Kale, Brussels Sprouts & Dried Cranberry Salad with Honey-Dijon Vinaigrette
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy. Need a healthy salad that stays fresh for days? This kale and Brussels sprout salad is packed with goodies and tossed in a honey-Dijon vinaigrette. It’s perfect for meal prep, a light lunch, or a side dish with your favorite protein. I love making big salads that keep well in the fridge for a few days—it means I always have a healthy meal ready to go. This salad combines nutrient-rich kale and Brussels sprouts with walnuts, Parmigiano Reggiano, and dried cranberries, all tossed in a bright honey-Dijon vinaigrette. It’s perfect as a light meal or side dish alongside anything from grilled chicken to pan-seared salmon, to steak. Feel free to customize it by swapping out the nuts or dried fruit to suit your taste. “The more I ate the more I absolutely loved it. This is a delicious keeper!” What You’ll Need To Make Kale, Brussels Sprouts & Dried Cranberry Salad Step-by-Step Instructions Preheat your oven to 350°F and place a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment for easy clean-up. Pop the walnuts in the oven and bake for 5 to 8 minutes, until they’re nicely toasted and fragrant. Just be sure to keep an eye on them—they can go from perfect to burnt quickly! Make the dressing: In a bowl large enough to hold the whole salad, combine the honey, lemon juice, oil, mustard, shallots, garlic, salt, and pepper and whisk to combine. Assemble the salad: To the bowl with the dressing, add the Brussels sprouts and kale and toss everything together until the greens are nicely coated in the dressing. Let the salad sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes—or pop it in the fridge for a few hours—so the flavors can meld and the greens have a chance to soften. Before serving, add the toasted walnuts, Parmigiano Reggiano, and cranberries and toss until evenly combined. You can serve the salad cold or at room temperature. It stays fresh in the fridge for 2 to 3 days, though the flavors tend to mellow over time. Before serving, give it a quick taste and, if needed, brighten it up with a squeeze of lemon juice and a little extra seasoning. You May Also Like RecipeComments (21)Add Comment Recipe Comments (21) Add Comment Ingredients For the Salad ¾ cup walnuts, roughly chopped 12 oz Brussels sprouts, trimmed and shredded (about 5 gently packed cups after shredding) 1 large bunch (about 12 oz) Tuscan or curly kale, thick center ribs removed, chopped (about 5 gently packed cups after chopping) ¾ cup dried cranberries ¾ cup coarsely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese ¾ cup walnuts, roughly chopped 12 oz Brussels sprouts, trimmed and shredded (about 5 gently packed cups after shredding) 1 large bunch (about 12 oz) Tuscan or curly kale, thick center ribs removed, chopped (about 5 gently packed cups after chopping) ¾ cup dried cranberries ¾ cup coarsely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese For the Honey-Dijon Vinaigrette 2 tablespoons honey ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, from 2 lemons ½ cup extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots, from one large shallot 1 small clove garlic, minced ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons honey ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, from 2 lemons ½ cup extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots, from one large shallot 1 small clove garlic, minced ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Instructions Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easy clean-up. Bake the walnuts for 5 to 8 minutes, until toasted and fragrant. Keep a close eye on them; they burn quickly. Make the dressing: In a bowl large enough to hold the whole salad, whisk together the honey, lemon juice, oil, mustard, shallots, garlic, salt, and pepper. Assemble the salad: To the bowl with the dressing, add the Brussels sprouts and kale; toss until the greens are evenly coated with the dressing. Let the salad sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes (or up to a few hours in the fridge) to allow the flavors to meld and the greens to soften. Before serving, add the toasted walnuts, cranberries, and Parmigiano Reggiano and toss until evenly combined. Serve at room temperature or cold. (The salad will keep for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator but the flavors will mellow over time; before serving, taste and add a little lemon juice and adjust seasoning, if necessary.) Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easy clean-up. Bake the walnuts for 5 to 8 minutes, until toasted and fragrant. Keep a close eye on them; they burn quickly. Make the dressing: In a bowl large enough to hold the whole salad, whisk together the honey, lemon juice, oil, mustard, shallots, garlic, salt, and pepper. Assemble the salad: To the bowl with the dressing, add the Brussels sprouts and kale; toss until the greens are evenly coated with the dressing. Let the salad sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes (or up to a few hours in the fridge) to allow the flavors to meld and the greens to soften. Before serving, add the toasted walnuts, cranberries, and Parmigiano Reggiano and toss until evenly combined. Serve at room temperature or cold. (The salad will keep for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator but the flavors will mellow over time; before serving, taste and add a little lemon juice and adjust seasoning, if necessary.) Nutrition Information Powered by Per serving (8 servings) Calories: 343 Fat: 25 g Saturated fat: 5 g Carbohydrates: 24 g Sugar: 14 g Fiber: 5 g Protein: 10 g Sodium: 355 mg Cholesterol: 9 mg Per serving (8 servings) Calories: 343 Fat: 25 g Saturated fat: 5 g Carbohydrates: 24 g Sugar: 14 g Fiber: 5 g Protein: 10 g Sodium: 355 mg Cholesterol: 9 mg This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. Gluten-Free Adaptable Note To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free. See more recipes: Gluten-Free AdaptableMake-AheadSaladsVegetarianAmerican Gluten-Free Adaptable Make-Ahead Salads Vegetarian American