Brussels Sprout & Kale Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette by Natalie

One of my favorite things to eat is a great big salad with a lot going on. I like a lot of texture, a lot of flavors, a lot of temperatures—I’m a little high maintenance when it comes to salad.

Sometimes salads like these require a lot of prep work, but the good news is that you usually end up with a lot of leftover toppings to easily throw salads together later in the week. Leftovers are my jam, so that part makes me super happy.

Throughout this season, we’ll be sharing more salads with you that are perfect for hot summer nights. I have two more in the works, and I tried to cut down on the amount of prep work so you could make these on a Tuesday. (You’re welcome!)

This first one was inspired by a vegetarian salad I ate at a local restaurant that featured roasted Brussels sprouts, lots of fruit, and the best strawberry vinaigrette I’ve ever had.

I can’t wait to show you!

 
 

There are a few little components that need some prepping, but it all goes very quickly. Pinky promise.

Because it’s probably 100+ degrees where you are, I won’t ask you to turn on your oven. But if you’d like to roast these sprouts instead of toasting them in a pan, go for it!

 
 

Here’s my favorite part. I love this strawberry vinaigrette! It’s a snap to throw together and you can use a blender if you don’t have a food processor.

If you’ve got really sweet strawberries, you can hold off on the honey and only add it if you need it at the end.

 
 

It’s also the prettiest vinaigrette, right? That pink is so summery. Love it.

You can make the dressing a few hours ahead of time or even the day before. I wouldn’t do it much earlier than that.

 
 

Now, just gather the rest of the toppings: blueberries, grapes, feta, cucumbers, and dried cranberries. You’re almost done!

To make the candied almonds, just put the almonds in a skillet with some sweetener (I like to use maple) and a pinch of salt and cook them, stirring occasionally, until they’re fragrant and start to clump together. I love making candied nuts and you can use whatever kind of nut you want. Pecans are amazing, too.

 
 

Grab your salad greens and start sprinkling those toppings! I love making salad bar-type dinners for us. It’s a great way to clean out the leftover bits out of the produce drawer, and my kids can customize their bowls however they want.

 
 

If you haven’t already slurped up that dressing with a straw or bathed in it, drizzle it allll over that salad. And then drizzle some more.

 
 

Normally I like a little protein in salads like these, but this salad is so hearty, you won’t even miss it!

 
 

I love the contrast of bitter Brussels sporuts and kale with all of the fruit in this salad! And the strawberry-basil vinaigrette just takes it to another level. It’s perfect for the summer!