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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Raw Kale + Red Quinoa
Brussels‌ sprouts / dry cherries / pinenuts / meyer lemon
Had this salad in a restaurant and loved it. It’s similar to yours. What adjustments/portions would you suggest to add the following ingredients to your recipe.
Red quinoa
Brussels spouts
Dry cherries
Hope this recipe will change my mind about kale!
I’m just trying this for the first time. I’m so glad I gave this a try! I’ve never tried kale and when I was chopping it in the food processor, I was a bit skeptical because it smelled like grass (haha!) but it is sooooo good! I love it! Thank you thank you thank you! Yummm
I clicked on this because I am always looking for new ways to prepare kale. We planted it in our garden for the 1st time this past spring and it is a prolific producer. I’ve frozen it; I’ve canned it; I’ve given a lot away and we eat it every other day and I’ve still got a lot of it out in the garden even though it’s November in Michigan.
But I always at least blanche it. In Sally Fallon’s book, Nourishing Traditions, page 386, she says, “Kale and related greens should always be eaten cooked–but not over cooked–so that the oxalic acid they contain is neutralized.” On page 366 she states “Beet greens, spinach and chard contain oxalic acid that blocks calcium and iron absorption and irritates the mouth and intestinal tract.” The last sentence in that paragraph states “Spinach and cabbage are popular salad foods but should be eaten raw only occasionally.”
I eat kale in green smoothies and I always eat it raw. Kale is a superfood. I’ve seen the massaged kale recipes but was always afraid to try them. I will try this one. I also eat a lot of raw spinach and chard raw in smoothies. I have never heard that these foods need to be cooked first. Raw foodists would disagree.
The raw foodists need more education.
Deborah is correct. Raw Kale can cause kidney stones.
http://health.usnews.com/health-conditions/urology/kidney-stones/prevention
“Many people who stay well hydrated and eat a balanced diet will not develop a kidney stone. Others who have one or more risk factors for kidney stones must actively control their diet to prevent kidney stones. In particular, people who have had a kidney stone will most likely form additional stones unless preventive measures are taken.”
-Quoted from the intro of the linked article above, it sounds like the kidney stone issue is for those with one or more risk factors for kidney stones (not detailed in article) or those with previous history of kidney stones. So not a general warning to all.
This sounds just like a recipe I use for kale salad. the only thing i do differently is i soak the currents in balsamic vinegar for a few hours before adding them to the salad. And i don’t use honey…although i’m sure its delicious. Super yum! (I’m usually liking my bowl clean. LOL)
To my KALE Salad I love to add some finely cut Red Cabbage….it adds a little crunch to the salad AND it’s a beautiful COLOR addition to the lovely dark green Kale!
Dried Cranberries also add color AND a little sweetness also.
I will have to try this, yum! Both my kids (1.5 and 7) love kale, usually just steamed with some earth balance but also in Kale and White bean soup. My 7 year old also likes to eat it plain as a side or on a sandwich.
We like a breakfast meal we make with baby kale, lean ground beef and egg substitue or egg whites. Brown 2-3 oz of lean ground beef or bison. In the same pan add a bunch of baby kale and saute until the kale softens. Add eggs and mix until cooked. Doesn’t look pretty but tastes great and is very satisfying.
My first experience with kale was juicing it, then I felt bad about discarding all that Kale, then I started mixing it in a blender with a bit of water, then adding it to whatever mix I made made on my juicer. It neutralizes a lot the sweetness in some of them.
Now my kids love it on sandwiches, potato salad, tuna salad (along with tiny cut onions, tomato and celery)..
My next kale recipe that I will try will be this one you posted, oh, and kale chips on the oven.
Kid and husband friendly… I love kale too…
I’m looking forward to making this! Mostly all I have time for is kale in a smoothie. And to think kale was just a garnish to so many for so long! 😛
My favorite Kale salad that even my steak and butter loving husband will eat until the bowl is empty:
(I typically eyeball the ingredients and it depends on how many people I’m serving)
Kale (curly or lacinato, chopped fine)
Black Beans
Feta
Dressing:
olive oil
fresh lemon juice
sea salt
pepper
SO easy to make, my kids love it too. 🙂
That salad looks great! We will be trying it. My husband and I have a cleansing/ anti-inflammatory smoothy many mornings alongside our eggs: In my Ninja blender I mix 2c water, 1 apple, 2 c baby kale, 1 cucumber, 1Tb cinnamon, 1tsp turmeric and a few grinds of black pepper until it is very smooth. This serves 2 people. It’s energizing, tasty and refreshing. We also enjoy chopped kale steamed in organic apple cider vinegar with garlic, sea salt and pepper.
