This kale salad recipe makes use of lemon, Parmesan, and garlic to make a contemporary, flavor-packed facet that stays crisp for hours and pairs with virtually any meal!
There’s a model of kale salad that turned me right into a believer on this leafy inexperienced: and it’s this one. It’s brilliant, lemony, a little bit salty from Parmesan, with simply sufficient garlic to make it fascinating. Each time I make it, I can’t cease consuming it!
What makes it so scrumptious is the dressing: kale doesn’t want one thing thick or creamy. The dressing is a lemon ahead, olive oil French dressing that additionally tenderizes the uncooked kale on the similar time. I’ve served this simple salad to so many individuals and so they at all times say one thing like: “That is the perfect kale salad ever! Who knew that consuming uncooked kale might style so good?“
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Daring, scrumptious taste: The mix of lemon, garlic, and Parmesan makes consuming kale style like a deal with
- Quick prep time: It takes about quarter-hour with no prepare dinner time required
- Simply adaptable: Swap in feta, add chickpeas, toss in dried cranberries or toasted almonds: it’s simple to make it your personal
5-Star Reader Evaluations
“Beloved this! So refreshing and clear. I added asiago cheese ribbons and pine nuts! So yummy!” -Nancy
“Made it with curly kale and it was so scrumptious. Even my self-proclaimed kale-haters loved it — already acquired extra kale!” -Dee Anne
Elements Wanted
Right here’s what goes into this kale salad recipe, plus a number of notes on every:
- Tuscan kale: That is my favourite kind for uncooked kale salads due to its extra gentle taste; search for it labeled as Lacinato or dinosaur kale (see under for extra on kale varieties).
- Garlic: Only a small quantity goes a good distance right here
- Olive oil: The bottom of the French dressing
- Contemporary lemon juice: A contemporary lemon is a should right here for taste; keep away from bottled juice
- Parmesan cheese: Use freshly grated if you happen to can. You may also use Pecorino Romano for a sharper, saltier notice, or dietary yeast for a vegan possibility
- Crimson pepper flakes: Only a pinch provides a complexity in taste with out an excessive amount of warmth
Greatest Kind of Kale to Use
There are a number of forms of kale you will discover on the grocery retailer. Most mainstream groceries carry each Tuscan kale and curly kale, present in massive bunches within the produce part. The very best kind for this kale salad recipe is Tuscan kale. It has a milder, sweeter taste and is extra suited to a salad the place you’re consuming the kale uncooked. If you happen to can’t discover it, curly kale works too! Right here’s the distinction between the varieties:
- Tuscan kale (additionally known as Lacinato kale or dinosaur kale) has darkish inexperienced, flat leaves with a scaly sample on the leaves, therefore the dinosaur reference. Its taste is milder and barely sweeter than its curly cousin, and it has a young texture that makes it extra nice to eat uncooked.
- Curly kale is brighter inexperienced and really curly. Its uncooked taste is a bit more bitter and spicy, however it may possibly nonetheless work on this salad because of the energy of the flavors within the dressing.
For extra on the best way to reduce kale, like destemming and chopping ideas, I’ve a devoted information.
Tips on how to Make Kale Salad
Uncooked kale can style fairly bitter, however add a taste popping Italian-style French dressing of lemon, Parmesan cheese, and garlic, and the kale mellows to meld superbly with the opposite flavors. The sturdy texture additionally holds up effectively in a salad and gives an additional crunch when consuming. Listed below are the essential steps to make this kale salad (or skip to the recipe):
1. Prep the kale. Wash and dry the kale utilizing a salad spinner (any water will dilute the dressing). Take away the robust stems by folding every leaf and pulling or slicing them off, then roughly chop the leaves into bite-sized items.
2. Make the garlic paste. This step helps to combine the garlic into the dressing. Peel and mince the garlic clove, then sprinkle it with kosher salt. Maintain the blunt fringe of your knife and use the sharp edge to scrape and press the garlic throughout the chopping board, working it right into a clean paste.
3. Construct the dressing. Whisk the paste with olive oil, contemporary lemon juice, purple pepper flakes, and contemporary floor black pepper. Then stir within the freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
4. Toss and end. Add the chopped kale to a bowl, pour within the dressing, and toss effectively. Garnish with extra lemon zest.
Professional Tip: If you happen to let the salad relaxation 3–5 minutes to relaxation earlier than serving, the lemon juice will tenderize the kale leaves and the flavors come collectively much more!
Make It Your Personal
This salad is very easy to customise! Listed below are a number of concepts to attempt:
- Add protein: Toss in roasted chickpeas for plant-based protein, or high with grilled hen, sauteed shrimp, or baked salmon to make it a full meal
- Add crunch: High with toasted almonds, sunflower seeds, or pecans
- Swap the cheese: Strive feta or goat cheese as an alternative of Parmesan for a special spin
- Add sweetness: Add dried cranberries or a handful of sliced apple or pomegranate seeds. For this variation I’d omit the garlic!
