Garlic Lemon Parmesan Kale Salad (Printable Version)

Vibrant kale with zesty garlic-lemon dressing and savory Parmesan. Ready in 15 minutes.

# Ingredient List:

→ Salad Base

01 - 1 large bunch curly kale (about 8 cups), stems removed, leaves chopped
02 - 1/2 cup grated or shaved Parmesan cheese
03 - 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds

→ 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 maple syrup
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How to Make:

01 - Place chopped kale in a large salad bowl. Sprinkle with pinch of salt and massage leaves with hands for 1–2 minutes until softened and bright green.
02 - In small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until thoroughly combined.
03 - Pour dressing over kale and toss thoroughly to coat all leaves evenly.
04 - Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts or almonds over salad. Toss lightly to distribute toppings.
05 - Serve immediately or let sit 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld together.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The magic is in the massage kale transforms from bitter and tough to silky and sweet in literally two minutes
  • This salad actually gets better as it sits making it rare among leafy greens
  • Parmesan and pine nuts turn simple kale into something crave worthy and substantial
02 -
  • The massaging step isn't optional it breaks down the tough cellulose and removes that raw bitter taste that makes kale haters hate kale
  • Add the nuts at the very last second or they'll get soggy from the dressing and lose all their beautiful crunch
  • This salad holds up beautifully dressed unlike delicate greens that wilt into sadness within an hour
03 -
  • Use a microplane for the lemon zest to avoid the bitter white pith and maximize the fragrant oils
  • Toast your nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat stirring constantly until fragrant and golden about two to three minutes
  • If making ahead keep the nuts separate until serving time to maintain that crucial crunch

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