KALE AND BRUSSELS SPROUT SLAW

I don’t know about you but I’m always looking for interesting kale recipes. I happened to have some kale and Brussels sprouts in the fridge I needed to use up and thought why not combine the two for a salad? Well, more of a slaw actually. I added a Caesar salad dressing that I just happened to have already made up and thus this dish was born. The dressing is my old standby favorite Ceasar salad dressing featured in an old issue of House & Home. It’s originally from the Black Dog Village Pub and Bistro and it’s been my go-to Ceasar dressing for years now.

While I usually tenderize kale by adding olive oil and massaging it, I opted to slice it very thinly which helps achieve the same effect. As I wanted to add the Brussels sprouts raw I also shaved them thinly. I love the crunch they give to this salad. While already nutrient dense I added anti-oxidant-rich pomegranate seeds for an extra pop of color not to mention a little of that sweet/tart flavor. I then topped it off with a few dobs of creamy goat cheese for a finishing touch.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s not only healthy and nutritious but delicious! People won’t even know they’re eating kale and Brussels Sprouts.
• It’s quick to put together – Make the dressing beforehand. It will keep up to a week in the fridge.
• It’s versatile. Don’t have pomegranate seeds? Leave them out or swap them for toasted pine nuts or hazelnuts. Don’t have goats cheese. Leave it out or shave Parmigiano over top.
• You can make it a main meal by adding grilled chicken, shrimp, salmon or even poached eggs.

What Ingredients Do I Need To Make This Slaw?

The base for this slaw is thinly sliced kale and Brussels sprouts. I used pomegranate seeds and goat cheese but these are optional. The slaw is still delicious without them. While the dressing does have a few more ingredients it comes together quite quickly if you roast the garlic ahead of time.

Dressing;

• Roasted Garlic Cloves – Roast beforehand to save time.
• Mayonnaise – I use Hellman’s.
• Grana Padano Cheese – Grated.
• White Wine Vinegar
• Lemon Juice – Fresh if you have it.
• Dijon Mustard
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Salt & Pepper
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Use the best quality you can afford. Ideally, you want an EVOO that’s not to bold and bitter.

Salad;

• Green Kale – Finely Sliced.
• Brussels Sprouts – Finely Sliced.
• Pomegranate Seeds – Optional.
• Goat Cheese – Optional.

How To Make This Kale And Brussels Sprouts Slaw?

Dressing;

• Roast garlic & let it cool – You can roast it in the oven or an air fryer.
• Combine all ingredients except EVOO in a food processor – Pulse until smooth.
• Slowly add the oil in a thin stream – Combine until it forms a thick emulsion.
• Store the dressing – Keep it in a jar or a container with a lid in the fridge until needed.

Slaw;

• Remove kale leaves from stems – Cut or rip the kale leaves from the fibrous stems and wash and dry them thoroughly.
• Slice kale into thin ribbons – Bunch kale leaves together and slice thinly using a sharp knife.

• Prepare Brussels Sprouts – Remove any discolored outer leaves.
• Slice Brussels Sprouts into thin ribbons – Using a sharp knife slice down across the top of the Brussels Sprouts into thin slices discarding the root when you get to it.

• Wash Brussels Sprout ribbons – using a salad spinner wash and thoroughly dry the sprouts
• Combine all ingredients and add dressing – Toss greens together and dress with a generous amount of Caesar dressing. Top with pomegranate seeds and goat cheese.

Storage Tips

The shaved kale and Brussels sprouts will stay fresh in a ziplock bag or covered container for up to 3 days. Just take out as much as you need and assemble the salad with the other ingredients when you need it.

What To Serve With This Salad?

If you’re serving this as a side salad it’s delicious any grilled or sauteed fish. Chicken is also great. It would also be great topped with a couple of poached eggs.

Frequently Asked Questions; 

Can you eat kale raw in a salad? Yes! It's not only perfectly safe to eat raw, it's the healthiest way to eat it. Cooking any vegetable removes some of the vitamins and minerals. In fact cooking it will change the texture and make it limp. Just make sure to clean it very well beforehand. 

How do you get the bitterness out of kale salad? The ceasar dressing used in this recipe will help disguise the bitterness somewhat. However if you still want to tone it down some more you can let it soak in ice water for about 10-15 minutes after slicing it. While it won't remove all the bitterness it will help a bit. 

Kale & Brussels Sprouts Slaw

A delicious & healthy salad that is nutrient-dense and easy to make.

www.comfortandpeasant.com

4.80 from 5 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Roasted Garlic 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

Dressing

• 4 cloves roasted garlic
• 220 g (1 cup) Hellman's mayonnaise
• 60 g (1/2 cup) Grana Padano cheese (packed)
• 58 ml (1/4 cup) white-wine vinegar
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 10 g (2 tsp) Dijon mustard
• 10 ml (2 tsp) Worcestershire sauce
• 3 g (1/2 tsp) kosher salt
• 3 g (1/2 tsp) freshly ground black pepper
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) mild extra virgin olive oil

Salad

• 300 g (12oz) raw green kale, stalks removed
• 275 g (3 cups) raw brussels sprouts
• 70 g (2 1/2 oz) goat cheese
• 87 g (1/2 cup) pomegranate seeds

Instructions

 

Roasted Garlic

• Cut the top off of a head of garlic & place it inside a square of foil.
• Drizzle the garlic head with olive oil & wrap the foil loosely around it.
• Bake in a 177 Celsius (350F) oven for 45-60 minutes until garlic is soft or in an air fryer for 20 minutes.
• Unwrap the garlic and allow to cool before using. Squeeze the garlic out from the bottom of the head.

Ceasar Dressing

• Place all ingredients except EVOO in a food processor. Puree until smooth.
• With the motor running, add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream to form a thick emulsified dressing.
• Transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Salad

• Tear the kale leaves from the fibrous stems and wash & dry well. Slice into thin ribbons and add to a large bowl or serving platter.
  
• Remove the discolored outer leaves from the Brussels sprouts and slice into thin ribbons discarding the stems. Wash & dry thoroughly and add to the kale mixture.
  
• Pour over the dressing and mix well.
• Add pomegranate seeds and top with goat cheese.
  

Notes

See the “How To Make This” & “Tips For Success” sections above the recipe for more detailed information on the process. 

Keyword Brussels Sprouts, Easy, garlic, goat cheese, Grand Padano cheese, healthy, kale, lemons, mayonnaise, olive oil, pomegranate seeds, simple

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If you’re looking for more easy and healthy salad recipes check out my Salmon, Avocado and Spinach Salad or this simple but delicious Corn, Tomato and Avocado Salad.