This vegan Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad is a quick and healthy side dish that pairs well with just about any main course. With its impressive presentation, it’s the perfect lighter side to add to your holiday meal!

If you’re looking for more vegan holiday sides, try my easy Vegan Green Bean Casserole!

Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad on a shallow, white oval serving dish, next to apples, pepitas, dried cranberries and serving spoons.

How beautiful is this salad? It’s a stunner and so festive, working equally well for both Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings. Whether you’re doing a full vegan feast, or want to have a lighter side dish to balance some of the richer foods in your meal, your guests will love this salad! It’s naturally gluten free and dairy free, for those that have dietary restrictions.

There are so many textures and flavours going on here. The crispy almonds and pepitas were a hit in my Almond Apple Quinoa Salad, so I’ve used them again in this recipe. Kale and Brussels sprouts hold up well tossed in the orange maple vinaigrette, so they won’t get soggy and sad while you prepare other parts of your meal. You can even prep most of this dish ahead of time (see my tips in the recipe card below).

Ingredients

Below is an overview of the ingredients and steps to make Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad. See the recipe card below for all the details!

For the crispy almonds

Blanched almond slices – whole almonds work too
Pepitas – these are a variety of pumpkin seed that don’t require shelling
Wheat-free tamari – or use soy sauce if you’re not following a gluten-free diet
Cumin
Paprika

For the maple orange vinaigrette

Olive oil
Orange juice – freshly squeezed or 100% pure, if you’re using store-bought juice
Apple cider vinegar – for acidity to balance the sweetness of the juice and syrup
Maple syrup – the real stuff!
Dijon mustard – adds tangy flavour and spice
Sea salt
Black pepper

For the salad

Brussels sprouts – washed, woody ends and loose leaves removed
Green curly kale – removed from the large stem and chopped into small bite-size pieces. I like to wash kale in a salad spinner after tearing from the stems.
Shallots – sliced in half lengthwise, then thinly sliced
Dried cranberries
Apples – I like to use different colours for visual variety

Ingredients for Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad viewed from overhead.

How to make it

First, make the crispy almonds and pepitas. Preheat the oven to 350 °F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On the baking sheet, toss the sliced almonds and pepitas with the tamari, cumin and paprika. Spread them out in an even layer and bake for 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside to crisp up.

Pepitas and almond slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet, seasoned with paprika, cumin and tamari.

Next, make the vinaigrette. In a bowl or mason jar, whisk together the olive oil, orange juice, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, sea salt and black pepper.

Then, dress the greens. Place the shredded Brussels sprouts, chopped kale and sliced shallots in a large bowl. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and toss until the greens are nicely coated. Let this marinate for 5-10 minutes to soften the kale.

Finally, assemble the salad. Gently fold in the almond/pepita mixture, dried cranberries and apple slices, until they’re evenly distributed.

A closeup photo of Kale, Apple and Brussels Sprouts Salad on a white serving dish.

Tips for Success

For a beautiful presentation, reserve half of the mix-ins (almond/pepita mixture, dried cranberries and sliced apples). Pile the salad high on a large, shallow serving bowl and arrange the reserved mix-ins on top, as pictured. Not only does the salad look gorgeous this way, your guests can more easily select the elements of the salad they most enjoy.

Prep parts of the salad ahead of time. The almonds/pepitas, vinaigrette and greens can all be prepared the day before. For best results, assemble the salad the day you’ll be serving it. See the notes in the recipe card below for details.

Use a food processor to shred the Brussels sprouts. If you have a food processor with a slicing blade attachment, this is much faster than slicing the sprouts using a chef’s knife.

Let the Brussels and kale mixture marinate in the vinaigrette. This will help them soften into a more pleasing texture.

A serving of Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad on a stack of 3 white plates, in front of the remaining salad on a serving dish.

More holiday side dishes

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