For the past several years I've been eating this kale salad in the summer not because it's my favourite salad and not because I like kale. I eat it because it's easy and it's healthy.
I also like the taste of it, which is remarkable because I don't like kale. It's too kaley. However as far as kale goes, black kale is the least offensive. I'll explain why in a second.
Black Kale also goes by the stage names: Tuscan Kale, Lacinato Kale, Cavolo Nero or Dinosaur Kale. It is all the same thing; an elongated oval shaped dark green leaf with less frills and flop than regular kale.
Black Kale is the only kale I like.
Which is a good thing because as far as Kale goes (which we all know is a "superfood" blah, blah, blah) Black Kale has some very specific benefits.
The Health Benefits of Black Kale
- Black Kale contains a thing in its cells that gets converted to another "thing" once it's chewed. This second "thing" has been proven to inhibit and destroy cancer cells. You will get 10X the anti-benefits if you eat the kale RAW. Here's one of the studies if you're the medical journal type. The "thing" is called aIsothiocyanates (ITCs) by the way.
- Kale is also anti-inflammatory which helps with arthritis, asthma and autoimmune disorders.
- Per gram, kale is packed with more calcium than milk.
- In 2013 a study was done and preliminary findings were that Black Kale in particular had neuroprotective and immunomodulatory effects. This means Black Kale is now being studied as something that could provide health benefits for people with MS.
It's a favourite salad for 3 reasons: It has very few ingredients, it's easy to make and you can dress this salad and leave it in the refrigerator for a week and it doesn't go soggy.
The actual salad is made up of just 3 things. Black kale, parmesan cheese and toasted breadcrumbs (or croutons). That's it.
So the only prep work is making the dressing and cutting the kale.
Kale has tough ribs so I remove those first. Just slice down either side of the rib and pull it away from the kale. Then, because even though black kale is the least tough of all the kales, you still need to slice it fairly thin to make it easier to chew. I mean, it IS kale after all. I cut my kale into anything from ¼" to ½" wide strips across the width of the kale.
Then I pour on my dressing (recipe at the bottom of this post) and perform the MOST important task with ANY kale salad. I touch it. I caress it. I give it a massage.
Massaging the kale does 2 things. It helps open the cell structure which makes the kale less tough and it allows the dressing to enter the kale giving it better flavour. Kind of like simmering a stew. Massage the salad and then put it in the fridge for a day. You can eat it right away but it's much better after it's been massaged and recuperated from it's massage for 24 hours.
When you want to eat it, just pull a handful out of the bowl, top it with shaved or grated parmesan cheese and some toasted breadcrumbs. I use spelt crumbs when I can find them otherwise I just crunch up a few croutons with my fingers and sprinkle them over the salad.
BLACK KALE SALAD
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 3 garlic cloves minced then mashed
- 2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Big pinch of red pepper flakes1-2 bunches of kale depending on the size of your family and their appetite for kale
- Parmesan cheese to taste shaved or grated
- Bread crumbs or croutons
Instructions
- Prep kale by removing ribs and cutting leaves into ¼" - ½" strips.
- Whisk together the first 6 ingredients.
- Pour dressing over prepped kale.
- Massage dressed salad then refrigerate overnight.
- Add big shavings of parmesan cheese and a handful of croutons or crumbs and serve.
- Salad will keep, dressed, in the fridge for up to a week.
If you want to make this salad UNFORGETTABLE, try sprinkling some Buzz Button flower petals on top of it. Not sure what those are? O.K., you have to learn about Buzz Buttons immediately. They make your whole mouth tingle and dance. You can even grow them yourself.
Two other things that help me out with making this the easiest salad ever is using one of my favourite kitchen tips, this little pre-measured salad dressing bottle DIY.
Are there salads I make that I think are more delicious? Of course. It's kale salad. Nobody actually likes kale, we just eat it until someone declares the next superfood.
There's the Spring mix salad with candied pecans, grapes, brie and a multitude of other delicious things. But you can't save it in the fridge for a week, and you can't brag about how healthy your nightly salad is.