I’ve read a few articles that argue for or against raw kale. Some say raw is best for fighting cancer while steamed is best for heart disease. Perhaps doing it both ways a couple of times throughout the week is the best bet. ( :
WOW! This salad is fantastic. I love the vibrant burst of flavors. I substituted toasted sliced almonds for the pine nuts, because I had them on hand. I substituted pomegranate seeds for the currants because I saw pomegranates at the market. I can’t believe how easy and delicious this salad is. I can’t wait to make it again. And I am sure it will be the hit of the next potluck I am invited to!
OMG! Just made this salad for lunch and it is seriously one of the most delicious salads I have ever had!!! THANK YOU for the fabulous recipe!!!
Wow! Made this tonight and it was amazing! I’m not even a kale fan and I loved it!
I am in LOVE with this salad. I tried to eat kale while pregnant and vowed to never touch it again… it did not agree with me. I took your challenge and I LOVED it. Thanks for this recipe… I always want to have these things on hand now!
So good! My 6 year old asked for thirds! 😉 I told him we had to save some for his dad though. Will definitely make this again.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! I can’t wait to try it and hopefully transform some non-kale eaters into kale lovers. (I also LOVE that you include a photo on your recipe for printing! I’ve been compiling some real food recipes for my family, and I always have to cut and paste the photos, so thanks for already including a photo with yours!)
First I cut up 6 to 8 slices of bacon into tiny pieces and fry. Then toss in my kale and cook until done. Yum!
This sounds delish! Very similar to a salad I had at 25 degrees in Huntington Beach. It was one of the tastiest salads I’ve ever had. It was kale, currants, pine nuts, bacon, parmesan, and vinaigrette with some breadcrumbs sprinkled on top!
I love using a tough of Braggs liquid aminos with Braggs apple cider vinegar for an asian inspired dressing on any salad, especially kale. LMK if you agree.
Kale, chopped and massaged with lemon juice and olive oil. Add avocado, dried cranberries, sliced fresh mango, and roasted pumpkin seed. Make dressing of lemon juice, olive oil, and honey.
we add one diced apple to this same mixture and a touch of garlic
Massaged kale, shredded carrots, dried cranberries & chopped almonds with a fresh-made sesame ginger vinaigrette.
Gonna try yours next!
kale salad is the best. We make it with soy sauce, scallions, garlic, fresh lemon and pink salt; I have also added to it toasted sesame oil and asian pear. it’s always delicious, and even my kids will make it on their own for something to eat
I tried collards for the first time earlier this year and wound up planting some in the backyard garden. A few months ago I tried kale for the first time, and now it’s also on my ‘veggie list’, and destined to be in the garden next year.
Looks like another delicious recipe to try using Kale. My kids actual ask for Kale Chips all the time and they are so easy to make. Maybe I’ll introduce this at Thanksgiving dinner 🙂
Yummy. Thanks, Food Babe. I like to add a little cayenne, tomato and avacado to this mix…and sometimes some almonds….
I love Kale too.. I do enjoy it raw, much better than cooked. I did the same thing , went to a restarunt and had this great kale salad.. my recipe follows….
1 bunch of your favorite kale greens you can tear in pieces or pulse in food proccessor
half red bell pepper chopped and seeded
2 Tblesp of toasted sesame oil preferred.. {can use olive oil}
juice of 1 whole lime
1 tblsp of braggs liquid amino acids or 1 1/2 tsp soy sauce{ to taste}
1Tblsp granulated garlic powder
pinch of cayenne pepper
Wash kale and pat dry or put in salad spinner to remove excess water
mix kale and all the ingredients very well, allow to sit in fridge overnight or at
least 8 hours.. if you want it really marinated..
This is my favorite way to eat kale, it is good with hot dogs and burgers or a side dish for any meal.
let me know what you think if you try it.
thanks
Looks great, but I think I would sub dried cranberries for the raisins / currants & maybe hand chop it. Whole foods sells a salad similar to this & it’s really good too.
Just made this salad and it was absolutely delish !!! Hubby enjoyed it very much too.
Thank you for all your work, help and advice – Your energy is fabulously inspiring!!!
A fellow world changer,
Sxx
Hi…I’ve been checking out food processors/blenders & so hard to know which is “the best” to buy…what do you recommend??
I use the Vitamix. It was expensive, but it gets the job done. Good investment if you are going to use it a lot. I’ve heard there is something called a Ninja that is similar and a lot less expensive, but I haven’t heard any reviews.
