Massaged Kale Salad with Apple
This massaged kale salad recipe is such a beautiful, nutritious side dish! With cherry tomatoes, seared asparagus, radicchio, cranberries, pepitas, crumbled blue cheese, and pretty fanned apples, your guests will be so delighted with this crunchy, sweet and savory salad!
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 94kcal
Equipment
- 1 cutting board & sharp knife
- 1 sauté pan
- 1 mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1 bunch kale - large
- 3 medium apples - any kind
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 bunch asparagus
- ½ medium radicchio
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese
- salt & pepper - a sprinkle
- apple cider vinaigrette dressing - optional
Instructions
- Slice 1 bunch of asparagus 4 inches from the tops. Keep or discard the other bottom stalks for another recipe. Sauté asparagus in a pan with 1 tbsp. olive oil for 7-10 minutes. Season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Once done, refrigerate in a covered container for 20 minutes or until cool.
- Remove leaves from kale stems and place them in a mixing bowl. Drizzle with 1 tbsp. olive oil. Use your hands to luxuriously massage kale until it feels softer.
- Slice ½ radicchio into thin strips. Mix and place kale and radicchio onto a platter.
- Slice 1 cup cherry tomatoes and thinly slice 3 small apples.
- Place cooked asparagus in groups of 3 into the kale and radicchio.
- Fan apples slightly, and place them in the salad. Add sliced cherry tomatoes, then sprinkle with ¼ cup pepitas, ¼ cup dried cranberries, and ¼ cup blue cheese crumbles on top. Drizzle with apple cider vinaigrette, or your choice of dressing, and serve.
Notes
You can prepare this salad the night before serving, as long as it's covered with cellophane, refrigerated, and not dressed until served.
To properly massage kale, simply drizzle with olive oil, and rub the leaves between your fingers until they're softer. You don't want to turn the leaves to mush, but you do want them to feel a little wilted.
See post for detailed instructions with photos of the process.
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 94kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 61mg | Potassium: 313mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 2209IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 2mg