Also, try this kale salad recipe – it has bacon in it! Baby kale is simply tender, young, kale leaves. You can eat the whole leaf without having to remove the stem as it is still very delicate. The flavor is milder than fully grown kale, which makes it a good choice if you don’t love kale. You’ll often find it sold in packages near the salad greens in the produce section of your grocery store. Yes! But you will have to remove the stem and chop the leaves first. And don’t skip massaging the kale; it’s extra important with fully grown kale. You can also let the dressing sit on the kale leaves for 10 minutes before you eat them, to help soften them even more. Every bite of this salad is delicious thanks to the perfect balance of flavors – the spicy candied pecans offer warmth and crunch, while the pomegranate seeds give a pop of freshness. The vinaigrette adds some acid and the baby kale is earthy and peppery. It really is good.
Here’s what you’ll need to make this baby kale salad:
Baby kale: Add 4 packed cups of baby kale to this recipe, providing the base for your salad. This will add a giant nutritional punch to your meal and even if you’re serving kids (or green-adverse adults), they probably won’t notice the kale over the candied pecans and pomegranate seeds! Pomegranate: You can find whole pomegranates in most grocery stores, but they’re usually stocked in fall and early winter in North America. Ground pepper: This is optional to sprinkle or crack some fresh pepper over the baby kale salad to serve. Candied pecans: We make these using some maple syrup, cayenne powder, and black pepper. Salad dressing: This simple vinaigrette is made of olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt.
Pecans: This baby kale salad recipe uses pecans as the nut of choice. They add a nice crunch to the salad while providing a buttery flavor. They also have perfect little grooves for the sweet and spicy glaze to stick to. Candied pecans are such a treat! Maple syrup: This is where the candied part of these pecans comes from. The maple syrup adds a natural source of sweetness and just a hint of maple. Sea salt, pepper, and cayenne powder: You’ll need just a pinch of all 3 of these seasonings. Butter: Using ½ teaspoon of butter is optional, however, adding a little butter to the pan will simultaneously help create the glaze-like coating, but also make sure you don’t have too much stickiness from the maple syrup.
Olive oil: A base ingredient of any vinaigrette, olive oil gives a beautiful fat content to balance the acid of the vinegar. Apple cider vinegar: Here comes the zing for your vinaigrette. Add 2 tablespoons to accompany the olive oil. Maple syrup: Pour 1 tablespoon into the salad dressing for a bit of sweetness. Sea salt: Again, you’ll need just a pinch to flavor.
Another option is to make our kale salad dressing!
Removing the seeds from the pomegranate can be a bit of a task – but! – the best and easiest way to do this is to start by cutting the pomegranate in half. Hold it, seed side down, over a large bowl. Tap the outside with a wooden spoon hard enough until the seeds start falling out and into the bowl. Repeat using the second half of the pomegranate. Easy peasy and pretty much mess-free!
This baby kale salad makes the perfect side dish for your meal. Here’s some inspiration for what to serve with it:
This salad goes nicely with a lemon herb butter roast chicken or pistachio crusted salmon. Try serving some roast acorn squash or crispy sweet potato cakes. If you’re serving for lunch, you can pair it with a tomato carrot soup or this cashew cream of mushroom soup. Yum!
Did you make this?
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