Sometimes I wish I had a magic wand, so I could wave it and make everyone love kale as much as I do. Lucky for me, I think I came up with a recipe to make a kale lover out of just about anyone! I originally got the idea for this salad during a magnificent dinner I had in Miami during Art Basel. Since then, I’ve been slowly recreating and perfecting this salad and today I got it just right.
Taking hearty lacinato (dinosaur) kale and making it melt in your mouth is normally quite the task! But it can be easy, all you need is a food processor, a few minutes to prepare some simple ingredients and voila! Every flavor profile is represented in this recipe – sweet, salty, sour, astringent, bitter, and pungent. In Ayurvedic medicine, they believe that having each taste in a meal acts as a beneficial digestive component leaving your body completely nourished and satisfied. So that’s why it’s no surprise that I feel great after eating this salad.
- 1 bunch of lacinato or dinosaur kale, stems removed, rinsed and patted dry
- ⅓ cup currants (or chopped raisins)
- juice of one lemon
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- 1 tsp local honey
- ½ cup pine nuts toasted
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 tbsp grated raw parmesan cheese
- In a food processor, process kale into small chopped pieces
- To make dressing, stir lemon juice, olive oil, honey, salt and pepper together in a large bowl
- Add chopped kale, currants, pine nuts and parmesan to bowl with dressing
- Stir all ingredients together and serve
- (Optional - Save some pine nuts and/or parmesan cheese for top of salad before serving for presentation purposes)
Kale is a superfood ingredient that has completely transformed my health and my life. I hope you’ll try this recipe to unlock the magic and experience the powers of this amazing plant for yourself and for the ones you love.
Enjoy!
Food Babe
P.S. What’s your favorite Kale recipe? Share with me and others in the comments below or on facebook 🙂
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I made this tonight, and added dried cranberries– absolutely delicious! THANK YOU!!
Yum!
So good, can’t stop eating this salad, I also used dried cranberries. I think I have a kale addiction!!
This salad is delicious. I made it three times last week. I just sent it to a few friends that asked me for the recipe after I brought it to a party. Everyone loved it! Thanks for the great recipe.
Thanks for sharing the recipe. So glad you liked it!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! I made it last night and I was nervous that it wouldn’t taste good, but my husband and I gobbled it up! I was looking for a way to get him to eat kale (I have been putting it in my green smoothies) and this is perfect. Thank you, thank you, thank you
Yay!!!
CAN YOU USE OTHER GREENS?
Sure! I think it would be great with spinach, arugula or swiss chard…
I make one similar! Here it is.
1 bunch kale, ribs removed and chopped small. (I’ve always used a chefs knife)
1/2c dried apricots, chopped
1/2c raw almonds, chopped
Zest of one Meyer lemon
1/4c olive oil
1/4c apple cider vinegar
1rounded T Dijon mustard
1rounded T local, raw honey
S&P to taste
Mix all ingredients from olive oil down in a jar and shake vigorously, pour over top 4 ingredients and toss. Set in fridge for 2-24 hours and enjoy.
Sounds delicious!
Adapted from Paleo Comfort Foods cookbook1 bunch kale, ashed, dried and removed from stems. Chop fine Place in large bowl
4 radishes in cubes
2 organic celery stalks, cut in small pieces
1 C red cabbage, chopped
1 C carrots, small pieces
1 bunch cilantro (can use mint, parsley)
1 pkg or 1/2 Cup sun dried tomatoes, softened in warm water, drained and cut into small pieces
1/2 Cup raw pecans, in pieces and roasted
1 Granny Smith apple, cut in bite sized pieces (sprinkle with lemon juice)
Sometimes I use pineapple chunks with unsweetened coconut strips
Mix it all up then add
1/4C lemon or lime juice into 1/4 C olive oil ( I put it into a jar and shake it up)NO SWEETENER of ANY kind
Toss into salad, be sure it isn’t drenched in dressing
Put in fridge 10-21 mins before serving
This salad can have MANY other ingredients of your choice , baby bok, green onions, dried cranberries…whatever.
I add leftover chicken or fish and make a meal of it.
Lots of people seem to love it, so hope you do too
Thank you!
I love kale, buy some every single week and try to put it into everything I possibly can. I think my favorite use is in soup! I can’t wait to try this salad, thanks for the recipe!
NYTimes ran a very similar recipe a couple of years back, I could eat it everyday.
Bought the ingredients (all organic, local honey) to make your kale salad tonight – can’t WAIT to try it!!!
Let us know how you like it…
This is absolutely delicious! Made it tonight and cannot believe how flavorful it is. Thank you so much for sharing: I had been looking for a new way to eat kale and this is definitely it!!! 🙂
yay!
