Kale Brussels Sprouts Salad with Tahini-Maple Dressing
This kale Brussels sprout salad is simple and filling. It offers a slaw-like crunch with an irresistible creamy dressing. Parmesan and toasted almonds send it over the top.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on January 6, 2026
This simple kale and Brussels sprout salad features a creamy tahini dressing coating crisp green leaves. Itโs savory, satisfying and almost slaw-like in texture, thanks to the crunchy raw Brussels sprouts and slivered almonds. Parmesan and a dab of miso take it to the next level, though the miso isnโt entirely essential if you donโt want to buy a tub.
This hearty salad is perfect for winter through early spring. Iโve struggled to find my default tender greens lately since theyโre out of season. Kale and Brussels sprouts are cool-weather crops, so itโs their time to shine!
Serve this salad when youโre craving something healthy. Itโs easy enough to make on a weeknight, but it could also serve as a supporting role in a holiday meal or special dinner. Since kale and Brussels sprouts are so hardy, the dressed salad stores well in the fridge for a few days.
This recipe was roughly inspired by a salad at Westside Local, one of my long-time favorite Kansas City restaurants. They top their salads with crispy bacon and fried shallots.
My less indulgent, at-home version relies on Parmesan and toasted almonds instead. Itโs quite a departure from the original recipe, but I enjoy this one just as much.
I created this recipe in 2013, and itโs as good as I remembered, so Iโm sharing it again with updated photos. Iโm excited to freshen up the post, and hope the new pictures entice you to give it a try.
Salad Preparation Tips
Youโll find the full recipe below, but here are some tips before you get started.
How to Prepare Kale
Start with freshly washed kale, patted dry. Use a chefโs knife to cut the ribs from the kale leaves, then discard them. Then chop the leaves into small, bite-sized pieces.
Sprinkle salt lightly over the kale and use your hands to โmassageโ it by lightly scrunching it between your hands. Continue massaging until the kale becomes darker in color and more fragrant. Transfer the kale to a medium serving bowl.
Massaging the kale makes the leaves softer (no longer poky) and more flavorful. It makes all the difference!
Store-bought shortcut: You can choose to buy pre-chopped kale at the store, but make sure the leaves look fresh along the edges. Discard the thick ribs before using, and youโll still need to massage the kale as directed.
How to Prepare Brussels Sprouts
Chop off and discard the stem end of the Brussels sprouts and any discolored outer leaves. Either use your knife to slice the sprouts as thin as possible, or shred the sprouts in your food processor using the slicing disk. Add the sprouts to the bowl and use your fingers break up any clumps.
Note: You can buy pre-sliced Brussels sprouts at the store, but I recommend slicing them yourself. The pre-sliced versions are typically cut too thick to yield a nicely textured salad and are often browning along the edges already.
More Kale & Brussels Sprout Recipes
Here are a few of my favorite recipes featuring kale and Brussels sprouts:
- Debโs Kale Salad with Apple, Cranberries and Pecans
- Honey Mustard Brussels Sprout Slaw
- Lemony Kale Salad
- Perfect Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Shredded Brussels Sprouts & Arugula Salad with Sunshine Dressing
Please let me know how your salad turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.
Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad with Tahini-Maple Dressing
Thinly sliced Brussels sprouts and toasted slivered almonds lend this kale salad a slaw-like crunch, while Parmesan and miso contribute savoriness. Recipe yields 2 large salads or 4 side salads.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of curly green kale
- 12 Brussels sprouts (about ยฝ pound or 2 big handfulsโ worth)
- ยผ cup sliced almonds
- ยผ cup shaved Parmesan, to taste (use a vegetable peeler to shave the cheese into little strips)
- Fine salt
Tahini-maple dressing
- ยผ cup tahini
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons white miso
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- ยผ cup water
Instructions
- Use a chefโs knife to cut out the ribs of the kale leaves. Chop the kale into small, bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle salt lightly over the kale and use your hands to โmassageโ it by lightly scrunching it between your hands. Continue massaging until the kale becomes darker in color and more fragrant. Transfer the kale to a medium serving bowl.
- Chop off and discard the stem end of the Brussels sprouts and any discolored outer leaves. Either use your knife to slice the sprouts as thin as possible, or shred the sprouts in your food processor using the slicing disk. Add the sprouts to the bowl and use your fingers break up any clumps.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the tahini, vinegar, miso, maple syrup and red pepper flakes. Whisk in the water until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Some brands of tahini are thicker than others, so if your dressing is too thick, add a bit more water and/or vinegar, to taste. Pour the dressing over the kale and sprouts and mix well.
- In a small pan over medium heat, toast the almonds, stirring frequently, until fragrant and turning golden (this will take less than five minutes so watch carefully). Add the toasted almonds and parmesan shavings to the salad and toss. Taste, and add more Parmesan if desired. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Before serving, you might want to wake up the flavors with a tiny splash of vinegar.
Notes
Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit the Parmesan cheese.
Make it gluten free: Omit the miso. Add salt to the dressing, to taste.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionistโs advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I donโt have miso, is there something I can use instead? Or will it still be good without?
I would maybe add a little extra tahini and adjust the seasonings to taste. Itโll still be good!
Thank you for this recipe! Iโve been in a terrible rut but this recipe inspired me. I followed the recipe as close as I could with what I had. I feel like I can eat this every day for a week, in fact not sure if any will be left for lunch tomorrow!
My substitutions:
I did not have raw tahini (assumed that is what was intended) but roasted (Joya) works fine.
Didnโt have Brussels sprouts so used about 3 handfuls of Trader Joeโs Cruciferous Crunch mix instead (kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli green and red cabbage).