Hi…since asking about which processor/blender you recommended I clicked on the food processor link you shared in the above recipe…I checked out the reviews & it has mostly bad reviews with a “rating” of only about 2.5 out of 5….is there a different one you can recommend that would have better reviews? Thanks!!
Made this last night and loved it! I used a whole bag of Tuscan kale from Trader Joes. I added some garlic to the dressing and extra honey and olive oil. I also used more currants and cheese.
I’ve had similar recipes, but this one is the best so far! Even better the next day once it has a chance to marinate.
I tried this twice now, the first time, the juice of a whole lemon was too much for me to handle, but I’ve made it a 2nd time now with 1/2 lemon juice and I am loving it! What else can you add to this to make it a complete meal?
You can add cooked chicken breast. I make it a meal In a bowl……
Delicious! I left out the currants and doubled the honey to make up for it, it was fantastic!
I have had a hard time loving kale raw until this recipe! It is perfect! Thank you so much for this.
I make a very similar salad but have made adjustments for cost. I use sunflower seeds instead of pine nuts and golden raisins in place of currants. I also use some oj in the dressing and crumbled goat cheese instead of parmesan. My son told me to add the dressing and mix well about 15 min prior to eating. Citrus bruises the kale making it more tender.
I was very skeptical about this recipe, specifically the food processor chopping part. However, to date, FoodBabe.com recipes have yet to steer me in the wrong direction. Once again, I was very happy with the results! Awesome recipe! Super delicious!!! And, I’m a bit of a food snob:)
Where do you get your cheese?
Just made this and my 13 yr LOVED it! She wants me to pack it in her lunch tomorrow! YEAH…she never wants salad in her lunch. My husband and I loved it also. Thank you.
I made this exactly as you presented it. It was fantastic, and will make it again with some of the variations mentioned in the comments!
Made this last night for dinner and my parents just LOVED it!! Never thought my dad would enjoy kale and now he can’t get enough when I make it! Had some leftover and am having it for lunch today! So good!!
Will kale cause a bitter taste in my mouth?
Since a friend shared it on facebook, I’m eating the salad almost every day, I’m taking it to parties and picnics (maybe also because kale grows like crazy in our garden 🙂
We absolutely love this salad!!! My favorite!!
Hi, I am not crazy about any of the Kale salads I have made including this. I have tried many. I finally was told by a friend to simply use Kale, garlic and olive oil. So I chopped the kale in a food processor (just chopped) added garlic, olive oil and threw in some toasted pine nuts. Simple and the best Kale salad I have had so far!
oh my gosh – MUST try this!! Just looking at it is making my mouth water – thank you!!
I make a dressing of equal parts of olive oil, lemon or lime juice and honey. Sometimes I add fresh grated ginger or crushed garlic to the dressing. I shake it up really good and let the flavors blend while I chop the kale. Then I massage the chopped kale with the dressing. I usually let it sit in the fridge overnight. Before I serve I add in cranberries and walnuts and serve with fresh goat cheese. Everyone that has tried it has been a kale convert. Even my picky husband and all my kids.
OMG!!! This is amazing!!! Thank you so much for sharing!!!
I love to check out your thoughts and recipes!
I agree with the comment that the food processor was an unexpected instruction. The fact is that I have never used a food processor for this recipe. Really, it’s not necessary, unless you want to process the stems, which I simply discard. Key benefit: don’t have to clean up the processor…
However, it’s an important comment, also made among the comments, that kale likes to be dressed in advance. If you haven’t tried it, do. Give the salad AT LEAST 20 minutes or even an hour dressed before serving. You will see a beautiful color change and fantastic flavor change.
Thanks for this great recipe. I leave out the cranberries and have a salad with three dry ingredients (kale, parm. and pine nuts) and three dressing ingredients ( oil, lemon and honey). Simple is always best, and you’ve given us a great one to work with. Thanks!
Kale Waldorf Salad
4 c finely packed chopped dinosaur kale
1 large red apple – Honeycrisp or Fuji, chopped and divided
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 c walnuts, toasted and chopped, divided
1/4 c plus 2 T raisins, divided
2 T Dijon mustard
2 T water
1 T red wine vinegar
1/8 t sea salt
Place kale in a large bowl. Add 1/2 of the apple chunks, all of celery, 1/4 c walnuts and 1/4 c. raisins. Put remaining apple in food processor along with 1/4 c. walnuts and 2 T raisins, mustard, water, vinegar and salt. Puree until well combined and slightly thick. Add more water if needed to thin. Pour dressing over kale salad and toss to combine. GREAT! 4-6 servings