Crunchy Kale Salad With Plums and Dates

Name: Crunchy Kale Salad With Plums and Dates
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: 1 large bunch kale (1 pound), stems discarded, leaves finely sliced; 1 lemon; Salt and black pepper; 8 pitted dates; 3 ripe but firm plums or pluots; 1/2 cup roasted salted sunflower seeds; 1/4 cup roasted walnut oil or olive oil

By Genevieve Ko

Total Time: 15 minutes
Rating: 4(303)
Notes: Read community notes

Kale salad has passed whatever nebulous test there is of food fads and become a mainstay, especially in the fall, but it’s ideal for summer, too, because it doesn’t wilt in the heat. If anything, you want to be sure to crush the finely sliced greens until they’re droopy. Kale salad can feel like a chore to chew if the greens aren’t softened sufficiently, so massage them into submission. To add a welcome, easy crunch to the tender leaves, this salad is littered with roasted, salted sunflower seeds. They’re a savory contrast to tangy wedges of juicy plums and chewy, sweet dates in the lemony mix that holds up well on any picnic table and for up to 3 days in the fridge.

Featured in: 20 Easy Salads for Every Summer Table

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

1large bunch kale (1 pound), stems discarded, leaves finely sliced
1lemon
Salt and black pepper
8pitted dates
3ripe but firm plums or pluots
½cup roasted salted sunflower seeds
¼cup roasted walnut oil or olive oil

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Place the kale in a large bowl and finely grate the lemon zest directly over the greens. Halve the lemon and squeeze the juice all over, straining out the seeds. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then use your hands to mix and massage the kale, squeezing handfuls of the greens until they’re all softened. Let stand while you prepare the fruit.
Step 2
Chop the dates. Cut the plums into wedges, discarding the pits, then cut each wedge in half crosswise. Toss the dates and plums with the kale, along with the sunflower seeds and walnut oil, until well mixed. Season to taste with more salt and pepper. Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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Ratings

4 out of 5

303 user ratings

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Cooking Notes

Barbara Snider2 years ago

Beet greens equally good and more tender than kale. No massaging necessary.

Jennifer O2 years ago

This is one of the most easy to make and delicious, juicy summer salads! Bit hit with everyone. Plums are in, you've got to make this. Splurge and buy those jammy Medjool dates. I'm keeping this recipe forever!!!

Kat2 years ago

Loved this, and although it wasn’t quite as specified, it’s a flexible recipe and was really good. I had kale to use up but no plums, so I made it with apples, chopped dates, sunflower seed, and toasted walnuts, because they go so well with kale and apples. It’s summer now, but as I made it, it’s a nice and healthy winter salad to make with inexpensive ingredients that keep well in the fridge.

Arglebargle1 week ago

This is the best salad in the world. It is PERFECT as written but when no plums are in season I use Honeycrisp apples sliced very thin, like 2 of them. I also sub pepitas for the sunflower seeds if I’m out. So good, and leftovers are great too!

xtraspice5 months ago

So delicious. Easy, healthy, and delicious. Kale from the garden and Italian plums from the tree. I used dried dates and pumpkin seeds as that’s what I had on hand. Will make this again.

Inna B5 months ago

Delicious. Added sardines and pearled cous cous to make it a more complete meal.

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