This vegan Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad is a quick and healthy side dish that pairs well with a wide variety of main courses. It's the perfect lighter side dish to add to your holiday meal!
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Cook Time5 minutesmins
Total Time25 minutesmins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad, Kale, Brussels Sprouts and Apple Salad, Shredded Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad
Prepare the crispy almonds. Preheat the oven to 350 °F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On the sheet pan, toss the sliced almonds and pepitas with the tamari, cumin and paprika, then spread them in an even layer. Bake for 5-7 minutes until fragrant and turning golden brown. Once baked, set them aside to cool and crisp up, while you prepare other parts of the salad.
Make the vinaigrette. In a mason jar or bowl, whisk together the olive oil, orange juice, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, sea salt and black pepper.
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 evenly coated. For best results, let the greens and shallots marinate in the dressing for 5-10 minutes.
Assemble the salad. Gently fold in the crispy almonds and pepitas, dried cranberries and apple slices. Pro tip: for a beautiful presentation, reserve half of the almonds/pepitas, cranberries and apple slices (don't mix them in). Pile the salad high onto a large shallow serving bowl, then top with the reserved mix-ins, as pictured.
Store any leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator and eat within a day.
Notes
If you have whole almonds rather than almond slices, I recommend baking for at least 10 minutes, rather than 5-7 minutes.
Make-ahead tips: for best results, keep the elements of the dish separate until shortly before you're ready to serve.
The crispy almonds and pepitas can be baked ahead of time and stored in a sealed container.
The Brussels sprouts and kale can be shredded/chopped the day before. Store them together in the large bowl in the fridge, covered.
Make the dressing in a mason jar with a lid and store in the fridge. Allow it to warm up a bit on the counter before re-shaking and adding it to the greens.
Slice the apple right before assembling, so it doesn't turn brown.