Massaged Kale Salad with Apple, Cranberries and Maple Dressing
In short: Tender massaged kale with crisp apple matchsticks, chewy dried cranberries and toasted sunflower seeds in a maple mustard dressing. It takes about 23 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 3 min
- Resting
- 10 min
- Total
- 23 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 290 kcal
Raw kale is chewy until you massage it. Rubbing the leaves with oil and salt for a couple of minutes breaks down the fibers, deepens the color and takes away the bitterness. Apple matchsticks, chewy cranberries and toasted sunflower seeds add sweetness and crunch, and a maple mustard dressing ties it together. Unlike lettuce, this salad holds up for two days, which makes it a good one for lunch boxes.
Instructions
- Wash the kale and dry it well. Strip the leaves from the thick stems and tear or slice them into bite-size pieces, about 5 cm (2 inches) wide.
- Put the kale in a large bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Massage the leaves with your hands for 2 minutes until they darken, shrink and feel tender.
- Toast the sunflower seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring, until lightly golden. Tip them onto a plate to cool.
- Whisk the remaining olive oil with the vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, salt and a few grinds of pepper in a small bowl.
- Add the apple, cranberries, red onion and seeds to the kale. Pour over the dressing and toss well.
- Let the salad stand for 10 minutes before serving so the kale absorbs the dressing.
Tips
- Cut the apple just before mixing, or toss the matchsticks with a squeeze of lemon, so they do not brown.
- Raisins or chopped dried apricots can replace the cranberries, and toasted pumpkin seeds or chopped pecans can replace the sunflower seeds.
Questions and answers
Why do you massage kale for a salad?
Massaging with oil and salt breaks down the tough fibers, which makes the leaves softer, less bitter and easier to chew.
How long does kale salad keep?
Dressed, it keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days because kale is sturdy. Store the apple and seeds separately if you want the most crunch.
Which kale is best for salad?
Lacinato kale, also sold as Tuscan or dinosaur kale, is tender and mild. Curly kale works too, but it needs a little longer massaging.
How long does it take to make Massaged Kale Salad with Apple, Cranberries and Maple Dressing?
About 23 min in total: 20 min of preparation and 3 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Massaged Kale Salad with Apple, Cranberries and Maple Dressing?
About 290 kcal per serving, with 4 g of protein, 26 g of carbohydrates and 20 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 290 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 26 g |
| Fat | 20 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 16 g |
| Sodium | 320 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
