Recipe Review 01: Andy’s Vibrant Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad
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If you’re searching for a healthy, flavour-packed salad that’s perfect for any season, well, friend, you’ve come to the right post. I recently picked up on a trending recipe by Andy Cooks—the Brussels Sprouts, Kale, and Almond Salad—and, seriously, it delivers on the hype.
I gave this recipe a try after spotting it on his YouTube channel, and it completely lived up to expectations. It's crunchy, tangy, and deeply satisfying thanks to a big hit of umami. In this post, I’ll share my honest thoughts on the original version, detail the small, delicious tweaks I made to tailor it to my taste, and explain why this is my new go-to for make-ahead lunches.
📸 The Recipe Snapshot
For those who like the quick facts, here's a glance at what you need to know before you start chopping.
Detail Your Notes
Recipe Source: Andy Cooks (YouTube)
Dish Type: Substantial Side Dish / Light Main Meal
Time to Prep/Cook: Approx. 25 minutes
Servings: 4-6 generous sides
Difficulty Level: Easy
Key Ingredient(s): Miso, Caramelized Shallots, Shredded Brussels Sprouts & Kale
🍽️ The Honest Review: Taste, Texture, and Technique
This is one of those salads that actually gets better after a day or two. As someone who searches for a hearty, “keeps well” salad for meal prep, this one is a big winner.
Taste Profile
The foundation of the salad is a satisfyingly earthy mix of shredded Brussels sprouts and kale. But what really elevates it is the lemon-miso dressing. It’s tangy from the lemon, savory and deep from the miso, and has that incredible umami backbone. It coats the greens without making them soggy, bringing brightness to the hearty vegetables. The caramelized shallots add a welcome sweetness and depth that prevents the dish from tasting strictly "healthy" in a boring way.
Texture Talk
The textural contrast here is perfect. The finely shredded greens provide a firm, almost crisp chewiness. This is perfectly balanced by the crunchy toasted almonds and the incredibly soft, almost jammy caramelized shallots. Every bite is a mix of crispy, soft, and nutty. It’s definitely not a flimsy, delicate salad—it has substance.
Technique & Practicality
The recipe is straightforward. The most time-consuming step is simply shredding the vegetables, which can be easily done using a mandoline or food processor attachment. The only technique note I have is to take your time with the shallots—properly caramelizing them is essential to the flavour profile! Overall, the process is simple and the large batch size makes the effort completely worthwhile.
👩🍳 Our Delicious Tweaks & Why We Made Them
We didn't stray too much from the original, which is a testament to how good it is. However, a couple of small additions rounded out the flavour profile perfectly.
A Dash of Heat: I added a generous grind of freshly ground black pepper to the final salad. Why? The subtle heat plays beautifully against the lemony zing of the dressing and just gives the overall flavour a bit more complexity.
Sesame Seed Sprinkles: Since the miso already brings that fantastic, deep, savoury flavour, I finished the dish with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. Even though the almonds are there for crunch, the sesame seeds add another layer of nutty depth and make the whole thing feel just a bit more complete and balanced.
Swap cooking the onions first, instead of the almonds: In Andy’s recipe, he cooks the almonds first, and then uses the same pan for the shallots. Instead, I cooked the onions first and then toasted the almonds in the same pan, so they absorbed any salt and onion flavour from the pan!
Future Idea: Extra Shallots! While the recipe called for shallots, I truly think this salad would be even better with more of the caramelized goodness. Next time, I plan to double the shallot quantity for an even richer, sweeter foundation. Also to note: I live in the Caribbean and it’s difficult to get shallots here, so I’m using small, local, yellow onions. I think you can use any onion here. Use purple onion for a little extra sweetness and colour.
⭐ The Verdict: Would We Make It Again?
Recipe Scorecard
Category
Ease of Execution
Flavor & Balance
"Wow" Factor
Value (Time/Cost)
Overall Score
Our Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4.5
The Final Word: Yes!
Yes! We would absolutely make this again. This salad is a winner—it's nutritious, keeps well in the fridge, and has an incredible umami-rich flavour that ensures you won't get bored eating it throughout the week. If you're looking for a substantial side or a make-ahead lunch, this one is worth adding to your kitchen lineup.
What should we review next?
Kale & Brussels Sprouts Salad
Adapted from Andy Cook's Brussels Sprouts, Kale & Almond Salad
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced* see note
- 1/2 cup almonds, rough chop
- 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
- 6 tbsp (3 fl oz) olive oil
- 1 bag of Brussels sprouts, sliced very thin (can use a mandoline or send through a food processor on the shred wheel)
- ½ bunch kale, finely sliced
- 1/4 extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp miso
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Salt, to taste
- Fresh ground pepper
Instructions
Notes
Shallots are what the recipe calls for, but feel free to try red onion or yellow.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
415Fat
36 gSat. Fat
4 gCarbs
20 gFiber
8 gNet carbs
11 gSugar
5 gProtein
10 gSodium
398 mgCholesterol
0 mgMy nutritional notes are a guestimation. Use with caution
