Kale Crunch Salad

This simple Kale Crunch Salad will be your next go-to salad recipe. It's perfect for both a weeknight dinner or holiday side dish. Chopped kale is tossed with parmesan cheese and toasted panko bread crumbs, then drizzled with a mandarin vinaigrette. You can prep each individual ingredient ahead of time, then just toss together when ready to serve.

Ingredients

Though you may be able to find kale all year round, the leaves are most tender and sweet in fall and early winter. Here are some ingredient notes to make this easy salad recipe.

Kale: Five cups of chopped kale, with larger stems removed. Since this is kale crunch salad, I would not recommend substituting other greens for the kale.

Parmesan: Finely shredded or grated parmesan cheese, to add a slightly nutty and tangy flavor. I like to freshly shred the parmesan cheese myself for best flavor and texture, however store-bought will work just fine in this recipe.

Bread Crumbs: Panko bread crumbs give this salad that delightful crunch.

Olive Oil: Extra Virgin Olive oil for toasting the panko bread crumbs, and also to massage into the kale to make it tender and soft.

Mandarin Vinaigrette: A combination of the juice of 1 small mandarin or clementine (I like Halos mandarins), juice of ½ small lemon, olive oil, white wine vinegar, minced garlic, salt and pepper. If you don't have white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar would also work.

Step-By-Step Instructions

This salad can be ready in less than 10 minutes. It's a super simple side dish but tastes so good!

1. Massage the kale. In a large serving bowl, add a drizzle of olive oil to the chopped kale. Massage the kale for about 30 seconds to tenderize it. Set aside.
2. Toast the panko bread crumbs. In a small skillet, heat olive olive over medium heat. Add panko bread crumbs and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Cook about 2-3 minutes stirring occasionally until golden brown. Watch carefully because they toast quickly!
3. Prepare the salad dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together all the mandarin vinaigrette ingredients. (or you can shake in a jar) Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Toss the salad and serve. Add the parmesan cheese and toasted panko bread crumbs to the bowl of kale. Toss to combine. Drizzle the mandarin vinaigrette over the kale crunch salad and toss one more time to combine. Serve immediately and enjoy!

To prepare up to 24 hours in advance, be sure to store each ingredient separately. The kale, parmesan cheese, and salad dressing should be stored in individual, air tight containers in the refrigerator. The toasted panko bread crumbs should be stored in an air tight container on the counter. Toss all the ingredients together just before serving.

Variations

You're going to love this crispy kale salad as it is, but if you want to add more to it, here are some suggestions.

• Add nuts. Just ¼ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts, sliced almonds, honey roasted peanuts, or candied pecans can be tossed into this salad.
• Toss in some fresh or dried fruit. Apple, pear or mandarin slices would be great for fresh fruit. For dried fruit, opt for some dried cranberries, apricots, or raisins.
• Top with some roasted vegetables. Roasted butternut squash or sweet potatoes would make a nice addition to this salad.
• Add a protein. If you want to make this salad into a meal, you can top it with some grilled or roasted chicken, pork tenderloin, cubed and baked tofu, grilled steak or roasted salmon.

Serving Suggestions

This Kale Crunch Salad make a great weeknight dinner side dish or holiday side dish. Serve it as a side for turkey, pork tenderloin, ham, or roast beef.

Serve it with soup and some crusty bread for a light dinner or lunch. I love this salad as a side with butternut squash soup.

Bring to a potluck dinner party, just toss the ingredients together when you arrive.

More Easy Side Dish Recipes

Here are even more delicious fall side dish recipes.

• Apple Arugula Salad with Maple Vinaigrette
• Garlic Rosemary Roasted Potatoes
• Roasted Butternut Squash with Brussels Sprouts and Dried Cranberries
• Fluffy Mashed Potatoes
• Parmesan Garlic Knots

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