The Cracker Barrel Sprouts and Kale salad has to be one of the best ways to enjoy leafy green kale and Brussels sprouts. Sprouts N’ Kale salad is like a coleslaw sweetened with a maple dressing, craisins, and crunchy pecans. There is no better salad to get in all of these healthy green vegetables.
If you have never tried this wonderful side dish option at the Cracker Barrel, you have missed out on a delicious fresh vegetable salad. This crunchy and sweet salad is like a coleslaw. This salad is made with fresh kale, chopped Brussels sprouts, craisins, and has a nutty flavor with the crunchy pecans. The dressing contains maple syrup for a delicious sweet sauce. It’s easy to make for a weeknight meal, everyone who tries this salad thinks it will be a big hit! Cracker Barrel Sprout and Kale salad is the perfect Brussels sprout recipe for picky eaters.
The Cracker Barrel Sprout and Kale salad is perfect for those who hate to cook! No heat ever comes into contact with anything. No need to stir fry, bake, saute, or anything. Simply chop everything up, and stir it all together. Who knew a kale recipe could be so easy?
How to prepare the kale and Brussels Sprouts
This recipe is made with fresh cufricious vegetables. Preparing the kale takes an extra step. You will want to cut the leaves away from the stems on the leaves of the kale. The stems can be a bit tough, so these are cut away, and only the more tender leaves are used. After the tender parts of the leaves are cut away from the stem, roll them up, and cut them as thinly as possible.
When it comes to chopping the Brussel Sprouts, I like to cut them in half from top to bottom, then rest the flat side down on my cutting board, and then slice horizontally so I can get the thinnest possible slices.
After all of the chopping is done, I place all of the dry ingredients in a bowl. This recipe is pretty flexible, so if your bunch of kale isn’t super large, no problem, I like to make this recipe with about 10 cups of a combination of kale and Brussel sprouts. Grab a large bowl, and add your kale, Brussel sprouts, pecans, and craisins.
Viniagrette – how to make
This salad is held together with a delightful vinaigrette. This dressing is both tart and sweet at the same time. This is the perfect addition to this salad. In fact, if you enjoy this dressing you could use it as a salad dressing. You will need:
- vegetable oil
- white vinegar
- sugar
- maple syrup
- kosher salt
- Dijion mustard
After you prepare your vinaigrette you will simply pour it over the vegetables and give it a quick stir. Soon you will have a salad that will make you proud.
Modify the Cracker Barrel Sprouts and Kale Salad at home
You could modify this recipe to make it more your own. If you want to reduce the sugar, use a flavored vinegar, or make other changes, you can do that when you make it at home. Suggested variations:
- Add 1/4 cup sliced green onion tops
- Use a Sherry flavored vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- Don’t have maple syrup on hand, you could use Mirin instead of maple syrup
- a bit of ground black pepper
- Want to reduce the amount of sugar? Reduce the number of craisins and reduce the sugar to 1/4 cup of sugar
- Swap the pinenuts for pecans
I hope you give this recipe a try, it’s even better the second day. This is the ideal dish to make ahead for the holidays or bring to a pot luck! Before you go, let me know how you enjoy fresh kale and Brussels sprouts. This salad is a great way to get in your cruciferous vegetables. Did I mention it is so delicious?
Can’t enough of the Cracker Barrel? Try some of these copycat Cracker Barrel recipes
Cracker Barrel Chocolate Pecan Pie
Cracker Barrel Campfire S’mores
Cracker Barrel Cucumbers Tomatoes and Onions
Cracker Barrel inspired pumpkin cupcakes with caramel frosting
Cracker Barrel Sprouts N Kale Salad
Ingredients
Salad ingredients
- 5 cups chopped Brussel sprouts
- 5 cups finely sliced kale
- 1/2 cup Craisins You can add more or less
- 3/4 cup pecans
Maple Vinaigrette
- 3/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup maple syrup do not use pancake syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
Equipment Needed
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Large bowl
- small bowl
- Mandoline (optional)
Instructions
Salad instructions
- Wash kale, and pat dry with a towel.
- Cut the stem and discard from each stalk of kale. The stems can be woody and tough.
- Roll leaves like a cigar, and slice the leaves as fine as you can, then give them a couple of horizontal slices to break up the long pieces.
- Wash sprouts, and pat dry. Slice of the stem end. Place the stem end down, and cut Brussel sprouts in half. Lay the flat cut of the sprout on the cutting board, and then slice as small as you can.
- In a large bowl add 5 cups of sliced kale, 5 cups of Brussel sprouts, Craisins and pecans.
Vinaigrette Instructions
- In a small bowl combine, white vinegar, vegetable oil, sugar, salt, maple syrup, and dijon mustard. Whisk until this is blended well.
- Pour well-blended dressing over vegetables, and stir well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Recipe Tips for the Cook
- addtion of 1/2 cup sliced green onion tops
- 1/4 teaspoon of liquid smoke to dressing
- toast the pecans before adding them to the salad. The flavor of toasted pecans is simply delicious
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