Kale Pomegranate Salad
on Nov 08, 2021, Updated Mar 20, 2024
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I have completely turned a new leaf 🥬 and have become a lover of kale. If you aren’t a fan of kale, this Kale Pomegranate Salad recipe may just change your mind forever! I’ve tried so many kale recipes and this is the one that won me over. The game changers? Good quality 🫒 olive oil, sweet and tart dried cranberries and a massage treatment for the kale which results in the most tender bite. Trust me on this one and make it immediately.
Why You’ll Love Kale Pomegranate Salad
I all but guarantee that even the biggest kale skeptics out there will love this one. Thanks to my foolproof massaging technique, the 🥬 kale is soft and tender, and doesn’t feel hardy at all! The kale is perfectly matched with crisp, thinly sliced 🍐 pear, tart cranberries and crunchy almond slices. This Kale Salad is a burst of textures and flavours that’s simply irresistible.
How to Prepare Kale Pomegranate Salad
🥬 First, take 4-5 leaves of kale and take each leaf off the stem and then wash and pat them dry.
🔪 Then, using a sharp knife, chop your kale finely (or you can even rip it in small pieces with your hands) and add to a bowl.
🥣 Next, get a small bowl and mix your olive oil, agave, and white balsamic vinegar together and then set aside.
🧂 Sprinkle the kale with a touch of salt and then massage the leaves with your hands for 30 seconds to a minute until they’re softened.
🍐 Finally, add the almonds, dried cranberries and sliced pear to the salad and drizzle on your sweet and tangy vinaigrette. Serve and enjoy!
Nonna’s Tip 🥗
By chopping up the kale really finely, lightly salting it and then massaging the leaves with your hands for 30 seconds to a minute, you will help break down the tough cell structure of the kale. The result is a beautifully tender bite without any toughness.
Variations and Substitutions for Kale Pomegranate Salad
- If you love a bit of cheese in your salads, crumbling in some goat cheese here would be delish!
- Switch up the nuts and use what you have instead, like pistachios or walnuts.
- I like the hardiness of kale here, but really you could use any lettuce with this versatile dressing. Spinach would be great, just skip the massaging step!
- Add a protein on top of the Kale Salad with 🥚 hard boiled eggs, chickpeas, grilled chicken or beef strips.
More Salad Recipes
Green Goddess Salad
18 mins
Jennifer Aniston Salad
25 mins
Cobb Salad Recipe
30 mins
Strawberry Spinach Salad
15 mins
Best Served With
- Serve this Kale Salad alongside a loaf of homemade bread, like my 🥖 No Knead Peasant Bread.
- Also, this kale salad makes a great barbecue side dish with steak , chicken or my Best Grilled Salmon Skewers.
- A hearty and earthy soup like my creamy 🍲 Butternut Squash Soup also pairs wonderfully with the earthy flavours in this kale salad.
Common Questions
I find this is the fastest way to do de-stem kale, no tools required! First, I hold the stem at the base of the leaf and then quickly slide my fingers along the stem to break the leaves away. From here, you can thinly slice the leaves.
You can use any acid of choice instead of the balsamic: lemon juice, regular vinegar or apple cider vinegar would be nice!
The options are really endless in this Kale Salad. Crisp apple would be delicious, or you could try adding sliced peaches in summer months. If you want to go in a different direction, then add strawberries like in my Strawberry Spinach Salad.
I often use whatever nut I have in my pantry to throw together this Kale Salad, such as pistachios, walnuts or pecans.
You can definitely add cheese to this salad! Tangy goat cheese crumbles would be delicious, or cubed feta cheese works, too. You could even add shaved parmesan on top.
Yes! Because kale is hardier than tender lettuces you can certainly pack up the Kale Salad to go and it won’t be soggy by lunch time.
A sharp knife, a sturdy cutting board and a foolproof technique are the secret to super thin slices. Check out my full tutorial here: How to Thinly Slice Lettuce. I think it’s really worth the extra effort in this kale salad!
Kale Salad
Ingredients
- 6 cups kale , about 4 or 5 leaves
- 1 pear
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, the best quality you have
- 1 teaspoon agave, or honey/maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Take 4-5 leaves of kale (6 cups approximately) and take the leaf off the stem. Wash and pat it dry.
- Chop your kale finely or you can even rip it in small pieces with your hands and add to a bowl. In a separate bowl mix in your olive oil, agave, and white balsamic vinegar and set aside.
- Add the chopped kale to a bowl and sprinkle in a touch of salt. Massage it for 30 seconds to a minute with your hands until it is nice and soft.
- Add the rest of your ingredients which are the nuts, dried cranberries and chopped pear and drizzle on your beautiful sweet and tangy vinaigrette. Crumbling in some goat cheese would be so good in here too if you are a lover of cheese. Enjoy,
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
