I taught a Hearty Vegetarian Soups cooking class the other day, and figured I needed a little something to mix in there between all the soups. Enter this Shredded Kale and Pomegranate Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette – a new favorite on repeat around here these days (and a great side idea for upcoming holiday gatherings…). It’s everything you want from a fall/wintery salad dish: healthy green goodness topped off with tart and juicy pomegranate seeds, crisp apples, salty sunflower seeds, and creamy gorgonzola. All “lightly dressed” (we so fancy) with a four ingredient shallot vinaigrette. So let’s get started, shall we?! And don’t be put off by all the kale, you’re going to easily make it soft and wilted and studded with little bursts of flavor:
First:
Cut the pomegranate in half and remove the seeds (arils). I like to outsource this to the kids because they think it’s fun and I think it’s the only thing I don’t like about pomegranate. Tip: In many groceries, especially during fall and winter, you can buy the seeds prepackaged and all ready to go. It may cost you half your grocery budget for the week but just an FYI. After you’ve dealt with that however you choose, go ahead and be thankful that all you have to do for the apple is to chop it into perfectly bite size morsels that you’ll be excited to find in each forkful. Finally, gather up your sunflower seeds and gorgonzola – no prep needed!
Next:
(To read how I quickly prep a bundle of kale, see the Recipe Notes below.) Thinly slice your prepped kale (I do this by grabbing big chunks and loosely rolling, then making thin slices all the way through the bunch. It’s not an exact science, you mainly just want the pieces to be small and this gets it done quickly! Add the kale to a big bowl. It should look like a lot of kale, maybe even a scary amount, but know that once you massage in the dressing, it will decrease in size. Here’s what it will look like BEFORE:
And AFTER!
If you’ve never massaged kale, you just pour the dressing on and then use your clean hands to really massage it in there and soften up the greens. It will decrease in size, so you’ll end up with something like this, which is more flavorful and easier to chew than the straight up, stressed out, pre-massage kale:
Finally:
Add in your toppings (drizzle with more dressing if you want) toss together and serve!
- 1 large bunch kale thick ribs removed, leaves sliced thinly
- 1 large apple cored and diced
- ½ cup pomegranate arils
- ½ cup roasted and salted sunflower seeds
- ¼ - ½ cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
- 3.5 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- 1.5 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp minced shallot
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Add the sliced kale to a large salad bowl.
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Thoroughly whisk together all dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Pour half the dressing over the kale and massage it in thoroughly using clean hands.
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Add remaining salad ingredients and drizzle with the rest of the dressing. Toss together and serve.
There are 2 easy ways to prep a bundle of kale:
Without salad spinner: Thoroughly rinse the kale leaves, the pat dry. Fold the leaves in half and rip (or cut) the leafy part away from the hard center stem. Now they're ready for slicing!
With salad spinner: Fold the kale leaves in half and rip (or cut) the leafy part away from the hard center stem. Add to the bowl of your salad spinner, fill with water, and spin dry. Now it's ready for slicing.
If you’re looking for something to pair with this, try my Black Lentil Sweet Potato Soup!
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