexican Street Corn Kale Salad
- Garlicky Kale Salad
- Quinoa Salad with Kale
- Massaged Kale Salad (with Avocado)
- Easy Kale Salad
Be sure to check out all of my salad recipes and side dish recipes here on EBF.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
- 1 yellow onion, super thinly sliced
- 1 large bunch of Lacinato kale, washed and de-stemmed
- 1 lb brussels sprouts
- juice of 2 lemons
- ⅔ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- pinch of nutmeg
- ¾ cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, fresh Parmesan will work too
- ¼ cup almonds, sliced or chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Add almonds to a baking sheet and place in oven to toast. Stir almonds after 5 minutes. Allow to toast about 3-4 minutes longer or until the almonds are golden. Remove from oven and allow almonds to cool.
- Meanwhile, toss together the ingredients for the dressing by muddling together the minced garlic with sea salt and black pepper using a mortar and pestle. Place muddled garlic and spices into a mason jar with olive oil, balsamic and thinly sliced onion. Shake to combine and let marinate.
- In a food processor fitted with a slicing blade, shred the Brussels sprout. Next, shred the kale. (If you don’t have a food processor, you can chop the kale and Brussels sprout by hand. Just make sure to slice them very thin.) Place in a large bowl.
- Pour the lemon juice over the kale and Brussels sprout mixture, sprinkle on a little sea salt and massage with clean hands. Once the kale mixture is massaged, add cranberries, red pepper flakes and nutmeg to the bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and give it a good stir. Add cheese and stir again. Top with toasted almonds.
- Enjoy right away or let sit for a bit in the fridge to marinate before serving.
Video
Notes
- Storage: This salad can be made one day in advance. It keeps well, even with dressing. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Nut-free: If you need this salad to be nut-free, feel free to skip the nuts or swap them with sunflower seeds or pepitas.
- Dairy-free: Swap the cheese with something like my vegan parmesan cheese, made with hemp seeds! Or, add nutritional yeast for that cheesy flavor.
- Inspired and adapted from Bon Appétit.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
My daughter has a nut allergy. Have you ever tried it without the nuts? Does it need something crunchy? Maybe sunflower seeds could be substituted? Looks delish and want to make for Thanksgiving.
Hey Stacie, You can totally leave the almonds out! I think adding sunflower seeds would be delicious. 🙂 Let me know if you end up making this salad and what you think!
Great recipe! I made this last night and my boyfriend actually asked if there was more salad. He NEVER asks if there is more salad. This will absolutely be in the rotation.
Oh my gosh, I love that your boyfriend asked for seconds. That’s so awesome. This salad has converted quite a few kale and brussels sprout haters too! Just favor, would you be open to leaving a star rating for the recipe as well? Just leave another comment and give the recipe whatever number of stars you’d like! 🙂 Thank you so much.
How many people does this salad serve? I am making it for Thanksgiving, and there will be fifty people there (although not everyone will have the salad, and there will be space for only a little bit of salad on everyone’s plate!).
Hi there. One batch of the salad should make enough to serve 8-10, perhaps more for a potluck style meal where people are getting small portions of everything. That said, for a party of about 50 people I think I’d double or triple the recipe. Hope this helps!
Excellent! I could eat this til the cows come home! (Yes, I, too, am from the heartland). Nutritious and delicious.
This comment made my day! My mom says that phrase all the time. 🙂
I’m a newbie to eating and cooking brussel sprouts. Do you chop them raw? (I didn’t even know you could eat them raw!) When you buy them fresh, do you cut the ends off of each one because it is kind of like a hard core?
Hi Jacquie! Welcome to the world of brussels sprouts. You’re going to love them. 🙂 Yup, you can eat them raw… they’re best shredded thin and coated in a nice dressing that will make them a bit more tender to eat. And yes, I trim the bottoms off each one because they are a little tough. Hope this helps and I hope you enjoy the salad.
Hi Brittany – Just wanted to let you know that I made this salad for a family gathering over the weekend and EVERYONE was raving about it (and were battling over who got the last few scoops of it). This will be a staple from now on – delicious!
Hey Brittany! This salad is my kind of salad! I bet it was the perfect fresh side for Thanksgiving. Hope you’re well!
Thanks Kate! I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving. Also, when are we going to hang out again?!? 🙂
Even though thanksgiving has passed this is definitely a salad I will be making! Thanks for sharing the delicious and surprisingly healthy recipe.
I totally support that decision! It’s great for the holidays, but it’s totally fine for a regular day too! 🙂
Looks delicious! If I were to leave out the Pecorino to make it vegan, do you think the salad would still work? Wary of subbing vegan cheese in something like this >.<
I think it would work, it just wouldn’t be as rich. You could try adding a little nutritional yeast.
What a great thanksgiving side! I find that I almost love the sides more than the main event!