Thank you for the food processor suggestion. I love kale and make kale salad a couple of times per week (sometimes more) and I never thought to break it down in that way. So, I now have one more tool in my “change the world one kale salad at a time” belt!
It is a great way to do it!
Why do you use a food processor rather than just chopping the kale? I don’t have one and was wondering if there was a specific reason.
She really likes the texture that the food processor gives it – seems to make it more tender but you can totally chop it by hand if you want to.
I tried your recipe using kale as a salad for the 1st time (been using it in a green smoothie before) and it was delicious. Thanks for the tip.
Food Babe is converting lots of people into Kale Lovers! I love it…
Is t teaspoon or tablespoon should specify
Hi Julie – the recipe says tsp for teaspoon and tbsp for tablespoon.
Do you have any nutritional facts on this recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Ayurvedic medicine (also called Ayurveda) is one of the world’s oldest medical systems. It originated in India and has evolved there over thousands of years. In the United States, Ayurvedic medicine is considered complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)—more specifically, a CAM whole medical system. Many therapies used in Ayurvedic medicine are also used on their own as CAM—for example, herbs, massage, and specialized diets. This fact sheet provides a general overview of Ayurvedic medicine and suggests sources for additional information.:^.`
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we have made this salad 3 times now since it was posted — & I fall in love with kale all over again every time. A couple add-ins that we loved: avocado (when it gets mixed up well, it gives the dressing a lovely creamier texture) and shredded grilled chicken.
So glad you love it! Your add-ins sound great!
I love kale and toss it into foods whenever I can (pastas, soups, stews, etc.) as well as saute on it’s own, or add to smoothies. I do prefer dinosaur kale over curly kale, but will take what I can get. I think I’ll try to grow lacinato in the fall.
This does sound good, you seem have a nack for making anything sound good Vani, thanks to you I have gotten over my hesitation towards vegetables, and am really loving them instead of tolerating them. I will try this very soon!
Bet you will like it! Let us know.
Wow… I am trying this. I can not get my family to even try kale.
Hope they like it! Don’t give up…
I made it. I added sunflower kernals and eliminated the cheese. I am trying to go dairy free. Everyone ate it…. YEAH
amazing!
It took everything I had to not eat this entire recipe in one sitting. 🙂
You are too cute! I know what you mean…
Me too! Thinking of adding some spinach too. I bought the organic baby kale and it went so fast once I cut it up.
I am stunned! Made this tonight and was really doubtful as I chopped the Kale given the smell was a little too “healthy”. We never had Kale before but once it all got put together we loved the taste. I also used cranberries in place of currants.
That is so great to hear! I love it when that happens….
I love love kale and can’t wait to try this recipe. We planted a bunch of lacinato kale in our garden this year and I am so excited about this recipe! It looks/sounds great. Thank you!
I just made this (used cranberries instead of currants). It is sooo good! Thank you for all the great recipes on your site.
What a great recipe– this is just the second time I’ve tried kale and it was wonderful. Look forward to trying more of your recipes.
AHHH the kale salad from The Forge!! My favorite!
I have never tried anything with raw kale that I liked. This however, is delish! I made a bunch and chowed down! Thanks so much for a great recipe!
Fabulous!
I make a similar salad:- I chop Brussels sprouts and mix with the kale; slivered almonds, dried cranberries. Dressing: equal parts lemon juice / olive oil, a shallot and salt/pepper to taste. Every time I serve it, everyone wants the recipe!
That sounds amazing!
Made this tonight and it was AMAZING! My 4 year old and 2 year old each had 4 helpings of it, so that says something! Thanks for sharing. We will be making this again and again.
That says EVERYTHING! Awesome!
I’m absolutely in love with kale. I use a similar recipe but add diced garlic and ginger to the olive oil and lemon mixture. I also use dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds and top with avocado. I make a big batch and keep it in the fridge…tastes even better the next day. Can’t get enough.
Loved this so much. The leftovers stay crunchy and are
just as wonderful. Made it with Manchego cheese. Heaven!
I made this salad and loved it. I did not have raisins on hand so substituted dried cranberries. This salad will now be a standard in my repertoire! Healthy and delicious, happy the entire family loved it as well.
I love a kale recipe I found online it is steamed kale, avocado, cucumber, feta, quinoa, red onion in a dressing of olive oil, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. So Delicious and full of super foods 🙂
my favourite is a salad from Planet Organic Store in Canada called ‘Hail to the Kale’:
http://www.planetorganic.ca/goodfood/recipecorner/salad/hail-the-kale-salad
It makes a huge amount and lasts for three days easily in fridge;)
My Kale recipe is: 1 cup green lentils
Mushrooms (Any kind)
Onions
Baby Kale (whole package)
Asparagus
Red or green pepper
Fresh Pepper and any spices you like
Enough water for a soup (5-7 cups)
Boil for all ingredients for 30 minutes. So easy to make.
