The kale and Brussels sprouts provide the perfect base for these sweet and savory accompaniments, and the recipe itself is quite flexible. Want more cranberries? Go for it! No bacon? That’s fine, too. See below for ideas on swaps and substitutions. Whether you follow this recipe exactly or put your own spin on it, you’ll end up with a hearty salad with great texture and an exciting combination of flavors.
How to Prepare Your Vegetables
While you could use a food processor to shred your Brussels sprouts and kale, a sharp knife works just as well and leaves fewer dishes to wash!
For the Brussels sprouts, peel off any dry or wilted outer leaves and trim off the stem end. Cut them in half lengthwise and, with the flat side down, thinly slice the sprouts into shreds.For the kale, remove the leaves from their stems, and then slice the leaves into thin strips.
Perfect Salad Swaps and Substitutions
When it comes to this salad you can swap almost every ingredient for something else to keep the flavors fresh and new every time you make it. As far as types of kale, both curly and lacinato can be used. The bacon adds a nice salty and savory bite so, if you omit it, use salted nuts to maintain the balance.
Nuts: If you don’t have pecans, other nuts like walnuts, almonds, or pistachios would be delicious. Need it to be nut-free? Pumpkin seeds would also be great.Dried fruit: You could replace the dried cranberries with dried cherries or golden raisins or even fresh fruit like pomegranate arils.Cheese: If you’d like to add cheese to this salad, you could go just about any direction. A soft goat cheese, funky blue cheese, hard pecorino—whatever you like! Use between 1/2 to 3/4 cup (based on your preference) and add to the salad right before serving.
How to Make Brussels Sprouts Salad Ahead of Time
This is a great make-ahead dish because several of the components can be prepared at least one day in advance. Once all of the ingredients are combined, you still have time on your side. It actually needs 10 to 30 minutes for the kale to soften and the flavors to combine but, after that, it’s best eaten that same day. It will still be delicious a couple of days later, though the dressing will continue to soften the kale especially, making the salad wilt.
More Festive Salads to Love
Harvest Salad with Miso-Maple Roasted Butternut Squash Roasted Butternut Squash Kale Sauté Kale Waldorf Salad Festive Beet Citrus Salad with Kale and Pistachios Orange and Beet Salad Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Lemon
Remove the kale leaves from their stems and, using a knife, thinly slice the leaves into strips. Discard the stems or save for another use. Into a large bowl, add the Brussels sprouts and kale. Mix to combine. Whisk in the oil until thoroughly combined and then pour the dressing onto the combined Brussels sprouts and kale. Mix until well coated and let sit at room temperature 10 to 30 minutes (refrigerate if longer).