Thank you
Yum! Next try Dazzling Blue kale! My Poodles help themselves to my kale bin, and that is their preference, and they are possibly the fussiest dogs in the world.
I've grown Dazzling blue. :) It's bluetiful. ~ karen!
I love all kale and grow lots of varieties. I usually add fruit to my kale salads, especially pears, and a few nuts and seeds. But I'll try your salad, Karen. Sounds tasty! Thanks!
As usual, you've provided me with a timely post! I've been bemoaning about not eating enough greens, but have been totally unmotivated to create a typical salad, cause I need to make sure all things healthy are included - and I'd have to create one every couple of days. THIS is exactly what I need to jump start my dinners. Simple to create, lasts in the fridge as is and packed with healthy. Now that I have the base, if I want, I can change up additions with what I already have. You are the OG, Bebe.
The fact that it keeps so well really is one of my favourite things about it. BUT I should then tell you about another salad I've been eating a LOT of. It's easy, delicious and will also store well for a few days. I pick spring greens from my lettuce patch in the backyard, add a few sliced strawberries, a handful of blueberries and a handful of dried cranberries. When it's time to serve I add a crunchy salad topper and goat cheese. ~ karen! (I use a STORE MADE poppyseed dressing for it to keep it a bit easier)
Yuuuum - that sounds excellent as well. It will go into the rotation for sure. Thank you!
We make this recipe exactly as you state, this is my family's favorite salad!! I sometimes add a few shaved almonds or pine nuts if I have them..
You can never go wrong with adding nuts or crunchy things to a salad. In fact, it should be a rule. ~ karen!
Love Kale and use it in everything from salad to chilli. And the best thing is, you can pick it right up to Thanksgiving (live in Ontario!) Way better than lettuce or spinach to grow.
You should be able to keep picking it up until even January or February. It doesn't grow anymore, but the leaves withstand winter remarkably well. ~ karen!
Where can you buy this black kale? Is it ok to pulverize it in a smoothie?
Thank you
Hi Stan! Most grocery stores carry it now. It'll be in the produce with the lettuce, green onions, etc. Farmer's markets would have it too I would imagine. And yep, you can blend it up like anything else. :) ~ karen!
Ok, so i HAD to make this because I have cancer and i love healthy foods..(thank you Karen! ) this salad & dressing are AMAZING & DELICIOUS!
I already ordered seeds for next year & look forward to growing it in the garden my son made for me during covid.
I am sharing this salad with my boys & parents...that's right, i bought ALL the kale from my health food store LOL
Well that is an enthusiastic review! :) If that is your level of enthusiasm over a salad, I imagine kicking cancer's ass should be a piece of cake for you. :) ~ karen!
I made this salad with "curly" kale, which I generally like much less than the variety of kale you used (but the latter is harder for me to find). Within a couple hours of being dressed, it was delicious. Likewise, the next day it was awesome. Loved it! By the third day, though, it was turning brown and smelling weird. I had to throw the rest away, which was a bummer. Maybe the type of kale? I'm not sure. But I'll definitely use the recipe again for smaller batches!
I have a big garden and grow lots of Tuscan (+aliases) Kale . I don't like how the curly kinds feel in my mouth. Here are 4 more ways to use it that most of my guests really like, even love. (I don't massage the kale, I just dress it and let it sit in the refrigerator. It softens up all by itself.)
Kale Salad #1: To stripped and ripped kale, add chopped dried figs, chopped Italian parsley, toasted nuts (hazelnuts, pecans, whatever you like) and crumbled blue cheese. Dress with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. I eat it by the trough.
Kale Salad #2: To stripped and ripped kale, add grated parmesan or romano cheese ( I like bigger grated shreds, not tiny grated granules) chopped pears, and a handful of crushed amaretti cookies. Sounds weird, but the cookies add just a hint of a flavor and sweetness nobody ever can identify. Dress with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper again. Get out your trough again to serve yourself.
Wilted Kale Italian style: throw the stripped and ripped kale into a big frying pan with a little water. Cover and cook until it wilts, then remove from pan. Add olive oil to pan, saute some garlic, a handful of nuts and raisins together a bit. Then add kale, dance this mess around à la B-52's old hit, add salt and pepper to taste. Yum.
