This light, flavorful kale salad is tasty and easy to make as a quick lunch or the perfect leafy green complement to any meal.
Kale is a superfood that I love incorporating into my diet. From baked kale chips to banana berry kale smoothies, I can’t get enough! I like to buy big bags of pre-washed, chopped kale from the grocery store during cold months so that I always have kale on hand. However for these salads, I recommend fresh Lacinato kale (which usually isn’t found pre-bagged).
Ingredients
- Kale: I love to use the large leaves, Lacinato or tuscan kale for salads. But you could use any type of kale, including curly or baby kale.
- Lemon juice: Makes kale more tender for a softer bite. The acidity breaks down the cellulose in kale, which gives it its tough, chewy structure.
- Olive oil: Chock full of antioxidants and healthy fat, olive oil is the perfect foundational ingredient for the kale salad dressing.
- Parmigiano reggiano: Adds a bold, cheesy flavor. Parmigiano reggiano is only made in Italy, whereas regular parmesan cheese can be made anywhere. Grab some from your local grocery store!
How to Wash Leafy Greens
Step 1. First, soak your greens in a large bowl of cold water.
Step 2. Lift the greens up and out of the water, allowing the dirty water to fall back into the bowl. Kale can have a lot of dirt on it, especially if you’re pulling it from your garden.
Step 3. Then roll the kale into paper towels and store them in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it. Remember, the key to eating your greens is making it easy for you to use throughout the week.
Step 4. To move forward with the salad, I chop and shred not only the leaves but the stems as well. The stems are packed with nutrients. To do this, mince the stems finely and then fold the leaves together and use a knife to cut them into slices. Rotate the slices and chop them in the other direction to make small pieces.
How to Make a Kale Salad
Step 1. Take a medium to large sized bowl and add the Dijon mustard.
Step 2. Then, using a microplane, grate and add the parmigiano reggiano to the bowl, along with olive oil.
Step 3. Add the lemon juice to the bowl (I like to use a handheld juicer), along with a drizzle of honey if you like it slightly sweet.
Step 4. Season with salt and pepper to taste and whisk the dressing all together.
Step 5. Then add the chopped kale to the bowl with the dressing, along with another drizzle of olive oil to coat the leaves.
Step 6. Next, use your hands to massage the lemon juice, olive oil, parmigiano and seasoning into the kale leaves. The acidity of the lemon juice acts as a tenderizer, making the kale more digestible and a softer bite.
Finally, let the salad sit for a bit, one hour at most, at room temperature. Before serving, season it with more salt, pepper, and cheese, then enjoy your Kale Salad!
More Salad Recipes
- Kale Salad with Toasted Nuts and Feta
- Strawberry Kale Salad with Walnuts
- Traditional Greek Salad
- Middle Eastern Syrian Salad
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Ingredients
Video
Instructions
- Remove thick stems from kale and finely shred before placing in a bowl.
- Top shredded kale with lemon juice and olive oil; toss well. Feel free to use hands to massage lemon/olive oil into the kale leaves – the acid in the lemon acts as a tenderizer.
- Let sit for one hour at room temperature.
- Before serving, season with salt, pepper and grated parmigiano reggiano.
Liz’s Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
I only use fresh lemon juice for kale salad. If you don’t have fresh lemons and don’t want to use bottled lemon juice, you can substitute rice vinegar in this recipe.
You can add fresh walnuts, strawberries and nuts. Check out more of my kale salad recipes, like this strawberry kale salad with walnuts, for inspiration.
Kale salad will last for seven days when you store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I recommend storing the salad dressing separately.
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