You're going to love this delicious massaged kale salad. Topped with pecans, pears, and pomegranates and tossed with orange poppy seed dressing, it's a delicious and festive winter salad.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.
When wintertime hits, too often salads are completely forgotten about.
They are replaced with soups and all the vegan pasta dishes and while those are wonderful (what would winter be without Pumpkin and Cashew Ricotta Stuffed Shells??) we can't forget to keep eating our leafy greens.
That is why I'm over here loving on one of my favorite dark leafy green vegetables today. That's right, I'm talking about you, kale. Not only does kale provide the perfect base for fall and winter salads, but also it's one of the most nutrient-dense foods making it one of the BEST superfoods.
Recommended Ingredients & Equipment
I love this kale salad because it's high in fiber, an excellent source of Vitamin C, is loaded with immunity-boosing vitamins, filled with antioxidants, and most importantly, it's hearty, wholesome, and delicious.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Kale - Curly kale is my kale of choice for this salad but any kale will do.
- Olive Oil
- Salt
- Pomegranate Arils - If you can't find or don't like pomegranate, cranberries are a great alternative
- Avocado
- Pear - You can substitute this for apple if you'd like.
- Red Onion - If you don't like raw onion, this can be omitted altogether.
- Pecans - You could substitute with walnuts or hazelnuts.
- Orange Poppy Seed Dressing - This is a combination of fresh orange juice, agave nectar, white wine vinegar, poppy seeds, and olive oil.
Recommended Equipment
For this recipe, you will need basic cooking equipment including a mixing bowls, and kitchen utensils. You will also need a large salad bowl, a chef's knife, and a cutting board. (<<affiliate links)
Check out the full list of my recommended kitchen tools and gadgets.
How to Make Massaged Kale Salad
Not only is this salad packed with delicious foods that will leave you feeling great and festive, but this salad is also SUPER EASY to make. It can be made in just about 10 minutes for a wholesome and hearty midday meal.
Step One – Massage the Kale
As we've talked about, this salad starts with a base of kale.
When eating raw kale, it’s important that we give it a gentle massage. A simple massage helps to break down the toughness and bitterness while releasing sweetness and tenderness into the leaves, greatly enhancing the flavor and texture.
Massaging kale is really easy. First, you’ll want to chop the kale finely and place it in a large bowl. Next, drizzle it with a little olive oil and salt. The oil and salt help break down the leaf’s toughness allowing it to tenderize even more.
As you massage the kale you will notice the leaves get more vibrantly green with a bit of silky shine. The kale will also shrink in volume as the leaves tenderize. (See pictures below).
Step Two – Toss in the Remaining Ingredients
Add the remaining ingredients. That’s all the pears, pecans, avocados, and pomegranates. Vegetables and fruits can easily be swapped out or omitted altogether. A few quick variation suggestions:
- Swap out the pear for apple
- Can't find pomegranate? Cranberries are a great alternative
- Pecans, walnuts, and hazelnuts can be used interchangeably
- If you don't like raw onion, omit it altogether
As you can see, this recipe is wildly versatile and 100% delicious!
Step Three – Make the Dressing
In a jar with a lid (I like to use 6oz Mason jars) combine the ingredients for the Orange Poppy Seed Dressing. Tightly seal the lid and vigorously shake the salad dressing until it is well combined.
The salad dressing will separate as it settles, so just make sure to give it a good shake before tossing it in with the winter kale salad.
Serving and Storing
Serving - This is a big salad. On its own, it is enough for 2 servings. It will serve 4 if you’re serving it as part of a larger meal.
Storing - Store the leftover salad in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Store salad dressing separating for up to 2 weeks.
More Kale Salad Recipes
- Classic Kale Caesar Salad
- Warm Kale Salad with Curried Cauliflower
- Lemon Tahini Kale Salad with Cheesy Chickpeas
- Greek Kale Salad
Massaged Kale Salad with Orange Poppyseed Dressing
Ingredients
Kale Salad
- 6 cups curly kale, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup pomegranate arils
- ½ small avocado, diced
- ½ pear, thinly sliced
- ¼ medium red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup toasted pecans
Orange Poppy Seed Dressing
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 tablespoon agave nectar
- 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon poppy seeds
- ¼ cup olive oil
Instructions
- In a jar with a lid, combine the ingredients for the Orange Poppy Seed Dressing. Tightly seal the lid and vigorously shake the salad dressing until it is well combined. Set aside.
- Chop kale and place it in a large salad bowl along with 1 tablespoon olive oil and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Gently massage the kale between your fingers for 2-3 minutes until the kale is darker, tender, and shiny.
- Add the remaining salad ingredients into the massaged kale and toss to combine. Add the desired amount of salad dressing to the salad and toss together. Serve immediately.
- Leftover salad dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- Swap out the pear for apple
- Can't find pomegranate? Cranberries are a great alternative
- Pecans, walnuts, and hazelnuts can be used interchangeably
- If you don't like raw onion, omit it altogether
Nutrition
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the
SBOBET says
A beautiful combination of ingredients! I should eat more lentils, this salad would be a great way to add them to my diet.
Amey says
this looks great. I love the idea of orange poppyseed dressing! it was only this year that my husband finally agreed that kale salad is good and delicious, so now I can finally start bookmarking kale salad recipes.
Caitlin says
woo! thank you for sharing your process! it was so interesting to read. and WHOOP for kale salads.
Tracey @ A Taste of Trace says
Holy yum! I love the flavour combinations of this salad! Orange and cranberries always go so well together.