Kale and apple juice: I find kale juice plain to be , in your words, yuk. But if you juice it with dilute it with apples (maybe half and half??) and some water and ice, it's great.
I finally made this and WOoooOW!!! I will likely be eating it nightly, just like you. Thank you!!!
You're welcome! ~ karen
I'm eating this out of the tupperware right now. Partially because it's good, and partially because it's the only food in the fridge and I'm lazy. I have added hemp hearts and various seeds, so it's practically a meal, right? plus it's healthy!
Made the salad exactly as written. Came out perfect and so delicious. Thank you!!!
The only thing I got from this post was the shock of you cutting kale on your marble counters. WHAT! I know you wouldn't do that! I'm still a bit disturbed.
I just took a food styling workshop, and after every scene, I couldn't help but think "that's not practical". Pretty, yes, but not practical. I'm considering renaming my blog to "cat hair and stained tea towels" but I might be the only person who wants practical, believable things.
I cut on that marble all the time. It's an antique marble countertop that's covered in stains, etching and cracks. Which is how I like it. You can cut on almost any stone surface. The only thing that might happen is your knife will dull more quickly. And yes sometimes bloggers do put up things that might be seen as impractical but there's often a practical reason for it. Like lighting options or how things look differently in a photo than they do in real life. Chairs need to be angled, plants moved etc. to fit into a shot. That's just the way it is. It has nothing to do with trying to fool the world. Not in my case anyway. ~ karen!
Thank You for this post! Just learned so much! Now Kale sounds delicious!
Good god almighty! This salad is the bomb! I have never been a kale lover but sought out some black kale this week and prepped the salad yesterday. Ate it for lunch today and seriously was so happy, loved it so, so much! Amazing how it will keep so nicely. Thank you so much for sharing, have been waiting (im)patiently ever since you mentioned it was coming.
Glad you liked it! Last night I had the last of the one I made up *over* a week ago. Still perfect. :) ~ karen!
Karen, do love even your ramblings because I know you are always going some place interesting before you are finished and this posting was not disappointing.
Used to have a HUGE garden and kale and collard greens were always on my favorites list to grow and eat. Don't have a viable garden any longer, since my husband tended to it and he's now old and not well so the garden has gone to weeds! Sad but I already have way more on my hands to deal with to think of tackling the garden too so I buy my kale these days. I'm just lucky it's healthy so expecting a wide variety of choices is probably too much to ask the grocery chains in Maine, LOL!
BTW, I bought one of those supposedly "GREAT" kale strippers and in my opinion it's a colossal flop! You can't get it to work on the big tough leaves and it breaks up the tiny leaves. Easiest way to strip kale from the stalks is a very sharp paring knife, hold the leaves vertical and just run the knife down the stalk on both sides. Quick, easy and definitely not frustrating.
Since I do love kale and had a freshly prepared batch in the refrigerator I fixed a garlic shrimp salad last night with thinly sliced curly kale and spinach, fresh diced BIG juicy tomatoes and cucumbers plus lots of slivers of parmesan cheese dressed with a raw cider vinegar, olive oil, garlic, Dejon mustard, s&p dressing! Delicious.
Salad sounds great.
I like the stripper because I am too good a chopping fingers with sharp knives. I need to dumb it down a little. My hand/eye coordination leaves something to be desired.
I have a ridiculous amount of Kale in my garden, so I'm definitely going to try this. I had no idea how prolific a producer Kale is! I figured a few plants would keep our family of 4 stocked for salad for the summer. However, even after I fill up produce bags with cuttings, the garden still looks exactly the same. I swear the plants all pop out several new leaves every night, especially with all the rain we've had in the GTA.
Do chickens like kale? (Hint) Let's hear about the ladies!! What's new?
Chickens (at least my four girls!) LOVE kale! LOVE. My son calls them the kale eradication team because they will strip down a plant like piranhas! It's SO good for them - and good for us in the form of rich eggs! : )
Keeps for week in the fridge? Sounds like my kind of salad!