Kale Salad with Cherries and Pecans

Name: Kale Salad with Cherries and Pecans
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard; 1/2 cup dried cherries; 2 ounces soft goat cheese, chilled; 1 1/2 teaspoons honey; 8 ounces Black Kale (Cavolo Nero, Lacinato, Dinosaur, or Tuscan Kale); 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1/2 cup pecan halves; 4 ounces radishes, sliced paper-thin; Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; 1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Recipe GLPR3a79cc25542e5f

Salad

25 min

407 cal

Servings: 4

Oven

SNAP eligible

A vibrant and tender kale salad featuring massaged Black Kale ribbons tossed with tart dried cherries, crisp radishes, toasted pecans, and creamy crumbled goat cheese. The tangy Dijon vinaigrette with a touch of honey brings all the flavors together. This salad is best enjoyed after a few minutes of resting, allowing the kale to soften and the flavors to meld beautifully.

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Ingredients

1 tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard

1/2 cup dried cherries

2 ounces soft goat cheese, chilled

1 1/2 teaspoons honey

8 ounces Black Kale (Cavolo Nero, Lacinato, Dinosaur, or Tuscan Kale)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup pecan halves

4 ounces radishes, sliced paper-thin

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spread the pecan halves on a baking sheet and toast them for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring once or twice midway through, until fragrant and golden. Transfer to a plate to cool completely.
While the pecans toast, rinse the Black Kale under cool running water and pat it completely dry with paper towels or a kitchen towel. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut away the tough central rib and stem from each leaf, leaving the tender leaf sections intact. Stack a handful of leaves, roll them tightly lengthwise into a cigar shape, then slice across the roll to create thin ribbons. Repeat with remaining leaves.
Place all the kale ribbons into a large salad bowl.
Add the paper-thin radish slices, toasted pecans, and dried cherries to the bowl with the kale. Crumble the cold goat cheese into bite-sized pieces and scatter it over the top of the salad.
In a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, honey, and olive oil until well combined and emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly to coat all the ingredients. Let the salad rest for at least 20 minutes at room temperature before serving—this allows the kale to soften and the flavors to meld together beautifully.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4.25

Every ingredient is available at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Kroger, or Walmart without a special trip, and most are shelf-stable staples that work year-round in Charlotte. The 25-minute stated time is honest—you're just washing kale, toasting pecans if not pre-roasted, and whisking a simple vinaigrette, though the massaging of raw kale adds a couple minutes to render it tender. At roughly $2.50–$3.00 per serving, the cost tilts high because of the goat cheese and pecans, which are premium ingredients; budget more if you buy organic kale. This is a cold salad that holds overnight in the fridge, making it ideal for lunch leftovers, but it's best served same-day before the kale softens too much.