Shave Brussels Sprout, Kale & Quinoa Salad in a Lemony Dijon Dressing
A fresh and hearty green salad. Savory, Tangy, Crunchy and addictively delicious. Its loved by all, even those who don't consider themselves kale or Brussels Sprouts fans! Works equally well on its own or as a side salad.. Note: Cook time is for quinoa
Servings: 6 -8 servings
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 bunch of Tuscan Kale center stem discarded, sliced thin (about 4 cups) (I have made it with both Tuscan and Curly Kale but usually use Tuscan)
- 4 cups shaved or thinly sliced brussels sprouts
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds
- 1/3 cup tart dried cherries Optional but recommended
- 1/4 cup finely grated pecorino Optional (could add up to 1 cup if you want it more cheesy and more like a caesar salad)
- 2 cups cooked quinoa approximately ½ cup uncooked yields 2 cups cooked - see below for instructions if needed
Dressing (makes approximately 3/4 cup dressing, store extra in fridge)
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot
- 1 small minced garlic clove
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- pinch of pepper
- 3 tablespoons or up to ⅓ cup olive oil (I switch it up depending on my mood and what else we're serving, but like it best with 3 tablespoons olive oil because I like the tanginess of the dressing. Add more olive oil to make it less lemony or tangy)
Instructions
Cook quinoa if not already done so
- In a medium saucepan, place ½ cup quinoa and water. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn heat to simmer, cover and let simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Once water is absorbed, turn off heat and let cool briefly. Fluff with fork before using. Note: ½ cup uncooked quinoa will yield about 2 cups cooked quinoa.
Dressing
- Combine lemon juice, dijon mustard, shallot, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup. Whisk to combine and let sit for flavors to combine while you prep the kale and brussels sprouts.
- Whisk olive oil into the lemon-mustard mixture.
- Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
Almonds
- Add to the salad as is, or toast them for extra flavor. To toast them, place a small skillet on the stove on medium high heat. Add almonds and stir frequently until just starting to turn golden brown in a few places, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle with salt. Set aside.
Salad
- Combine Kale and Brussels Sprouts in a large bowl. Add cheese and toss to combine. Pour 1/2 the dressing and toss to combine. Add remaining dressing as desired. Add quinoa, cherries and almonds, reserving cherries and almonds for garnish, and toss to combine. Garnish with additional almonds and cherries.
TIP: if using for meal prep for the week, you can prepare ahead, keeping dressing separate and dress at the last minute. Although it tastes great day two as well as the dressing absorbs into the salad.
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Loved this! I got too lazy and didn’t add the quinoa but will definitely do it next time. The dressing is very tangy but this is a great salad!
So glad you love it too! I don’t always add the quinoa either — but when we have some already made and I’m looking for something heartier, it’s a great add.
I didn’t have quinoa or dried cherries but I had farro and used that instead of quinoa and used two thinly sliced pink lady apples instead of dried cherries… it was delicious and everyone loved it! Even the meat -and -potatoes -type guys loved it! I served it with a side of grilled shrimp and it was a delicious satisfying dinner. Yum!
Great substitutions! So happy everyone loved it! And sounds delicious paired with some grilled shrimp! GF Friends, just a reminder, farro isn’t gluten-free if you’re following a gluten-free diet.