Warm Kale Salad with Cranberries and Walnuts

A simple combination of sweet and savory, green and crunchy all at the same time. Warm kale salad with cranberries and walnuts. Warm salads are satisfying as we head into fall and a great way to get more greens into your diet. Serve as a side dish to roast chicken, as a bed for roast salmon or atop quinoa for a bowl.

Here's a favorite side dish for roast chicken and salmon in the fall. The flavor combinations are really super. Hope you enjoy.

Ingredient Tips

Kale

Kale - This sturdy, leafy green is a nutritional powerhouse. It’s one vegetable you should add to your grocery list and this warm kale salad makes it easy to enjoy. It's quick to prepare, super healthy, and of course, it tastes great. My husband was happily surprised. More vegetables is a good thing!

While you can buy bags of pre-chopped kale at many markets, they don't cut out the tough center rib. Skip the bags and spend a few minutes chopping your own. The result is better.

Cut the center ribs out of the kale leaves, and then cut the leaves crosswise into thin ribbons. Alternatively, hold a leaf in one hand and with the other, strip off the leafy part from the center rib by pulling from the end.

For two people, you’ll need one large bunch of kale. It might seem like a lot, but kale shrinks up as most vegetable too because of their high water content. Do two bundles of kale for 4 people.

Vinegar and Fruit

Vinegar - Use a Balsamic vinegar, sherry vinegar, or a fancy fruit-flavored vinegar. I have lots of fun, flavored vinegars in my pantry to create interesting vinaigrettes. I’ve used a dark cherry balsamic and a fig balsamic. Try something fun and flavorful.

For the cranberries, look for sulfite-free.

Instructions

Pre-cook the chopped kale ribbons by steaming or blanching for about 2 minutes. Drain and use right away or cool, refrigerate and for use a few days later.

To complete the dish, cook shallot in olive oil with garlic for a minute. Add the dried cranberries, walnuts and vinegar, cook for a minute, then add the kale. Toss and cook for a minute or two until the greens are coated and warm. That’s it.

Prep Ahead Tips

Prepping ahead saves time when you get home, everyone is hungry and you need a quick dinner. To prep this warm kale salad ahead, do the following:

• Wash, stem and chop the kale leaves
• Chop walnuts and measure out
• Measure out the cranberries
• Chop the shallot
• Cover everything and refrigerate the kale and shallot until cooking time
• Place the rest of the ingredients ready to go near the stove

Kale Nutrition

Kale is a nutritional giant among vegetables, a true superfood. It provides antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients, micronutrients and has been shown to help prevent a number of cancers. It's a good source of iron, fiber, calcium, healthy omega-3 fats and is a detoxifier (good for our livers).

📖 Recipe

Warm Kale Salad with Dried Cranberries and Walnuts

Sally Cameron

This warm kale salad is rich in taste, easy and healthy. Serve it as a salad, as a side dish to roast chicken, or as a bed for roast salmon. Place it over a bed of quinoa for a vegetarian or vegan entree. It all works. For your vinegar, choose a fun, fruit-flavored variety such as dark cherry or fig Balsamic.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 4 servings

Calories 144 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 bunches organic kale Tuscan, Lacinato or Dinosaur
• ▢ 1 medium shallot
• ▢ 2 teaspoons salt used for boiling water
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 2 large garlic cloves chopped fine
• ▢ ¼ cup chopped walnuts
• ▢ ¼ cup dried cranberries
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
• ▢ A sprinkle of sea salt and ground black pepper

Instructions

 

• Bring a large pot (5 quart/liter) of water to a boil while you are trimming the kale leaves and slicing the shallot. Trim the ribs out of the center of the kale leaves, then cut the leaves crosswise into ribbons. Slice the peeled shallot crosswise into thin rings.
• When water boils, add 2 teaspoons salt, then drop the kale leaves into the water and cook for 2 minutes (called blanching). Drain well through a sieve and place kale on a clean kitchen towel. Alternatively you can steam your kale for 2-3 minutes, then proceed with the recipe.
• In a medium saute or fry pan (3 or 4 quart), heat the olive oil over medium low heat until warm. Add the shallot rings, then the garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring until softened. Be careful not to let them burn. Add the cranberries, walnuts and vinegar. Stir and cook for a minute, then add the cooked kale. Toss the kale ribbons to coat and warm, season up with salt and pepper, then serve.

Notes

Prep ahead in the morning for a fast dinner:

• Wash, stem and chop the kale leaves
• Chop walnuts and measure out
• Measure out the cranberries
• Chop the shallot
• Cover everything and refrigerate the kale and shallot until cooking time
• Place the rest of the ingredients ready to go near the stove

Nutrition

Calories: 144kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 4gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1190mgPotassium: 386mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 6495IUVitamin C: 79mgCalcium: 112mgIron: 1mg

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