If you’re in the market for a simple, hearty, and really tasty salad that can last in your fridge for a couple of days, you’re going to love this Kale Salad Recipe!
There’s so much to love about this salad! Let me tell you alllll about it!
- The grains make this salad especially hearty, so it can easily be a meal on its own.
- With only 5 ingredients (6 if you include butter to make the grains) this salad is simple and comes together quick!
- Kale lasts in the fridge for a couple of days. This means this salad the perfect lunch or dinner recipe to prep the night before and enjoy throughout the week.
- It’s versatile. Add edamame, swap out farrow for grains, throw a fried egg or two on top, just to name a few. Click here for more ideas and inspiration for how else you can make this delish kale salad.
- Packed with lots of nutrients, this salad is super healthy!
- It’s the perfect Winter salad or salad to incorporate into your holiday menus.
- This is a great recipe to have your kids help out with or even be in charge of making from start to finish. Here are a few ideas:
- Prepare kale – tear, rinse, use salad spinner
- Measure out ingredients
- Mix salad
PSA: Massage Your Kale (yes, massage)
Whenever I would tell my Grandma about a recipe or cook for her, she would always ask, “there isn’t kale in it, is there?”
To which I always replied, “nope”.
And she would always follow up with, “good!”
Although this was a genuine question turned joke between the two of us, she never came around to liking kale, and I have a theory: she never had kale properly prepared. In other words, she never had kale that was massaged before she ate it.
Yes, you are read that right. Once you massage kale (which only takes 1-2 minutes), it turns into a truly delicious foundation for your salad. And it’s also really healthy for you!
Can I get a kale yeah?!
So, if you have yet to use kale in a salad instead of lettuce or arugula, try massaging it. Because I’m telling ya, it’s a game-changer when you can have a homemade salad in your fridge for a couple of days that doesn’t get soggy!
Click here for step-by-step instructions on how to massage your kale
Ingredients for Kale Salad
- 1 bunch kale, massaged (don’t know what I mean by “massaged”? Click here.)
- 3-5 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/4 cup Trader Joe’s Harvest Blend (you’ll need 1 Tbsp butter for this)
- 1 cup Parmesan Cheese
- 1 – 4 oz bag Dried Cherries
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Pro tips: To minimize dishes and mess, I like to prepare my salad in the container I’m storing it in. Also, I’ve found using a rectangular dish makes a better salad than a bowl, where more of the ingredients fall to the bottom.
Step 1: Prepare grains per instructions on bag.
Step 2: Tear kale off stem and into about 1 inch pieces. Wash and rise using a salad spinner.
Step 3: Place kale into rectangular dish or shallow bowl. Drizzle 2-3 Tbsp olive oil on top and massage kale – Don’t skip this step!
To massage your kale, grab large handfuls of kale and squish it (like your kneading it or when you get your blood drawn and they tell you to make a fist and squeeze). Very soon you’ll feel the kale break down and feel soft instead of stiff.
Do this until kale feels soft and turns a deeper shade of green, 1-2 minutes. This is where the magic happens and kale is transformed into a delicious salad ingredient!
Step 4: Sprinkle salt, stirring as you go. I prefer this salad to be on the salt side, so I am pretty heavy handed.
Step 5: Add dried cherries and parmesan.
Step 6: By now, the grains should be done. Do not add grains to salad while they’re still hot or warm. I prefer to spread them out on a plate until they have cooled, then add to salad.
Recipe card for Kale Salad
Kale Salad with Grains, Parmesan, and Dried Cherries
If you're in the market for a simple, hearty, and really tasty salad that can last in your fridge for a couple of days, you're going to love this Kale Salad Recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 bunch kale, massaged (don't know what I mean by "massaged"? Click here.)
- 3-5 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/4 cup Trader Joe's Harvest Blend (you'll need 1 Tbsp butter for this)
- 1 cup Parmesan Cheese
- 1 - 4 oz bag Dried Cherries
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Prepare grains per instructions on bag.
- Tear kale off stem and into about 1 inch pieces. Wash and rise using a salad spinner.
- Place kale into rectangular dish or shallow bowl. Drizzle 2-3 Tbsp olive oil on top and massage kale - Don't skip this step!To massage your kale, grab large handfuls of kale and squish it. Very soon you'll feel the kale break down and feel soft instead of stiff. Do this until kale feels soft and turns a deeper shade of green, 1-2 minutes.
- Sprinkle salt, stirring as you go. I prefer this salad to be on the salt side, so I am pretty heavy handed.
- Add dried cherries and parmesan.
- By now, the grains should be done. Do not add grains to salad while they're still hot or warm. I prefer to spread them out on a plate until they have cooled, then add to salad and enjoy!
Notes
- Be sure you massage your kale - do not skip this step!
- The grains and parmesan can sometimes soak up the oil, leaving this salad tasting dry. If you run into this, simply add a little more olive oil to it!
- Kale holds up well in the fridge, so this salad can be enjoyed over the course of a few days.
If your salad tastes a little dry…
The grains and parmesan can sometimes soak up the oil, leaving this salad tasting dry. If you run into this, simply add a little more olive oil to it!
Optional Ingredient Variations and Additions For Kale Salad
- Nutritional yeast (or swap out for parmesan)
- Homemade bacon bits
- Edamame
- Breaded chicken
- Croutons (if you haven’t made them from scratch, it’s too easy! And the best if you use sourdough bread)
- Grated beet
- Goat cheese
- Basil
- Blueberries
Pin this post so you can make it again and again!
I hope you love this recipe as much as I do!
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