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This Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad with California Grapes is loaded with roasted sweet potato, tossed with an insanely easy and delicious Maple Tahini dressing, and garnished with a snowfall of freshly-grated pecorino Romano. It’s hearty, healthy and perfect for Fall. Enjoy it on its own, with grilled chicken breast or your favourite source of protein.
What You Need for This Kale & Brussels Sprouts Salad
- Curly Green Kale: You can actually use any variety of kale you like here. I like it with curly green kale for its bright colour, texture and flavour. The real secret is to use your hands to massage the kale with some of the dressing so that it becomes soft and tender.
- Brussels Sprouts: For some added texture, nutrients and flavour, try adding some thinly shaved Brussels sprouts to your salad. You can use a very sharp knife or Japanese mandolin to shave the sprouts. If you use a mandolin, I recommend using the protective guard or a mesh glove so as not to slice your fingers.
- California Grapes: Whatever you do, don’t skip adding the sliced Grapes from California to this salad. They add an unexpected and juicy burst of flavour with every bite. Added bonus: grapes are loaded with antioxidants and polyphenols to help support a healthy immune system through the colder months.
- Sweet Potatoes: To make the kale and Brussels sprouts salad a bit more hearty, try adding in some roasted sweet potatoes. This salad also goes great with a variety of roasted squash, like delicata, butternut or acorn.
- Walnuts: A few minutes before the sweet potatoes finish roasting, add a big handful of walnuts to the sheet pan to toast them and bring out more of their flavour. You can substitute any type of nut you like here, such as pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, or even use a variety of seeds.
- Chicken Breast: Pair the Kale and Brussels Sprouts with some grilled chicken breast or your favourite source of protein. It could be grilled pork chops, a steak, salmon or even a hamburger patty.
- Pecorino Romano: It’s optional and can be omited, but if you’re OK with cheese, I recommend finely grating some pecorino Romano overtop of the salad. It adds an amazing flavour that goes very well with the kale and Brussels sprouts salad.
What You Need for the Maple Tahini Dressing
The Maple Tahini Dressing is so easy and delicious you might find yourself eating it by the spoonful. It has the perfect balance of tangy, savoury and sweet flavours with a kick of garlic to bring it all together.
You just need tahini, yogurt, lemon juice, maple syrup, garlic, salt and pepper.
Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl, taste for seasoning and adjust with salt, pepper or lemon juice as desired. Transfer any leftovers to a jar and keep it refrigerates for up to 5 days.
Note: the dressing does have a small amount of Greek yogurt in it so it is technically not Paleo.
Can You Make It Ahead of Time?
One of the best things about this Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad is that you can easily prepare everything in advance for easy, grab-and-go lunches for the week. Unlike soft leafy greens, kale and Brussels sprouts both hold their texture really well and won’t end up wilting – even when tossed in the dressing.
Looking for More Ways to Enjoy Grapes?
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with California Grapes and Bacon
- Harvest Steak Salad with California Grapes
- Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs with California Grapes and Sweet Potatoes
- Whipped Ricotta and Roasted Grapes Crostini
This recipe was created in partnership with the California Table Grape Commission. All opinions expressed here are the author’s alone.
Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad with California Grapes and Grilled Chicken
Ingredients
For the Maple Tahini Dressing:
- 1/3 cup tahini
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
For the Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad:
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
- 2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1/3 cup raw, unsalted walnuts
- 1 bunch green kale, finely chopped, stems and ribs removed
- 8 ounces Brussels sprouts, thinly shredded, stems removed
- 8 ounces red and green Grapes from California, sliced in half
- Freshly-grated pecorino Romano cheese, for garnish
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Instructions
For the Maple Tahini Dressing:
- In a bowl, combine the tahini, yogurt, lemon juice, maple syrup, garlic, salt and pepper. Whisk until combined, taste for seasoning and adjust with salt, pepper and lemon juice as desired. Cover and refrigerate up to 5 days.
For the Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad:
- In a bowl, combine the chicken breasts, 2 tablespoons avocado oil, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Toss everything to coat, cover and refrigerate 1 hour to overnight.
- Preheat your grill or oven to 450F. If using a gas or charcoal grill, setup a two-zone fire with medium heat on one side.
- In a bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, 2 tablespoons avocado oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper and toss to coat. Transfer the sweet potatoes to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, arrange in a single layer, and place on the indirect-heat side of the grill or in the oven. Cook, tossing halfway, until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender and golden brown, around 20 minutes total. Around 5 minutes before the sweet potatoes are finished cooking, add the walnuts to the sheet pan and let them toast until golden. Remove the sheet pan from the grill and set aside.
- Meanwhile, place the chicken onto the direct-heat side of the grill, or a grill pan over medium heat, and cook, flipping halfway, until grill marks form and the thickest part of the breast registers 160F, around 14 minutes total. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let them rest 8 minutes before thinly slicing.
- Add the kale to a large bowl and pour in the Maple Tahini dressing. Using your hands, massage the kale for 2 minutes until it is completely soft and well coated in the dressing. Add the Brussels sprouts, green and red Grapes from California, roasted sweet potatoes and toasted walnuts. Toss everything to coat and transfer onto individual serving plates. Garnish with freshly-grated pecorino cheese and top with the sliced chicken breast. Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil and serve.
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About the Author
Hi, i’m Ronny! In 2013, after a lifetime of struggling with my weight and body issues, I rehabilitated my relationship with food, lost over 40 pounds and completely changed my life.
Delicious and nutritious ❤️
The whole family loved this recipe! My 9 year old son asked to take the leftovers to school today. Thank you!
This salad is seriously amazing! It’s a staple in our house.