I've been eating this salad of raw kale tossed in a red wine vinaigrette almost every day for the past month. I love the way the chewy bits of dried apricots and the creamy avocado contrast with the heartiness of the kale. A handful of almonds, a spoonful of beans, and a few flakes of salty parmesan turn this salad into a very satisfying meal. Yes, I thought it high time this recipe was shared.
I was very hesitant (read: outright reluctant) the first time I was presented with a raw kale salad. But raw kale is surprisingly un-bitter, especially if you buy it fresh from the farmers market. It has a deep earthy flavor that I can only describe as "green" and a pleasantly chewy texture similar to spinach. I'm a raw kale convert, for sure.
Kale is also a boon when it comes to make-ahead lunches. You can dress this salad in the morning, or even the night before, and the kale will still be firm and tender come lunch time. Keep the avocados in a separate container so they don't get mushed in the salad and spoon them on top of the salad just before eating.
A hardboiled egg makes a great stand-in for avocados, and I've used diced apples, diced pears, dried cranberries, or other seasonal or dried fruit in place of the apricots (it's just that dried apricots are my favorite!). If this isn't quite hitting the spot, toast a piece of hearty bread and tear it into croutons over the salad. I often do this if I'm feeling especially hungry come lunch time.
Kale Salad with Apricots, Avocado, and Parmesan
Serves one6-8 ounces of kale (Tuscan or dino kale are particularly fantastic)
6-8 dried apricots
1/3 or so cup cooked beans (I love Good Mother Stallard beans, but also try cannellini or pinto beans)
1/4 or so cup almonds
8-10 flakes of Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 avocado
salt and pepper
Fold a piece of kale in half lengthwise and use your fingers to tear out the tough inner stem. Repeat with the other leaves of kale (you can save the stems to use in stir-fries, sauces, or soups). Tear all the leaves into bite-sized pieces and put them in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
Cut the apricots into little bits and add them to the bowl with the kale, along with the beans, the almonds, and the cheese. Whisk together the oil and vinegar (or shake it in a small canning jar). Pour the vinaigrette and a healthy pinch of salt over the salad and use your fingers to toss and rub everything together. Transfer the salad to a bowl or a lunch container (if eating later).
Just before eating, slice the avocado into cubes and spoon them over the salad. This salad will keep for about 24 hours, preferably refrigerated.
Related: Memorial Day Serving Idea: Salad in a Jar
(Images: Emma Christensen)
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Okay, Okay, I'll try fresh kale. I thought you had to cook it. I've got some growing in the garden as I type. P.s. Just an fyi: it's cannellini beans, not cannelloni [sp>]. Cannelloni's the italian dessert.
Sounds and looks delicious. I love raw kale salads as they hold up so well to a nice lemony vinaigrette and a plethora of toppings.
I grew Kale this year, took a bite out of raw and thought it was good. Thanks for listing what to go with raw Kale. I'm going to try that out!
How do you contrive to scatter your avocado pieces so evenly over the salad? Mine always stick together. But this looks delicious!
@Marymother - Good catch on the cannellini beans! I will fix it ASAP.
@Anna - I scoop out the avocado with a spoon, then use my fingers to break them up. Finger licking good!
cannelloni is pasta. cannoli is dessert.
Hah! I once made a dinner with cannellini, cannelloni and cannoli for an evening of watching the Godfather with friends. Goofy, but fun.
Enjoyed this for lunch today. Who knew I liked raw kale. These flavors were delicious and the salad was so satisfying!
i made this and here is my two cents.
-dress the kale the night before and leave in fridge overnight.
-skip the almonds and parm.
-cannellini beans work well.
I purchased a container of fresh-kale salad at Whole Foods recently that included fresh strawberry slices, pine nuts, red onion and a light, lemony vinaigrette (I'm thinking it had a little honey in it). It was honestly the best salad I've had in a long while. So, so good!
I love raw kale! But here's a new twist. Just grilled a peach AND some kale. Lightly brushed indiv leaves with EVOO, on high. Both for @ 2-3 minutes. Tore up the kale, added avocado, nuts, splash of honey-ginger white balsamic -- from one of those olive oil-vinegar tasting rooms popping up all over. Yum.
This was delish! Even my sorta picky husband loved it...who thought raw kale could be so good! I used a whole avocado rather than 1/2, just a 1/2 seemed skimpy. Next time I may add a little honey for a touch of sweetness and go with fresh apple or apricot rather than dried to get more raw foods in there. Regardless, delicious, healthy lunch salad!! Thank you!