This Kale Brussels Salad is my take on a favorite I used to grab from Whole Foods—fresh, crunchy, and perfect for make-ahead lunches. It’s packed with fiber, flavor, and a bright, zesty dressing that brings everything together for a nourishing and satisfying salad.
I went to a new restaurant this past weekend, Eataly. The appetizer I had was phenomenal! It was a raw zucchini dish topped with stracciatella and pesto. Admittedly, zucchini is not one of my favorite vegetables, but I have to say it was out-of-this-world delicious! It’s also why I love eating out. Eating out inspires me to create dishes at home. I ran home and immediately tried to recreate the dish! Enter this Kale Brussels salad, a spin on a salad I’ve often bought from Whole Foods.
Summer heat and humidity can leave you feeling drained, making it the perfect time to lean into meals that hydrate and nourish, such as a well-prepared salad. But we’re not talking about boring lettuce and dressing. These summer salads are packed with water-rich vegetables, fresh herbs, juicy fruits, hearty proteins, healthy fats, and a generous amount of fiber. They help you stay cool, satisfied, and energized, all while delivering the nutrients your body craves in the heat. Refreshing, flavorful, and anything but boring—these salads are made to thrive in summer right along with you.
Ingredients: Kale Brussels Salad
- Kale: Lacinato Kale, also known as Dinosaur Kale, is the best choice for this salad. Curly kale can work, too, but here in the local grocery stores, the curly kale is already cut up and includes a lot of stems. We’re aiming to have as many leaves as possible.
- Brussels: Shred the Brussels yourself or buy them already shaved from the store.
- Shredded Carrots: The carrots are used as a pop of color in the salad, so we’re not adding much.
- Golden Raisins: Whole Foods salad uses golden raisins. You can also use pomegranate seeds in the fall or blueberries in the summer.
- Celery: The celery adds just a little bit of crunch to the salad.
- Shredded Parmesan: Parmesan adds a salty, umami flavor to the salad. The amount that’s used gives a little bit in every bite!
- Sliced Almonds: Use sliced almonds. I’m opting for a plain nut with no added sugar here. Pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds can be used as an alternative if you need to accommodate a nut allergy.
- Lemon Vinaigrette: Although not the exact dressing, my Lemon Vinaigrette comes incredibly close to the original Whole Foods dressing.
How To Make Kale Brussels Salad
- Prepare the kale: Wash and rinse the kale leaves under cold running water, and then dry them thoroughly in a salad spinner. Use a sharp knife to remove the stems and slice the kale leaves thinly. Place them in a large bowl.
- Shave the Brussels sprouts. Rinse the Brussels sprouts under cold running water using a colander, then dry them and remove their outermost leaves. Place them in a food processor fitted with the slicing blade. Switch on the machine and feed the Brussels sprouts into the tube. Once shaved, transfer the Brussels sprouts from the food processor into the salad bowl with the kale.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the Lemon Vinaigrette ingredients: olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, and pepper. Shake or whisk until well combined.
- Toss the salad. In a large mixing bowl, combine the kale, shredded Brussels sprouts, shredded Parmesan, sliced almonds, and golden raisins.
- Massage: Pour the dressing evenly over the salad. Toss well to coat, using tongs to help massage the dressing into the kale and Brussels sprouts.
- Let it rest: for best flavor and texture, let the salad sit for 10–15 minutes before serving. This allows the dressing to soak in and the greens to soften further.
- Serve and enjoy! Serve chilled or at room temperature. This salad also holds up well for meal prep and can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. The only ingredient that will not be the sliced almonds. If you plan to eat this over a few days, add only a small amount to your salad. If you’re preparing this for a gathering, add the sliced almonds just before serving so they don’t become too soft.
Of course! Brussels sprouts and kale are hearty vegetables that can be prepared ahead. Add the remaining ingredients just before serving for the best texture and color. If you wish to keep it longer, make the salad and dressing, but do not dress the salad. Store the dressing and greens separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, let the dressing come to room temperature and then shake well. Dress salad according to the recipe.
I opted to skip this step, but you definitely can toast the sliced almonds. Toasting brings out the natural oils in the nuts, intensifying their nutty flavor and aroma.
Other Not Boring Salads
- Seasonal Vegetable Salad (Copycat North Italia)
- Fig, Arugula, and Burrata Salad
- Copycat Emerald Kale Salad
- Fried Goat Cheese and Strawberry Salad
Kale Brussels Salad
This Kale Brussels Salad is my take on a favorite I used to grab from Whole Foods—fresh, crunchy, and perfect for make-ahead lunches. It’s packed with fiber, flavor, and a bright, zesty dressing that brings everything together for a nourishing and satisfying salad.
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
- 1 bunch Tuscan Kale, ~1 pound
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts, finely shredded
- 1/4 cup shredded carrots
- 1/4 celery, diced
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- Lemon Vinaigrette – the full recipe
Instructions
- Prepare the kale: Wash and rinse the kale leaves under cold running water, and then dry them thoroughly in a salad spinner. Use a sharp knife to remove the stems and slice the kale leaves thinly. Place them in a large bowl.
- Shave the Brussels sprouts. Rinse the Brussels sprouts under cold running water using a colander, then dry them and remove their outermost leaves. Place them in a food processor fitted with the slicing blade. Switch on the machine and feed the Brussels sprouts into the tube. Once shaved, transfer the Brussels sprouts from the food processor into the salad bowl with the kale.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the Lemon Vinaigrette ingredients: olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, and pepper. Shake or whisk until well combined.
- Toss the salad. In a large mixing bowl, combine the kale, shredded Brussels sprouts, shredded Parmesan, sliced almonds, and golden raisins.
- Massage: Pour the dressing evenly over the salad. Toss well to coat, using tongs to help massage the dressing into the kale and Brussels sprouts.
- Let it rest: for best flavor and texture, let the salad sit for 10–15 minutes before serving. This allows the dressing to soak in and the greens to soften further.
- Serve and enjoy! Serve chilled or at room temperature. This salad also holds up well for meal prep and can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 10
- Category: Salads
1 thought on “Kale Brussels Salad”
That looks like anything but a ‘boring salad’ – can’t wait to give it a try!!