I did not have light miso and so used Markโs suggestion and used 1tsp each of rice vinegar and soy sauce.
Canโt wait to try with the intended ingredients!
You are welcome! Thank you for the review, Rose. I am happy this recipe helped inspire you again!
I just made the salad and it was delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
Thatโs great! Thank you, Ashley :)
I made a huuuge batch of this salad for a large family thanksgiving dinner, and even my dad โ a lifelong carnivore almost never eats veggies unless forced to โ loved it! Make exactly as instructed, and do not skip the step about massaging the kale. It really changes the texture and flavor!
This salad was interesting. I have never tried Tahini or miso before. I personally liked how the white vinegar changed the flavor.
I have concerns though. The Tahini has so many calories. The recipe says this is 2 servings. Based on that serving size my lunch salad was 773 calories. I enjoyed this, but that seems unrealistic as a lunch alternative on a regular basis.
Hi Linda, my calculations actually came to half that number of calories with 2 servings. Iโm looking at the recipe again and I believe my estimate is accurate. I hope that helps you enjoy the salad more!
Had this recipe saved from awhile ago (a few years oops), and finally decided to give it a whirl since Iโm trying to live mostly plant based. This was awesome! I didnโt have miso so I left it out, and Iโm ok with that. So delicious! If I make this for my boyfriend at some point, I may add chicken because heโs a meat eating boy, and Iโm sure it would be phenomenal! PS I just ordered your cookbook and it gets delivered todayโฆcounting down the minutes!
Thanks for the support! You will love the book. :) Iโm glad you liked this salad and thanks so much for the review.
I used this recipe mainly for the dressing for a kale salad I made with random ingredients, and it was fantastic! Instead of discarding the kale ribs, I slice the kale into thin ribbons, stem and all, which makes the whole leaf totally edible (using Dino kale)! Thanks for a great recipe!
Youโre welcome! Thanks for the review, Cynthia.
I love this recipe, so yummy!! I was wondering what the calorie count and or nutritional value is. Help pls
The nutritional information is below the notes section of the recipe. You just need to click to expand. I hope this helps!
Iโve always hated raw greens, but know theyโre so good for me and have been trying to eat more. This salad is awesome! Who knew I could like raw Brussels sprouts! The dressing is fab and so satiating. Iโll be trying more of your recipes for sure. Thanks!
Hooray! Thanks, Kate.
This salad is so good and the dressing gave it the wow factor! This dressing is going to become a staple for our house. My husband actually asked me if I would make this again this week for him if he picked up some kaleโฆโexcuse me, what?!โ Iโm not sure he has ever voluntarily brought that home in the grocery bag. LOL Kept great for day 2 lunch so make a big batch!
Thatโs wonderful, Emily! Thank you for your review.
This looks amazing! I agree with your pared-down versionโฆadding bacon takes away from the healthiness of the salad. Making this tomorrow! (My local gourmet deli makes a similar salad and adds cubes of (baked) yams, which adds more protein and makes for a lovely color combo also.
Thanks for sharing, Bernie!
Delicious! I added spinach to this salad because I was running low on kale and it was a nice addition. The thin cut brussel sprouts really give this salad a satisfying crunch. Had to also use honey instead of maple syrup and I did not have miso. This recipe still works and my family dug in for seconds! I especially love making homemade salad dressings that taste way better than store bought. I am beginning to keep Cookie and Kate staples on hand like tahini so I can be ready. Now I just have to find miso!
Thank you for sharing, Allison!
This is one of our go-to salads! So easy to make and it tastes delicious.
I love it! Thank you, Anna!
I canโt wait to make this. A character in a book I read yesterday is making this and the author directed her readers to this page. Yum!
This tahini dressing is THE BOMB. I discovered this recipe years ago and I still make this dressing over and over again, itโs that good. For those who omit the miso and/or maple syrup, youโre missing out โ I feel as though they add so much depth of flavor when combined.
Canโt wait to try your other dressings and sauces!
I have tried so many of your recipes and have loved them all! I have one requestโฆcould you please post more pictures of Cookie?
I like that request! :)
This was delicious! And will definitely be a regular part of my salad repertoire. Thanks again.
Youโre welcome, Brigid!
Oh my, this was a delicious salad! Great combo of sweet and salty, creamy and crunchy. The whole family loved it. My only complaint is, no leftovers!
Hi! I love your recipes and would love to try this one. Can you recommend a sub for the parm(non-cheese/dairy).Thank you!
I didnโt have tahini so used peanut butter โ it worked well but I had to use less maple syrup to balance out the sweetness.
Loved the kale/brussel mix โ never would have thought to eat raw brussels.
I like your creativity! Iโm glad you were still able to enjoy it, Bella.
Made this salad today and it was a nice change from regular lettuce salad. I liked the crunch. I used this salad with the Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce over Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Rice. Very nice together. Thanks again Kate!
Thanks for great recipes
I made this today for dinner and it was delicious! Amazing dressing. Thank you
Iโm eating this salad as I type. Itโs delicious and very satisfying. The creamy dressing makes me feel like Iโm eating something decadent but its so healthy.
Kate you are a food genius.
Thank you once again.
Iโm happy you enjoyed it, Karoline! I appreciate your review.
This was great โ I subbed in bacon and pine nuts and left out the parm (itโs what I had), and it worked out great! I also did not have miso, so used some coco aminos. Iโm assuming the miso would have been ideal, but the dressing was still great.
This tahini dressing is my new obsession! Wow is it tasty!
Howing does the dressing last if not entirely used on the salad?