Description
Inspired by one of my favorite salads at Two Hands restaurant in Austin and NYC, this green salad is the perfect kick-off into the spring season or whenever you need a little reset from a festive weekend.
Packed with vitamin-dense and fiber-rich greens, healthy fats from the seeds and avocado, and protein from the hummus and seeds, this salad as a total energy bomb and will leave you satisfied for hours. The combination of the raw kale and Brussels sprouts with the slightly charred broccolini creates an addictive contrast that takes this salad to the next level.
While there’s nothing like homemade hummus, you can absolutely save some time by using your favorite store-bought hummus here!
Ingredients
Salad:
- 8 oz. broccolini (about 2 cups), bottom inch of stems removed
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 tsp salt, divided
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 4 cups (1 bunch) curly kale, thick stems removed, leaves shredded or finely chopped
- 10 oz. (about 2 cups) Brussels sprouts, shaved or shredded (Trader Joe’s sells these pre-shredded!)
- 1 cup sunflower seeds
- 1 cup hummus (store bought or homemade → homemade recipe below)
- 1 1/2 cups ripe avocado (about 2 avocados), sliced or diced
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
Salad dressing:
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Bake the Broccolini: Preheat the oven to 450F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Place broccolini in an even layer on the sheet pan, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until lightly charred and dark green, but not yet soft. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Meanwhile, assemble the salad:
- [Kale is extremely fibrous and can be tough to chew so I always recommend “massaging” the kale when eating it raw. Massaging helps tenderize the leaves and makes for a much more pleasant eating experience and easier digestion!] Place kale in a large salad bowl and add 1 tbsp olive oil and ½ tsp salt. Using your (clean!) hands, massage the kale by pinching and squeezing it for about 3 minutes. It will turn a darker green and will be visibly softened and tender.
- Add in the shredded Brussels sprouts, broccolini, and sunflower seeds.
- Make and add the salad dressing: In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until well combined and slightly thickened. Taste and adjust by adding more lemon and salt if needed. Drizzle desired amount of dressing over the salad and toss vigorously.
- Serve: Serve by spreading a ¼ cup of hummus on each plate, top with salad and ⅓ cup avocado. Sprinkle each serving with a couple teaspoons of sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Notes
OPTIONAL: Basic Hummus Recipe (yields about 2 cups)
Ingredients:
- 1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup tahini
- 3 tbsp lemon juice, plus more to taste (about 1 lemon)
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 3 tbsp water
- 3 tbsp olive oil
Instructions:
- Combine all ingredients except for the olive oil in a food processor or blender, and blend until smooth. With the processor running on medium speed, slowly drizzle in the olive oil.
- Taste and adjust, adding more lemon for acidity and salt if needed.
