This healthy twist on a Caesar salad combines nutrient packed kale and Brussels sprouts with a lightened up Greek yogurt Caesar dressing. Top it off with some crunchy spiced pecans, and this Kale and Shredded Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad is the perfect healthy side or lunch.
When it comes to lunch, I love a good salad. Pile it up with lots of healthy greens, fresh veggies, and sweet fruits, and top it off with some nuts for crunch and protein – now that’s a perfect lunch to fuel me through the afternoon. But sometimes less is more, and I am a firm believer in that when it comes to Caesar salad.
Steve and I are both Caesar salad fanatics. Whenever we see a Caesar salad on the menu, we are probably ordering at least one to split along with our meal. At home, we often eat big Caesar salads with dinner as a quick side to complement salmon or chicken. But I am usually somewhat a Caesar salad purist, just lettuce, tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and croutons for me.
What is in a Kale and Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad?
This Kale and Shredded Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad uses a lighter version of a Greek yogurt Caesar dressing that still gives you all of the creaminess and flavor you expect from your favorite Caesar dressing, but with less calories and more protein so you can feel good about eating it.
We get even more nutrients and flavor from chopped kale and thinly sliced Brussels sprouts. Toasted pecans coated in a subtle spice blend take the place of croutons and add some healthy fats and protein. Top it off with a couple of shavings of parmesan cheese, and this Kale and Shredded Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad is perfect as a side to grilled fish, chicken, or steak or as a big healthy lunch salad.
What are Shredded Brussels Sprouts?
While eating Brussels sprouts raw might seem foreign to you, trust me they add just the right texture and subtle sweetness to this salad, complementing the earthy kale. The secret to great Brussels sprouts for this Kale and Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad is thinly slicing or shredding the Brussels sprouts.
How Do You Shred Brussels Sprouts?
While you can use a mandolin slicer or a food processor with the shredding blade to thinly slice or shave Brussels sprouts, I usually find it is easiest just to shred them by hand using a sharp knife. Here is my process:
- Prep the Brussels by rinsing, then slice the off the bottom of each and pull off any dirty or damaged outer leaves
- Cut each Brussels sprout in half vertically
- Lay halved Brussels sprout cut side down and thinly slice vertically with a sharp knife
Can I Make Kale and Shredded Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad Ahead?
Yes, absolutely! Because the Brussels sprouts and kale are both sturdy, they hold up even after slicing making this a great make ahead salad or meal prep lunch salad. The kale and Brussels sprouts should keep from wilting even after dressed for a couple of hours. If you are planning to keep the salad longer, I recommend waiting to dress until you are ready to eat. Just store the dressing and nuts separately and toss gently before eating.
This Kale and Shredded Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad makes enough for two big lunch salad or about 4 servings if eating as a side. I like to make it ahead and then have lunch for the next couple of days.
What Else Can I Add to This Healthy Caesar Salad?
Because I wanted to keep this Kale and Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad simple, like a classic Caesar salad, I used just a few ingredients. However, if you want to kick it up a notch, here are a few other salad mix ins I recommend:
- Sliced tomatoes – cherry tomatoes work great and are delicious year round
- Thinly slice red onion – this is one of my favorite salad toppings, I love the bite it adds
- Extra shaved parmesan cheese – because we can always use more cheese!
- Crispy bacon pieces – it’s still healthy since you’re eating kale, right?
- Hardboiled egg – chopped or sliced hardboiled egg would add some extra protein to this lunch salad
- Grilled chicken or shrimp – slice or shred up some chicken or shrimp to turn this Caesar salad into a meal
- Avocado – creamy avocado would go nicely
Kale and Shredded Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad
Ingredients
Chili Spiced Pecans
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 2 tsp butter (melted)
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp chipotle powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt
- 1 clove garlic
- juice of 1 lemon (1/2 tsp reserved)
- 1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
Salad
- 4 cups kale (chopped)
- 1 1/2 cups brussels sprouts
- extra parmesan shavings (optional)
Instructions
To Make the Chili Spiced Pecans
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Mix melted butter and spices in a bowl. Add pecans and toss to coat.
- Spread pecans in an even layer on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
- When toasted, remove pecans from oven and set aside to cool.
To Make the Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing
- Using a sharp butcher's knife, chop garlic very finely. Sprinkle a little salt over garlic and smash garlic gently with the side of the knife blade. The salt should act as an abrasive to help break down the garlic. Continue alternating between chopping and smashing until the garlic is finely diced and becomes a paste.
- Mix garlic along with all other ingredients in container or jar. Refrigerate until ready to use.
To Make the Salad
- Rinse kale and remove stems. Chop kale into bite sized pieces and add to large bowl.
- Add lemon juice to kale and toss with hands, gently squeezing and massaging kale slightly to soften.
- Slice the bottom off Brussels sprouts and remove any damaged outer leaves. Cut each Brussels sprout in half vertically. Lay halved Brussels sprout cut side down and thinly slice vertically with a sharp knife.
- Add Brussels sprouts to bowl with kale. Add enough dressing to coat the greens, but not too much so they are soggy and drowning in dressing. Toss to coat kale and Brussels sprouts completely in dressing. (You may have extra dressing)
- Chop pecans roughly and add to salad. Toss to mix. Garnish with extra parmesan shavings if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat (will keep for a couple of hours, if storing longer, wait to add the pecans until just before serving).