29/04/2024

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Holiday Kale Apple Slaw for One

Holiday Kale Apple Slaw for One

Kale apple slaw for one (or a crowd!) is a great addition to your Christmas Dinner for One. This recipe takes just 10 minutes, and is bursting with crunch and flavor thanks to an apple cider vinaigrette + pomegranates and apples.

kale slaw with apples and pomegranates with ingredients surrounding it

[This recipe was originally posted in December 2020. It has been updated with cooking instructions, expert tips, FAQ, related recipes, and ways to repurpose/use up ingredients]

I love how versatile this kale apple slaw with pomegranates is.

It’s a great side dish for a simple solo dinner or to take to a holiday party (it’s easy to double or triple), it makes for an easy weeknight dinner with a pork chop or pulled pork, or just a simple side salad for another main.

It’s quick, full of great texture from the veggies in it, has lots of flavor from the dressing, pomegranate aerils, and parmesan cheese.

Make this salad even easier with premade coleslaw and pomegranate aerils instead of a whole pomegranate.

Ingredients

Scroll down to the recipe card for the amounts of each ingredient, but here’s a quick description of what’s in this recipe.

  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Apple cider vinegar: or you can use any vinegar, but it adds a nice tartness to your salad
  • Maple syrup
  • Kale
  • Apple
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Green cabbage
  • Pomegranate aerils: I’ve substituted dried cherries and dried cranberries in this recipe, the pomegranate is so good and adds a burst of tartness, which I really like in this kale apple slaw.
  • Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Scroll down to the recipe card for more detailed instructions. Here’s a quick overview + photos to see how to make this recipe in general.

apple cider vinegar dressing in glass bowl

First step in this kale apple slaw is to make the dressing. All you have to do is add all the dressing ingredients to a small mixing bowl: olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt. Whisk together and set aside.

hands massaging kale over a cutting board

Chop the ends off brussels sprouts, remove outer leaves. Remove kale leaves from stalk. Massage kale and rip leaves apart. Add to large mixing bowl. Thinly slice ½ in section of green cabbage and add to your large mixing bowl.

mandolin on a cutting board with brussels sprouts under

Next you’re going to thinly slice your brussels sprouts and apple. After thinly slicing apple, stack slices and cut thin matchsticks. Remove center slices with seeds. Add sliced brussels sprouts and apple to large mixing bowl.

Mix together with tongs.

Finally, you’ll add your dressing, but just to the salad that will be eaten right away. Top your kale apple slaw with pomegranate aerils and parmesan cheese to taste.

Serve with

Storage Tips

I recommend storing the ingredients separately and assemble just prior to serving your salad. You could store dressed kale, cabbage, and brussels sprouts, but the rest of the ingredients do better stored separately.

I wouldn’t recommend freezing these ingredients, but you could probably heat up the salad for leftovers, if you’d like. Add toppings after heating up the vegetables.

Substitutions/Tips

  • Massage kale to make it easier to eat.
  • Tart apples, like pink lady apples are great in this kale apple slaw.
  • Don’t have a mandolin, just thinly slice brussels sprouts and apple with your knife.
  • Refrigerate each component separately and combine ingredients for your kale apple slaw just before serving.
  • Other great add-ins: sunflower seeds, chopped nuts, pear, dried cherries or cranberries, etc.

FAQ

What is kale slaw made of?

You can add lots of ingredients to kale slaw. Kale, apples, brussels sprouts, and pomegranates in this kale apple slaw are delicious. You can add a mayonnaise or vinegar based dressing to it too.

Is there a difference between coleslaw and slaw?

Nope! Just some people refer to it as coleslaw and others as slaw or another word. It’s all the same-cabbage, other veggies, and a dressing. This kale apple slaw can be referred to as coleslaw and slaw.

What are good toppings for kale apple slaw?

Pomegranate aerils and parmesan cheese are my favorites. Dried tart fruit (like cherries or cranberries) are great, you just might need to adapt the dressing a bit. Chopped nuts are delicious on this kale apple slaw too.

holiday kale slaw with pomegranates on a table

Other good holiday side dish recipes

What to do with leftover ingredients

When you’re cooking for one, you often have leftover produce, cans of whatever ingredient, etc. Here are a couple ideas on how to use up the leftover ingredients. It’ll help you save money by wasting fewer ingredients.

Did you make this kale apple slaw? Leave me a comment & rating to share how it turned out!

square image of kale slaw with apples in a bowl

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Holiday Kale Apple Slaw with Pomegranate for One

Red and green salads are a great addition to your Christmas spread, but this super easy holiday kale apple slaw for one takes just 10 minutes, and is bursting with crunch and flavor thanks to an apple cider vinaigrette + pomegranates and apples.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Author Rebecca Clyde MS, RDN

Equipment

  • small mixing bowl

  • small whisk

  • cutting board

  • knife

  • mandoline

  • Measuring cups, spoons

  • Large mixing bowl

Ingredients

Dressing

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon maple syrup
  • pinch salt

Slaw

  • 1 large leaf kale about ½-3/4 cup
  • ¼ whole apple about ¼ cup
  • 1-2 whole brussels sprouts about ⅓-1/2 cup
  • ¼ inch section green cabbage about ½ cup
  • 2 tablespoons pomegranate aerils
  • parmesan cheese to taste

Instructions

  • Add all dressing ingredients to small mixing bowl (1 Tablespoon olive oil, ½ Tablespoons apple cider vinegar, ½ teaspoon maple syrup, and a pinch of salt). Whisk together, set aside.

  • Wash all vegetables and chop ends off 1-2 brussels sprouts, then remove outer leaves. Remove kale leaves from stalk. Massage kale by rubbing leaves between your hands. Rip leaves into small pieces, and place in large mixing bowl. Thinly slice ¼ in section of cabbage, add to large mixing bowl.

  • Using a mandolin, thinly slice brussels sprouts and ¼ apple. Put cut sides down on mandolin, and use safety holder. After thinly slicing apple, stack slices and cut thin matchsticks. Remove center slices with seeds.

  • Add sliced brussels sprouts and apple to large mixing bowl. Mix together with tongs. Add dressing just to salad that will be eaten.

  • Top with 2 Tablespoons pomegranate aerils and parmesan cheese to taste. *Refrigerate each ingredient separately and combine just before serving.

Notes

  • Massage kale to make it easier to eat.
  • Thinly slice brussels sprouts and apple with your knife if you don’t have a mandolin.
  • Refrigerate each ingredient separately and combine just before serving.
  • This salad is great even without cabbage, even though it’s less of a slaw that way. Or without the brussels sprouts. You don’t have to add all the ingredients, while I do recommend using pomegranate aerils in it.
  • You could add chopped broccoli or cauliflower to this recipe too.
  • Additional topping options: dried cherries, dried cranberries, chopped nuts, feta cheese, etc.

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Recipes are great, but you’ll need a simple 3 step process to create a meal plan that make cooking easy & helps you stop wasting food. Check out this expertly developed meal planning guide to get started.