This Kale Brussels Sprout salad was recommended by a friend who absolutely loves it. I use walnuts in this recipe but you could also use almonds. Walnuts are wonderful for brain health and offer wonderful health supportive vitamins and minerals.
You can use any nuts or seeds you wish! Nuts and seeds are such powerhouses and each have a different structure providing different nutrients, so feel free to mix it up!
For the walnuts, heat up your skillet to medium low heat. Add the walnuts, or other nut of your choice, and toast in a dry pan for about 2 minutes. Toasted walnuts adds another depth to the flavor to this salad.
If you want, you can heat this the salad, too, if you like your kale cooked. Some people are sensitive to the oxalic acid in leafy greens like kale, Swiss chard or spinach and cooking them reduces this. Read more about the benefits of greens in my article series: Get Your Leafy Greens On Part 1 and Part 2.
You can also massage the brussel sprouts and kale in a little bit of sea salt and lemon juice, which breaks down its fibers and makes it easier to digest.
If you do decide to heat your greens, add a little veggie broth or water to a skillet and saute your kale brussel sprout salad mix for a few minutes, until soft.
The dressing in this is so simple and flavorful. Mustard and lemon juice are my go-to for low-fat flavor. Fresh garlic is an awesome way to boost the flavor along with your system with its antiviral properties.
Here’s a few meals to serve along side this salad:
- Vegan Oil-Free Basil Pesto with Pasta
- Vegan BBQ Meatloaf
- Thai Curried Potatoes with Chard
- Stuffed Peppers
- Pasta Primavera
There are only 130 calories in brussel sprout salad, which is why I love serving this salad alongside a veggie burger or soup for a well-rounded plant-based meal. It would also add a nice crunch as a topping to a veggie sandwich.
You can also just top this vegan brussel sprout salad with some fresh avocado, baked chickpeas, grilled tofu, tempeh, or your favorite plant-based protein, and maybe some unsweetened dried raisins or cranberries for a tiny bit of sweetness.
Bring this simple and quick dish to a potluck, or enjoy as a delicious light meal! With so much crunch and flavor, this dish is sure to please! If you are wanting to start making more salad dressings without oil, check out my oil-free salad dressing.
Inspired by a recipe from Bon Appetite.
I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below for this Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad recipe! If you have a photo, post it on my Facebook page, tag me using the hashtag #plantbasedcooking
Originally posted March 25, 2012
This recipe is Certified Plantricious because it meets the following guidelines.
The Trusted Seal for
Plant-Based Nutrition
- Must be whole food plant-based, contains no animal products
- May be minimally processed
- No added oil
- No added sugars
- No artificial additives or preservatives
- Sodium (mg) to Calories ratio, 1 ≤ 1
- Total Fiber to Calories, 2g ≥ 100 calories
Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad
Ingredients
- 2 bunches Tuscan kale center stem discarded, thinly sliced
- 12 ounces brussels sprouts trimmed, finely grated or shredded with a knife
- 1/3 cup walnuts coarsely chopped
Dressing
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tbl yellow mustard or dijon
- 1 Tbl minced shallot
- 1 small garlic clove finely grated
- 1/3 tsp sea salt optional
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Combine dressing ingredients: lemon juice, mustard, shallot, garlic, 1/3 tsp. salt, and a pinch of pepper in a small bowl. Stir to blend; set aside to let flavors meld.
- Mix thinly sliced kale and shredded Brussels sprouts in a large bowl.
- In a small skillet over medium-low heat, add walnuts and stir frequently until golden brown in spots, about 2 minutes.
- Add dressing to kale mixture; toss to coat. Garnish with walnuts.
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