Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad with Creamy Maple Dressing
- Total Time: 12 mins
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
This salad makes use of crunchy, nearly-raw brussels sprouts in addition to kale for a winter salad full of fresh flavors.
Ingredients
Salad
- a bunch of kale, stems removed, thinly sliced
- 15 Brussels sprouts
- handful of dried cranberries
- pinch sea salt
Dressing
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) oil
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) creme fraiche or heavy cream
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) maple syrup
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) sherry vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Instructions
Salad
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil and blanch the Brussels sprouts for one minute.
- Transfer them to ice cold water. Pick as much leaves of the Brussels sprouts as you can, and thin slice the rest.
- In a large salad bowl, mix the kale, Brussels sprouts, cranberries, salt, and the dressing.
Dressing
- Mix all ingredients in a jar.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 2 mins
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 150
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why do the Brussels sprouts only blanch for one minute?
The recipe describes these as “nearly-raw Brussels sprouts” — the one-minute blanch in boiling water just barely takes the raw edge off the outer leaves. They go straight into ice cold water to stop cooking, then you peel off as many leaves as possible and thinly slice the rest, keeping them crunchy for the salad.
What makes this dressing unusual compared to a standard vinaigrette?
The dressing combines three different fat and acid sources: 3 tbsp neutral oil, 1 tsp sesame oil (for nuttiness), 1 tbsp sherry vinegar (for acidity), 1 tbsp creme fraiche or heavy cream (for creaminess), and 1 tbsp maple syrup (for sweetness). Shaking it all in a jar emulsifies it into a creamy, sweet-tangy dressing that isn’t standard for either a kale salad or a Brussels sprouts slaw.
