Best Kale Salad Recipe - Cooking Classy (2024)

FAQs

How do you make Katie Lee kale salad? ›

Combine mayonnaise, yogurt, mustard, vinegar, honey, celery seeds, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix to blend. Put the kale, cabbage, carrots, and sunflower seeds in a large bowl and pour in the dressing. Toss to combine until everything is evenly coated, then serve or store in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.

Marinating the kale in an acid (like citrus juice or vinegar) can do so, and this is a good time to balance the flavour in a way that's palatable to you. A white balsamic vinegar and some basil can be a good first step to adding kale to an Italian-inspired salad or pasta.

If you're using raw kale in a salad, and want to alleviate both its bitterness and toughness (without cooking it), you can massage the leaves to break down the fibers. In a large bowl, toss your kale leaves with small amount of olive oil and lemon juice, then massage with your hands for three to five minutes.

Mix with sweets: combining kale with naturally sweet-tasting foods such as fruits, or sweet-tasting spices can help mask some of its bitterness. Add a touch of salt or spices: spicy and salty flavors can also tame some of kale's strong bitterness. Try cooking kale in vegetable broth with a touch of chili flakes.

Much like in onions and garlic, kale's bitterness is only formed when the vegetable is sliced, chopped, massaged, or chewed. When cells in a leaf of kale are intact, an enzyme called myrosinase and sulfur-containing compound glucosinolate are separated from one another.

Kale is a nutrient-dense leafy green. It's a cruciferous vegetable related to cabbage and Brussels sprouts. Taste-wise, kale can have bitter notes, so combining it with spicy, sweet or acidic elements, such as vinegar, lemon or red wine, can counteract and balance the mild bitterness.

The foods that help reduce bitterness are: Salt while cooking and/or while eating (like on bitter salad greens) Sweet or Spicy. Sour or Acids like lemon or vinegar.

Any type of kale will work here. I especially like to use curly kale, but feel free to swap in Tuscan kale (aka lacinato kale) if you prefer. Extra-virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice – You'll massage them into the raw kale to help the leaves soften.

Kale is fibrous and can be difficult to munch compared to other greens like romaine lettuce or spinach. The rubbing, kneading motion helps to tenderize the veg and make it easier to chew and digest. Try this for raw kale you are going to be serving or eating right away.

Do you use the stems of kale for salad? ›

But despite all that kale-leaf love, most kale recipes suggest you de-stem the sturdy greens by slicing along the thick middle stalk, use only the (relatively) more tender leaf, and toss the stems into the compost bin.

Cutting the stems crossways shortens the fibres, much as with a tough steak, making them perfectly edible and preventing waste. Cut this way, the stems can be cooked in the same way as the rest of the leaf: sauteed, boiled or steamed.

Steaming is a better option than boiling because you don't lose as many nutrients with this cooking method, according to Gray. “You're not giving it heat treatment for very long, so it's closest to raw that you can get and you still are cooking it to some degree,” she said.

Possible health benefits of kale include lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes, protecting against heart disease, and helping prevent constipation. Kale may also improve bone, skin, and hair health. Kale is a healthful addition to a varied diet, and people can use it in numerous ways.

Often labeled as a superfood, kale is one of the healthiest and most nutrient-dense foods you can eat. This leafy green comes in a variety of colors, shapes, and textures. It's often eaten raw in salads and smoothies but can also be enjoyed steamed, sautéed, boiled, or baked.

The point of massaging is to infuse the kale with the lemon juice and oil, and also to break down some of the tough, fibrous characteristics of kale. This makes it easier to chew and digest, and makes for a more tender salad. Season with salt, massage/toss once more, then set aside.