Description
A massively crunchy, nutrient-packed salad loaded with shredded kale, raw broccoli, Brussels sprouts, red cabbage, and carrots. All tossed in a bright lemon-ginger dressing with toasted almonds and sunflower seeds.
Ingredients
- 3 cups lacinato or curly kale, stems removed and finely shredded
- 2 cups raw broccoli florets, finely chopped into small pieces
- 2 cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 2 cups red cabbage, finely shredded
- 1 cup carrots, shredded (about 2 medium carrots)
- ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup raw or toasted almonds, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup roasted sunflower seeds
- LEMON GINGER DRESSING:
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1½ lemons)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
1. Use a food processor fitted with a shredding disc to process kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, red cabbage, and carrots in batches. Alternatively, slice everything as finely as possible by hand with a sharp knife — uniform thin shreds absorb the dressing evenly and stay easy to eat with a fork.
2. Transfer shredded kale to a very large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with a tiny pinch of salt and massage firmly with both hands for 30–60 seconds until the kale darkens in color, reduces in volume, and feels noticeably more tender. This step transforms raw kale from bitter and tough into pleasant and salad-ready — do not skip it.
3. Add shredded broccoli, Brussels sprouts, red cabbage, carrots, and chopped parsley to the massaged kale. Toss everything together until the colors distribute evenly throughout the bowl.
4. Whisk together olive oil, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, grated ginger, apple cider vinegar, honey, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until the dressing emulsifies into a smooth, cohesive consistency. Taste and adjust — more lemon for brightness, more honey to balance tartness, more ginger for intensity.
5. Pour the dressing over the vegetable mixture and toss thoroughly with tongs or two large spoons until every shred glistens with dressing. Let the dressed salad rest 15–20 minutes before serving — the vegetables soften slightly and absorb the dressing for a more cohesive, flavorful result.
6. Add chopped almonds and sunflower seeds and toss once more. Serve immediately, or refrigerate and add nuts and seeds right before each individual serving throughout the week to keep them crunchy.
Notes
MASSAGE THE KALE — THIS IS NON-NEGOTIABLE: Sixty seconds of firm hand-massaging turns tough, bitter raw kale into tender, salad-ready greens. Skipping this step produces an unpleasant texture that makes people dislike kale unnecessarily.
FOOD PROCESSOR SHORTCUT: A food processor with a shredding disc processes all vegetables in under 5 minutes. This is the single biggest time-saver in the whole recipe — worth using if you have one.
NUTS GO IN LAST: Always add almonds and sunflower seeds to each individual serving right before eating, not to the full stored batch. Nuts turn soggy within hours in a dressed salad.
FRESH LEMON ONLY: The dressing’s brightness depends on fresh lemon juice and zest. Bottled lemon juice is flat and slightly bitter. The 90 seconds it takes to squeeze a fresh lemon makes a real difference here.
STORAGE: The dressed salad (without nuts) keeps 4–5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. The flavor genuinely improves on day two and three as the dressing penetrates deeper into the vegetables.
ADD PROTEIN: One can of drained chickpeas, a soft-boiled egg, or grilled chicken strips turn this into a complete meal that satisfies for hours.
- Prep Time: 20
- Category: Salad, Side Dish
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 2 cups
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 0mg