Garlic Lemon Parmesan Kale Salad (Printer-Friendly)
Fresh kale massaged with garlic-lemon dressing, finished with Parmesan and toasted nuts.
# What You'll Need:
→ Salad Base
01 - 1 large bunch curly kale (approximately 8 cups), stems removed and leaves chopped
02 - 1/2 cup grated or shaved Parmesan cheese
03 - 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds (optional)
→ Lemon Garlic Dressing
04 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
05 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
06 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
09 - 1 teaspoon honey or pure maple syrup
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - Place chopped kale in a large salad bowl. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and massage leaves with hands for 1-2 minutes until softened and bright green.
02 - Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in small bowl or jar until fully emulsified.
03 - Pour dressing over kale and toss thoroughly until all leaves are evenly coated.
04 - Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and pine nuts or almonds over salad. Toss lightly to distribute evenly.
05 - Serve immediately or allow to rest for 5 minutes to let flavors meld together.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The massaging trick transforms tough raw kale into something tender and almost silky
- Ready in fifteen minutes but tastes like you put way more thought into it
02 -
- Skip the massaging step and you will end up with tough bitter leaves that nobody wants to eat
- Let the dressed salad sit for five minutes before serving so the kale really drinks in the dressing
03 -
- Dry your kale thoroughly after washing or the dressing will slide right off
- Taste a leaf before serving and adjust the salt massaging can make it seem less seasoned than it is