My Favorite Kale Salad
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Easy but takes some timeMy Favorite Kale Salad
I found this recipe by Sarah Jampel in my Bon Appetit feed and was intrigued. It included a lot of my favorite ingredients: French or beluga lentils, massaged kale, feta cheese, toasted almonds and Castelvetrano green olives. It also 300+ awesome ratings. I had to try it.
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My husband rated it in the top 10 salads I have ever made and I agree. It is a sturdy salad that can be eaten for a few days, so feel free to increase the quantities. You will be sad when you take the last bite. I love it the next morning for breakfast with an egg on top. It is also great with a little grilled chicken. I've also taken it on an airplane for a healthy in-the-air meal. Bottom line -- give this healthy and addictively delicious salad a try.I Simplified the Recipe Considerably
As amazing as this kale salad recipe is, the original instructions were a bit confusing, tending to jump back and forth between steps. The comments on the original recipe repeatedly mention the confusing format. I've rewritten the instructions and simplified them considerably. Even without the simplified instructions, I'd say the salad is so good that it is worth plunging in and making. I do make a few ingredient changes, but the essence of this kale salad recipe is true to the way Sarah Jampel wrote it. It is simply a genius combination of flavors and textures.Massaged Kale Salad
I learned to massage kale years ago. Massaging kale magically transforms kale from a difficult-to-eat roughage into a silky, edible green. This recipe just uses kosher salt to massage the kale, but you can also massage kale with olive oil, lemon juice or even some avocado. Check out my other massaged kale salad recipes at the bottom of this article.
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Use Tuscan, also called Dinosaur kale, for this salad and not curly kale. The Tuscan kale is better for massaging. While there are a lot of gadgets on the market for removing kale spines, the easiest way is to use your fingers. Simply grab the spine at the base of the leaf with one hand and pull the leaf off with the other hand.French de Puy or Beluga Lentils & Chicken Broth
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Either French de Puy green lentils or black Beluga lentils are a must for this kale salad. They are smaller, firmer, tastier and hold their shape better than traditional lentils. You can buy both French de Puy and Beluga lentils on Amazon. Once you try them you will see why they are so important. I cook them with minced shallots in chicken broth for added flavor. My favorite chicken broth is Zoup chicken broth, either their plain broth or the bone broth.Feta
Feta is made from a variety of milks including cow, sheep and goat. There are also different styles of feta depending on the country -- Greek, Danish, Bulgarian, Australian, but my favorite is French feta. French feta is made from 100% sheep milk and is very creamy and less salty than Greek feta. I recommend experimenting with different types to find your favorite. I also recommend buying it in slabs in a tub of brine as opposed to crumbled or in dry packs. The brine intensifies the flavor and extends shelf life.Castelvetrano Olives
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No other olives compare to these amazing Sicilian olives. Castelvetrano olives are bright, buttery, crisp and delicious. Do not substitute other olives in this salad. Buy pitted Castelvetrano olives for this kale salad and save yourself the extra step of pitting them. PrintMy Favorite Kale Salad
This addictive massaged kale salad created by Sarah Jampel will last for several days in the fridge and is great for packing a lunch. Make a big batch and enjoy for multiple meals.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad for dinner
- Cuisine: New American
Ingredients
Scale
For the lentils:
- Splash of olive oil
- 1 shallot, finely minced
- 1 cup French de Puy lentils or black Beluga lentils, rinsed
- 1 quart chicken stock
For the kale:
- 10 –12 ounces Tuscan or dinosaur kale (2 bunches)
- Generous pinch of kosher salt (I prefer Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt)
For the dressing and almonds:
- 3 – 4 green onions, sliced white parts separated from green
- 4 large garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 4 strips of lemon peel from a single lemon, reserving the lemon to juice later
- 1/2 cup good olive oil
- 1 cup blanched, slivered almond
- 1 T whole cumin seeds
- 1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes
For the salad:
- Green onion slices (reserved from the dressing)
- 5 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 cup green pitted Castelvetrano olives, roughly chopped
- Lemon juice from one lemon (reserved from peeled lemon used in dressing)
Instructions
For the lentils:
- Put a splash of olive oil in the bottom of a 2 – 3 quart sauce pan and heat on medium heat. Add minced shallots and cook for 2 – 3 minutes until shallots soften. Add lentils and cook for another 2 – 3 minutes, stirring.
- Add 1 quart of chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cook until lentils are al dente, firm, but cooked through. Check the package for times, but usually lentils are done in 20 -25 minutes. You may need to add a splash of additional stock or water if the pot starts to go dry. Drain cooked lentils of any remaining liquid and set aside.
For the kale:
- Remove the spines of the kale with your fingers. You can roast these spines for snacks if you wish or discard. My dogs happen to love kale spines and they pester me for them while I make the salad. After you remove the spines, gather the kale into a bunch and chop it with a large knife until the kale is in 1 – 2″ pieces.
- Place kale into a large bowl with a generous pinch of kosher salt (meaning about 1/2 t) and begin massaging it. Grab handfuls of kale and roll it around between your fingers until the kale darkens in color and becomes smooth and silky. This will take a couple minutes. Set aside.
For the dressing and toppings:
- Put the white slices of the green onion, the smashed garlic and the lemon peel in a skillet. Add the olive oil and turn the heat on medium, cooking for a few minutes until the garlic begins to color and the lemon slices curl.
- Add the sliced almonds and cook another 2 – 3 minutes until the almonds begin to brown, stirring to prevent burning. Remove from heat and add cumin seeds and red pepper flakes, stirring to combine. The hot oil will bloom the spices and release their flavors.
- Let cool a couple minutes then strain the almond and garlic mixture from the oil, reserving the oil for the dressing. Spread the almond mixture on a paper towel-lined plate and season with a good pinch of kosher salt. The almonds will become crunchy as they cool.
- Squeeze the lemon juice into the seasoned olive oil and whisk together.
For the salad:
- Combine the lentils, massaged kale, sliced green onions, seasoned almonds, feta cheese and dressing in a large bowl, tossing with your hands. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
I do not recommend substituting traditional lentils, curly kale or other olives. Beluga and French de Puy lentils are smaller, firmer and tastier. When massaged, curly kale will not achieve the same silkiness as Tuscan kale and there is not a good substitute for Castelvetrano olives. The bright flavor of these intensely green olives are key to this salad.
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