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.
[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]
Table of contents
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.
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.
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.
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
- Panko Chicken
- Panko Tofu (just don't add soy sauce to it)
- Instant Pot Fish, from frozen
- Air Fryer Salmon
- Christmas Dinner for One
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
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.
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.
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.
Other good holiday side dish recipes
- Warm Kale Salad
- 'Roasted' Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Brussels Sprout and Potato Au Gratin
- Roasted Potatoes and Beets
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.
- Kale: Warm Kale Salad, or this Apple Omelet with Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- Brussels sprouts: One Pan Maple Bacon Chicken and Brussels sprouts, Sheet Pan Salmon with Maple Mustard Brussels Sprouts
- Apple: Kale, Apple, and Pecan Salad, Pan Fried Pork Chops with Apples
- Cabbage: Rainbow Coleslaw, Soy Sauce Coleslaw, and Cupbob Copycat Beef Bulgogi Bowl.
- Pomegranate aerils: Top your Gingerbread Cake with them.
Did you make this kale apple slaw? Leave me a comment & rating to share how it turned out!
Holiday Kale Apple Slaw with Pomegranate for One
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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Jessica Formicola says
Oh my goodness, this is such a festive dish! And I love how easy it is to make!
Rebecca says
totally is!
Tara says
What a beautiful kale slaw! So perfect for the holidays. I love those colors and how easily it comes together.
Rebecca says
thanks! it's so perfect for the holidays
Claudia Lamascolo says
This was the perfect addition to compliment the slaw one of our favorite side dishes now! thanks
Rebecca says
great to hear
Sisley White says
This is so fresh and fruity. I love the taste. It's so lovely to have a health fresh slaw to go with meals.
Rebecca says
great to hear!
rika says
I love the color, perfect for Christmas! My husband is a big fan of kale salad, he is going to love this.
Rebecca says
yay!