- Make it vegan: Omit the Parmesan and swap in dietary yeast or a drizzle of tahini for additional savory taste
Tips on how to Serve It
This kale salad is basic and the proper inexperienced salad to pair with for all kinds of dinner recipes. It goes notably effectively with Italian recipes, but it surely actually pairs effectively with something! It really works in fall, winter, spring or anytime. Listed below are a number of dinner recipes we’d pair it with:
- Pizza like Margherita pizza or these pizza recipes
- Soups like bean soup, chickpea soup, lentil soup, purple lentil soup, or white bean soup
- Pasta like vegetarian lasagna, burrata pasta, or truffle mac and cheese
- Vegetarian mains like eggplant Parmesan or eggplant rollatini
- Seafood like shrimp scampi, baked tilapia, baked fish, or pecan crusted salmon
- Hen like hen rice soup or Mediterranean hen
- Vacation tables like for Christmas or Thanksgiving: it seems to be lovely and holds up effectively on a buffet
Storing Leftovers
Most inexperienced salads don’t sore effectively, however dressed kale really holds up fairly effectively within the fridge. The leaves don’t wilt the spinach or blended greens do. You’ll be able to retailer dressed greens hermetic within the fridge for as much as 2 days.
For greatest outcomes with meal prep, retailer the chopped kale and the dressing individually. Each will preserve for as much as 3 days. Toss when able to serve.
Dietary Notes
This kale salad recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan, plant-based and dairy-free, omit the cheese.
Ceaselessly Requested Questions
Kale is likely one of the most nutrient-dense greens you may eat. It’s a very good supply of vitamin C, vitamin Okay, and beta-carotene, together with a strong quantity of fiber (see Advantages of Kale). It makes use of heart-healthy olive oil, and it’s low in saturated fats, cholesterol-free, and comparatively low in carbohydrates.
All the time wash kale earlier than utilizing it: lemon juice doesn’t sanitize produce. Give the leaves a rinse beneath chilly water and dry them effectively in a salad spinner earlier than chopping. Extra water dilutes the dressing and makes the salad soggy.
Do-it-yourself wins and it solely takes about 2 minutes. The garlic paste has a depth of taste no bottled salad dressing can replicate. If you happen to want a shortcut, search for a good-quality lemon French dressing or a light-weight Italian dressing. A creamy Caesar additionally works effectively — see my Kale Caesar Salad for that variation.
Be sure that to take away the stems of the kale, and don’t over-massage the leaves which may make them mushy. For this recipe, the lemon juice does the tenderizing work: belief it, and resist the urge to overwork the leaves.
Kale Salad
This easy and vibrant kale salad will change into your go-to! Juicy lemon, salty Parmesan, and a contact of garlic cowl the tender leaves for a refreshing, flavor-packed chunk.
- Prep Time: quarter-hour
- Cook dinner Time: 0 minutes
- Whole Time: quarter-hour
- Yield: 3 to 4 modest servings 1x
- Class: Salad
- Technique: Uncooked
- Delicacies: Italian
Elements
- 1 massive bunch Tuscan kale (about 8 ounces)*
- 1 very small or 1/2 medium garlic clove
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lemon (3 to 4 tablespoons juice, plus zest)
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ⅛ teaspoon purple pepper flakes
- Contemporary floor black pepper
- Do-it-yourself croutons (elective)
Directions
- Wash and dry the kale. Then destem and roughly chop the kale leaves.
- Peel and mince the garlic clove. Sprinkle it with the kosher salt, then holding the blunt fringe of the knife, scrape the sharp fringe of the blade over the minced garlic, holding the knife at an angle and mashing the garlic right into a paste.
- Place the paste in a medium bowl. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, purple pepper flakes, and contemporary floor black pepper, and whisk to mix. Add the Parmesan cheese and stir to mix.
- Toss the dressing with the kale leaves. Serve topped with lemon zest (and extra Parmesan cheese, if desired). If desired, serve with do-it-yourself croutons.
Notes
Kale selection: Tuscan kale (Lacinato/dinosaur kale) is good for uncooked kale salads: its taste is milder and its texture is extra tender. Curly kale works too; simply give it an additional minute of hands-on massaging with the dressing earlier than serving.
Make forward: Retailer the dressing and chopped kale individually within the fridge for as much as 3 days. Already-dressed salad retains for as much as 2 days in an hermetic container.
For vegan/dairy-free: Omit the Parmesan and substitute a sprinkle of dietary yeast if desired.
Yield notice: This recipe makes a reasonable facet salad for 4. Double it if feeding hungry eaters or serving as a most important.
Tailored from 101 Cookbooks
