- Calories
- 220
- Protein
- 8g
- Fiber
- 5g
- Sat. fat
- 3g
- Sodium
- 320mg
- Added sugar
- 2g
What this recipe does for you.
Kale salad that eats tender and mild instead of tough and bitter: the kale is massaged with lemon, oil and salt until it softens, then tossed with parmesan, toasted seeds and a lemon dressing. Naturally high-fiber.
Why this works
Every recipe on this site ships with an explanation of the technique decisions, why sear then braise, why the acid goes in at the end, why the fat renders before the aromatics. The method below is those decisions, in order.
Ingredients
Serves 4- 1 large bunchkale · stems removed, torn, about 8 cups
- 1lemon · juiced, divided
- 3 tbspextra-virgin olive oil · divided
- 1/2 tspkosher salt
- 1/3 cupgrated parmesan
- 1/4 cuppumpkin or sunflower seeds · toasted
- 1 clovegarlic · grated
- 1 tspDijon mustard
- 1/4 tspblack pepper
Method
Strip the tough stems
Kale stems are fibrous and stay tough no matter what you do, so pull the leaves off the central rib and discard the stems, or save them for a stock. Tear the leaves into bite-size pieces. This is the unglamorous prep that makes the salad pleasant to eat.
Massage the kale, this is the whole recipe
Add a little lemon juice, olive oil and salt to the torn leaves and scrunch and massage them with your hands for a minute or two. The leaves darken, soften and shrink as the acid and salt break down the tough cell walls. Raw un-massaged kale is chewy and bitter; massaged kale is tender and sweet.
Use lacinato kale if you can
Lacinato, also called dinosaur or cavolo nero, is flatter, more tender and less bitter than curly kale, and it massages beautifully. Curly kale works too and holds dressing well in its ruffles, it just needs a slightly more vigorous massage.
Toast the seeds for crunch and flavour
Toast pumpkin or sunflower seeds in a dry pan until they pop and smell nutty. Toasting wakes up their flavour and adds a crucial crunch against the soft leaves. Toasted nuts work too, but seeds keep it nut-free.
Parmesan and a sharp lemon dressing
Grated parmesan brings salt and savour, and a bright lemon-Dijon dressing ties it together. Kale can take an assertive dressing without wilting, so do not be shy. Taste and adjust, it usually wants more lemon and salt than a lettuce salad would.
It gets better as it sits
Unlike lettuce salads, a dressed kale salad improves over a few hours and holds for a day in the fridge as the leaves continue to soften. That makes it a rare salad you can actually meal prep. Add the seeds just before serving so they stay crunchy.
Variations
Substitutions and adaptations land with the photography shoot. The method holds across most reasonable swaps.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 to 4 days, sealed. Freezer: up to 3 months. Reheat covered to retain moisture.
Frequently asked
- Why do I need to massage kale?
- Raw kale is tough, fibrous and bitter. Massaging it with a little acid, oil and salt physically breaks down the cell walls, so the leaves soften, darken and turn sweeter and more tender in a minute or two. It is the single step that turns kale from a chore into a pleasure to eat.
- What kind of kale is best for salad?
- Lacinato kale, also sold as dinosaur kale or cavolo nero, is the most tender and least bitter, and it massages down beautifully. Curly kale also works and holds dressing well in its ruffled edges, it just needs a slightly firmer massage.
- How long does kale salad keep?
- Because massaged kale is sturdier than lettuce, a dressed kale salad keeps well for a day, sometimes two, in the fridge and actually improves as it sits. Keep any nuts or seeds separate and add them just before serving so they stay crunchy.
- How do I make it vegan?
- Skip the parmesan or use a vegan hard cheese, and add a spoon of nutritional yeast to the dressing for a savoury, cheesy note. The seeds, kale and lemon dressing are already plant-based.
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