Brussels Sprouts & Kale Salad is a copycat of the popular dish formerly served at the Cracker Barrel restaurant chain.
Sprouts n’ Kale salad is no longer available at Cracker Barrel so I had to make it at home because Lee just loves it. I also like it a whole lot!
We hadn’t been out to eat for quite some time due to the stay-at-home orders. When businesses started opening up one of the first places we went was Cracker Barrel.
Lee ordered the Sprouts N’ Kale Salad and was disappointed to learn that it was no longer available. Oh no!
We are not sure if they have discontinued it all the Cracker Barrel restaurants nationwide or just in Wichita. I had already been thinking about making a salad using Brussels sprouts. In fact, this Brussels Sprouts & Kale Salad from Cracker Barrel was already on my ‘to make’ list.
We ate a serving of it the night I made it and then took it in our lunch every day for 4 days. So we had 10 servings! Now, they were sort of small servings, probably about 1/2 cup each.
What you’ll need
Brussels sprout salad ingredients
I have noted the daily value of some of the vitamins in this delicious healthy salad. Nutritional value from reputable sites such as WebMD and Healthline.
Brussels sprouts – 124% vitamin C and 10% vitamin B6 in one cup.
Fresh Kale – 206% vitamin A and 134% vitamin C in one cup.
Dried Cranberries – 3 grams of fiber in one-quarter cup.
Crunchy Pecans – 3 grams of protein in one-quarter cup.
Vinaigrette Ingredients
Just a few basic ingredients are all you need to make the maple vinaigrette dressing.
Pure Maple Syrup
Vinegar
Canola Oil – can use olive oil.
Dijon Mustard
Salt
How to make it
- Start by washing a pound of Brussels sprouts and one bunch of kale. Pat them dry with paper towels.
- Cut the tops off of the Brussels sprouts with a sharp knife and discard. Chop the Brussels sprouts into small pieces. Remove the ribs and slice kale into small pieces. You can make quick work of this by using a food processor fitted with the slicing blade, if you have one.
- Toast pecans in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for one to two minutes, or until fragrant. Roughly chop, if desired. You can leave them whole if you like. I prefer them chopped.
- Mix the sprouts, shredded kale, toasted pecans and Craisins in a large salad bowl.
- Make the maple dressing; whisk dressing ingredients together in a medium bowl. Pour dressing over kale mixture.
- Refrigerate for at least a couple of hours.
Storage
Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to five days. As I stated above, we made it and then took it to work the next 4 days and it was still yummy. I have another Brussels sprout salad and it kept well for 4 days as well.
More copycat recipes:
Olive Garden Creamy Italian Dressing
Arby’s Grilled Chicken & Pecan Salad
Starbuck’s Toffeedoodle Cookies
We hope you like this Brussels sprouts salad recipe much as we do. It is great to take to a get-together or the perfect side dish for a weeknight meal so you can have leftovers to take to work the next day. It would also be a great addition to grilled fish or chicken to make an easy light meal.
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Brussels Sprouts & Kale Salad
Ingredients
For the salad
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts
- 5 cups kale
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries Craisins
- 1/2 cup pecans
For the vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup not pancake syrup
- 1/2 cup vinegar
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
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Instructions
- Wash Brussels sprouts and kale, pat dry with paper towels. Remove tops from Brussels sprouts and ribs from kale. shred or chop into small bite-sized pieces. Place in a large bowl.
- Toast nuts in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for 1 – 2 minutes until fragrant. Chop pecans, if desired, or you can leave them whole. Add nuts and dried cranberries to the sprouts and kale.
- Whisk syrup, vinegar, oil, sugar, Dijon mustard and salt in a small bowl until well combined. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Refrigerate for a couple of hours, or overnight.
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Such a lovely salad! Fresh, crunchy and delicious 🙂
Thank you!