Food Recipes Make-Ahead Holiday Salad 4.6 (5) 1 Reviews With just a little know-how the result of a kale salad can be tender, not aggressively, well, leaf-like. Plus, it's the perfect green to help you get ahead of the game with a make-ahead dish. Both kale and Brussels sprouts stand up to the test of time and hold dressing well for much longer than the standard salad can, making this make-ahead salad, the smartest item on your holiday menu. Massaging the kale leaves well with the dressing allows the leaves to soften and tenderize—the key is to not be shy and just get your hands in there. The bowl is full of gorgeous colors: There are red kale leaves, green Brussels sprouts, golden croutons, and jewel-toned pomegranate seeds. All together this salad is a gorgeous feast for the eyes, inviting eaters to dig in. It’s all tossed with a sweet-tart Dijon mustard vinaigrette, whose sharp flavor plays off the buttery herb croutons. P.S. You can use green kale leaves if you can’t find red. By Ananda Eidelstein Ananda Eidelstein Instagram Website Ananda Eidelstein is a vegetable-loving food writer, recipe developer, and editor. She is the former Senior Food Editor at REAL SIMPLE magazine. Prior to writing and editing feature stories, having her own monthly vegetarian column, and developing over 300 recipes during her time at RS, she was the Assistant Food Editor at Rachael Ray Every Day. She has also gained experience in the test kitchens of Martha Stewart's Living, and Saveur magazines, in catering, TV, and a Michelin-starred restaurant in New York City. Ananda is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute, now known as the International Culinary Center, with nearly a decade of culinary and food media experience. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on October 18, 2018 Print Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Greg DuPree Hands On Time: 20 mins Total Time: 30 mins Yield: 8 Ingredients 1 cup hazelnuts ¼ cup white balsamic or white wine vinegar 2 tablespoons honey 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ½ cup olive oil 1 large bunch red kale, ribs removed, leaves torn into bite-size pieces (about 10 cups) 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and shredded in a food processor (about 6 cups) 1 cup pomegranate seeds 2 cups Butter-and-Herb Croutons Directions Preheat oven to 350°F. Roast hazelnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet until golden brown and fragrant, 8 to 12 minutes. Let cool. Rub hazelnuts between your fingers to loosen skins; discard skins (some will stick—that’s OK). Transfer hazelnuts to a cutting board and roughly chop; set aside. Whisk vinegar, honey, salt, mustard, and pepper in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in oil. Toss kale and Brussels sprouts with ¼ cup dressing in a large bowl. Using your hands, massage dressing into kale mixture until leaves are slightly softened and shiny, about 2 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes. Add pomegranate seeds and remaining dressing and toss to combine. Serve immediately or refrigerate overnight. Just before serving, add croutons and hazelnuts and toss to combine. Print