I was cooking dinner for a guy I’ve been seeing for the last few months for the first time and made this to start off the meal. When I tasted it to make sure it came out alright, I was BLOWN away by the flavor! It really does melt in your mouth! I was so excited by how tasty it came out that it made me even more excited for my guy to try it. He loved this salad so much that he asked for the recipe and even made it for us a couple of days later when he cooked for me! The next time I make this salad, I’m definitely doubling the recipe. There wasn’t enough of this deliciousness from the servings suggested through here. But I highly, highly recommend this salad to anyone who’s trying to eat more kale, or just looking for an amazing salad to add to their meals! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Great story!
I have made this salad a few times now, and every time I make it people go nuts. One time I had some peaches so I sliced them up into small pieces and added them to the salad. EXCELLENT results. Keep rockin Vani!
Made this tonight but with dried cherries. Delicious! Even my 3 (almost 4) year old niece ate it!
Yay!
I was very skeptical of this salad, but it was terrific! The dressing is light and the salad improves as it sits. I made some Saturday, at a lot of it, and then took the rest to work for lunch today. YUM!
Thanks for letting us know – so happy you liked it!
Can I make this kale salad without having a food processor? Thanks!
Sure Sheila- just chop it really fine. To make it tender, you can squeeze a little lemon juice over it and massage the leaves with your hands (it is really fun) for a few minutes before adding dressing. It will still be delicious!
I made this recipe with curly kale! It worked out very well and tasty!!
I love your blog and have learned so much. I must say I was very sceptical about kale as I have never had it before. I made this last week and could not stop eating it. So yummy! Plan on making it again tonight as I have been craving it all weekend. Never would have guessed I would eat kale and like it. Now if only I could get my husband on board!
Awesome!
I am curious to know what restaurant in Miami? I am always looking for healthy places to eat. Thanks!
Hi Kristen – https://foodbabe.com/2012/12/11/memorable-meals-in-miami/
I LOVE kale on homemade pizza! Its delicious 🙂
Made this Friday night for company that doesn’t eat whole foods. (It was their first time to every try kale). Used the chopped raisins. So good. It was definitely a hit! This salad made enough for 4 adults to have it as a side dish with leftovers. YUM!
That is great to hear! 🙂
I want to try this salad so bad!
Can you please tell me where does Vani get her raw parmesan. I checked everywhere and cannot find it. My local Whole Foods carries only raw mozzarella, but is not certified Organic. Could you please post a website where I can buy raw-organic feta / parmesan.
Thank you!
Hi Sully – here we can usually find it at Whole Foods, Earthfare or Healthy Home Market. You can probably get your Whole Foods to get some for you. But, you can always use regular parmesan. Vani just eats raw cheese whenever possible…
Made this for my girls(age 16,17) and didn’t know they were bringing friends home from school so, we all ate this with your veggie burgers. Wasn’t sure what the friends would think but next time they came over, they asked my daughter, “does your mom have any of that salad”? They loved it!
Great story!!! You know it is a hit when teenagers like it. 🙂
I just now made this salad! It is so delicious! All ingredients used were from organic sources. Olive oil from Spain was used also. I learned how to toast the raw pine nuts from a YouTube video and those turned out perfectly. I might add a touch of hot peppers next time and experiment a bit.
Just wanted to let you know I appreciate these great recipes and ideas!!
If I cut out deep fried food for good and replace it with something healthier will I lose weight naturally?
YESS! My doctor sugggested I watch the movie Forks Over Knives (www.forksoverknives.com) in January, 2013. I did and started eating whole plant-based foods only (no animal products) and I have lost 32 pounds with NO effort. That isn’t the best part, I have more energy and feel better than I ever have! I was on statins for high cholesterol and stomach meds for almost 20 years. One month after I began this life changing way of eating my doctor took me off both medications. I recommend this way of eating to everyone! Try it for one month, the worst thing that will happen is you’ll lose weight and feel amazing!!
I had printed this recipe and had it posted on my fridge. Last night I made it for the first time (was waiting to have pine nuts handy). WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG ! This is my new favorite food. I absolutely love it, and it is GREAT for you ! Try it, try it Sam I Am !! Thanks so much for sharing wonderful recipes with us Food Babe ! Next on my list is your quoina masala burgers !
Hi there, This looks great. I would like to do a slaw and add some purple cabbage to the recipe. I just opened an ice cream and coffee shop/cafe, and would like to sell this as one of my packaged “to-go” items. How long would you say it is good for? I just found this site today (Thanks to Marie Forleo!). I’m super excited to explore and learn more. Thanks!