Wait!
Don’t leave.
I know what this looks like…
A salad.
Trust me. I am the first to steer clear of green bland lettuce served in a bowl to blandly pass as a bland meal.
But let me tell you. This is my favorite salad I’ve ever made. Honestly, anyone who has tasted it, has honestly asked for the recipe. It’s that good.
I urge you to give it a shot. To just try it one time and tell me you don’t crave it again.
You see, I’m not sure what it is. I have no idea if it’s the flavorful kale that gets massaged (yes, massaged) down until it is wilted and all the flavors change. The shaved brussel sprouts that soak up all of the dressing and become crunchy yet soft at the same time. Or the combination of sweet, savory and salted with the parmesan, sesame toasted almonds and bacon. But what I do know is once the maple tahini dressing is poured on top of it all, this salad just explodes with flavor. Umami if you will.
This salad will seriously have you coming back for seconds, thirds even. The best part of it all? You put the dressing right on top and if you make enough to have the next day for lunch, the brussel sprouts just soak up all the good stuff and somehow, the salad gets even better.
Just trust me when I say you have to try this salad. It will change the way you think about Kale. I know it did for me. After I first made this, I was craving kale, searching for salads just like it when I went out to dinner for a few weeks after this. And truthfully, couldn’t find one. This is one of a kind.
To be honest, I think the best compliment I’ve had is someone told me this salad compares to Portillos Chop Salad. And if you are from or have been to Chicago and tried that salad. That is the ultimate compliment.
Kale and Brussel Sprout Salad with Maple Tahini Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of kale
- 1 bunch of brussel sprouts shredded
- 8 oz parmesan
- 8 strips bacon
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 3/4 cup tahini
- 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Put the bacon on a wire rack with a sheet pan below to catch the drippings and cook 15-20 minutes. The crispier the better for this recipe.
- While the bacon is cooking, make the salad. I start my chopping the kale. I like to roll all of the leaves together and then julienne them so they come out like nice long strips. Throw all of the kale in a bowl and massage the kale for about 2-3 minutes until it’s wilted. Yes, massage the kale. This makes a world of a difference. You will notice that the kale started to turn a dark green color and smell more citrusy. That means it’s getting tastier.
- Next, if you did not buy pre-shredded brussel sprouts, slice them. I use my food processor, but if you don’t have one, you can do this with a knife. Just make sure you trim off the stems first. Place in the bowl with the kale and add in the parmesan cheese. Once bacon is done cooking, let cool and chop. Add the chopped bacon to the bowl as well.
- Meanwhile, on a pan placed over medium heat, put your sesame oil and almonds and watch over them as you toast them. It should only take about 2-3 minutes. Make sure to keep an eye out, once they toast, they burn quickly after that. Mix into the bowl with the greens.
- Finally, in a glass measuring cup, mix the tahini, maple syrup, olive oil, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Depending on the tahini you use, if the dressing is too thick, mix in 1/4 cup hot water. Once combined, pour over salad and mix.
- This salad is best when it is first mixed, when the bacon and almonds are still warm and all the different temperatures, textures and flavors come together. Enjoy!