This Pomegranate Kale Salad is the perfect winter salad recipe when you pair the sweet seeds with an apple cider vinaigrette!
Meet your new favorite salad: pomegranate massage kale salad. Dimensions What? we know we know Massaging the kale might sound odd (like something from Portlandia). But massaging the kale will tenderize it and remove the bitter taste, leaving soft, slightly sweet leaves that are delicious as a green salad! Pair tender cabbage with apples, pomegranate seeds, and apple cider dressing, and it’s a delicious side salad for a leisurely meal.
First step: massage kale!
OK really: massaging the kale? Yes, that’s exactly what it sounds like. You take the kale leaves and give them a good massage! The benefit of massaging kale leaves is that they taste tender and sweet instead of crunchy and bitter. If you’ve ever tasted raw cabbage, you know what I’m talking about! A leaf of raw cabbage is nothing to get excited about. But after being massaged… well, that’s another story! Massaging kale:
- Clean the kale and cut into pieces.
- Sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt.
- Next, coat your hands with a few drops of olive oil and massage the kale leaves for 2-3 minutes until all the pieces are soft. That’s it! It sounds mysterious, but it’s actually very simple. And you can feel the difference immediately.
How to make this pomegranate and kale salad
Once you’ve massaged the kale, this pomegranate and kale salad is a cinch! Here’s what you need to do to assemble the salad:
- Massage the kale. See notes above!
- Cut and deseed the pomegranate. We have a great way to cut up a pomegranate.
- Prepare the Apple Cider Vinaigrette: Whisk together a vinaigrette with apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, chili powder, and olive oil. The flavors together are fantastic! See the recipe below. Other homemade dressings that would work? Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette or Citrus Vinaigrette.
What to serve with pomegranate and kale salad
This pomegranate and massed kale salad is a fantastic addition to a fall or winter menu. Are you planning a menu? It is difficult to put together dishes that complement each other. For me, that was the hardest part of cooking when I first started. I threw out books of menu plans trying to figure out how to put together a coherent menu. Here are some menu planning tips we use
- create contrasts. Think of contrasting elements, both between recipes and within recipes. This bright and crunchy pomegranate and kale salad pairs well with hearty, mushy comfort food quintessential fall or winter.
- Think in color. This salad adds a much-needed pop of color to a fall or winter tablescape. When planning a menu, we always think of the colors that are present in all dishes: because the eye eats first!
- Focus on nutrients. A massed crunchy coleslaw is a great way to provide the nutrients needed for a fall or winter meal that can lean towards heavier comfort foods.
A few time-saving tips for incorporating this massaged kale salad into a meal: You can cut the kale ahead of time and massage it before serving. You can also find pitted pomegranates at some grocery stores, which can help reduce prep time. And of course you can also whip up the dressing and store it in the fridge: just bring it to room temperature before serving.
More pomegranate recipes
do you like pomegranates Here are some other pomegranate recipes that use these vibrant seeds:
This Kale Pomegranate Salad recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, naturally sweetened and free from refined sugar.
The description
This Pomegranate Kale Salad is the perfect winter salad recipe when you pair the sweet seeds with an apple cider vinaigrette!
- 2 curly or Tuscan cabbage
- 2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup pecans
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
- 1 Apple
- Kosher salt
- Cut the kale into small pieces and place in a bowl.
- Sprinkle the kale with 1 pinch of kosher salt. Coat your hands with a few drops of olive oil and massage the kale leaves for 2-3 minutes until all the pieces are soft.
- In a bowl, whisk together apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, chilli powder, and ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt. Gradually whisk in the olive oil, 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Break the pecans into small pieces and place them in a dry skillet. Grill over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the stove immediately.
- Core the pomegranate: Quarter the pomegranate and place in a large bowl of water. Under water, begin to gently remove the seeds with your fingers. Finally, you can turn the skin over to extract the seeds closest to the outer skin. As you work, the pomegranate seeds will sink to the bottom while the fruit’s white rind will float to the top. When all the seeds are extracted, skim off the white skin and filter the water.
- When ready to serve, julienne the apple by chopping into matchsticks or simply chopping into bite-sized pieces. Mix all ingredients and drizzle lightly with vinaigrette. (Parmesan shavings are also a nice garnish if desired.)
- Category: salad
- Method: Raw
- Kitchen: American
Keywords: Kale salad, massaged kale salad, how to massage kale, pomegranate, kale and pomegranate salad, vegetarian, vegan, gluten free
Looking for fun recipes?
This massaged kale salad is a great entertaining idea! Here are some more fun recipes on A Couple Cooks:
Looking for more salad recipes?
Aside from this Massaged Kale Salad recipe, here are some other salad recipes on A Couple Cooks:
Last update: December 2020
