Kale Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
Ok, ok, I’ll admit it…I hopped on the Kale bandwagon. While I don’t like it in everything, I have realized the value of it as a salad green. It adds flavor and can stand up to a vinaigrette without getting soggy and wilted. So there you go, I said it. I like Kale. I think you will too if you try this recipe. I would recommend a curly variety of Kale for this recipe. We used the red (aka purple) variety, but the green would work too. I find that the curly varieties have a better texture for this salad, than the Dino Kale.
There aren’t too many ingredients in this delicious salad, which is another reason it has become one of our go-tos.
Cut the center rib off the kale. Trust me on this one, you do NOT want to eat that part! It’s hard and chewy and not tasty at all. You can put it in your compost bin, throw it in the trash, just don’t eat it! I know it seems like a lame extra step to cut the leaves off that center rib, but please just do it.
Just do it!
Chop the kale leaves finely and put in a large bowl- you’re going to be tossing the salad with the vinaigrette in this bowl, so choose wisely 😉 Add a finely chopped scallion to a smaller jar or bowl that can also hold liquid. Add the lemon juice, olive oil and Riesling vinegar to that container.
I’d like to take a minute to talk about Riesling vinegar. We discovered this vinegar at a little shop called Home Remedy in Seattle a while back and fell in love with it! It has a nice sweetness that pairs beautifully with the lemon in this vinaigrette. You can also find it on Amazon. If you don’t want to purchase this vinegar, you can substitute Champagne Vinegar.
Once all of the ingredients are added to the bowl or jar, mix until the oil incorporates. I like using a jar for this because I can just pop the lid on and shake it.
Add the mixed dressing, walnut and Pecorino cheese to the bowl with the kale in it and toss. At this point, you can cover the salad and store on the fridge or serve it up. I’ve made this salad on a Sunday and brought it for lunch up until Wednesday and it still holds up!
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Ingredients
- 1 bunch of curly Kale
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons Riesling Vinegar (or Champagne Vinegar)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup finely shredded Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Finely chop the Kale and put in a large bowl.
- Add the Shallot, lemon juice, vinegar, and olive oil to a jar or small bowl. Whisk in the bowl (or vigorously shake in the jar) to combine.
- Add the dressing, Pecorino Romano cheese, and walnuts to the large bowl.
- Toss to combine.
- Stored covered in the fridge, this salad should last about 3 days.