By Caitlin Rothermel
This is a tasty, colorful, and consistently popular summer salad option that can be served as a side dish alongside anything, or as a light main dish. I have made it for years and brought it to every type of gathering – even non-salad and/or non-kale people like this dish. I call it “slaw” because it’s versatile like coleslaw, albeit more complex.
You can also make this salad for yourself and have food for a few days, because it stores that well.
No specific measurements are provided; part of the fun is figuring out the blend and ingredient proportions that work for you. However, the kale and purple cabbage should take up the majority of space. After that, mix and match to determine how you like it best.
There is a lot of chopping and prep work, so the best value for your time is to prepare in bulk and have leftovers.
Ingredients
Salad
The list below is reflective of how much of each ingredient should be used. Use more of the items higher on the list and less of those lower on the list.
- Kale, chopped or ripped into small pieces (curly or lacinato kale are especially good, but any type will work; for a softer salad, remove the stems)
- Purple cabbage, chopped into small pieces
- Cilantro and / or parsley, chopped
- Chopped pecans (other options: slivered almonds, pine nuts, tamari pumpkin seeds, and/or sunflower seeds)
- Fresh mint leaves (can be made without these, but even better with)
- Chopped dried cranberries (also works with raisins, dried cherries, and/or apricots)
- Chopped or slivered carrots
Dressing
For a large bowl of salad, make about 8-12 ounces of dressing. Use more or less to suit your taste.
- Olive oil (2 parts)
- Balsamic vinegar (1 part)
- One lemon or lime, zested and squeezed
- Salt
- Dressing seasoning: This is your call. Use your favorite vinaigrette or a mixture of spices (eg, mustard salt, garlic, black pepper, tarragon, chives thyme, rosemary, paprika, dried onion, even a bit of sugar). [Caitlin’s note: I really enjoy the Penzey’s “Country French Vinaigrette” mix for this salad.]
Directions
Chop the kale first and place in large bowl, then “massage” the kale. To do this, add a few spoons of olive oil plus about ½ tsp of salt to the kale, then gently mix and squeeze the mixture for 1-2 minutes. This process helps to break down the kale’s structure: this lets the dressing in and softens it taste – effectively getting rid of the barriers some people have to eating raw kale.
Note: If you have young children, they are usually very happy to help with the kale massaging step.
Add the other salad ingredients and mix well. Pour and mix in the dressing gradually, until it looks and tastes good to you.
Two Tips:
- Make a large salad: Refrigerated, the salad lasts for several days, and some say it gets even better after a day or two.
- Make it a meal: Serve over brown rice, quinoa, or pearl barley.
