Kale Salad With Cranberries and Cashews Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Will kale salad get soggy? ›

No! That's the beauty of kale. You can prep this simple kale salad up to an hour before serving it and it will still be crunchy and delicious. After several hours it becomes a bit softer but never really soggy.

This massaged kale salad is packed with tender kale leaves, bright lemon and shaved parmesan cheese. It's simple, delicious and it can be customized with your favorite veggies, avocado, chickpeas, berries and more. Massaged kale takes just 10 minutes of prep and it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.

“Minced garlic, olive oil, and salt are also simple ingredients that can transform the flavor of a bitter kale dish. ' “Cutting the stem of kale and marinating it with olive oil and salt can help reduce bitterness.”

Line a zip-top storage bag with paper towels. Place about two cups of dry kale inside the bag, squeeze out any excess air, and secure the bag. Store in the crisper drawer of your fridge for five to seven days. The stems should face toward the back of the fridge, where the air is colder.

Often labeled as a superfood, kale is one of the healthiest and most nutrient-dense foods you can eat. This leafy green comes in a variety of colors, shapes, and textures. It's often eaten raw in salads and smoothies but can also be enjoyed steamed, sautéed, boiled, or baked.

Typical shelf life: Generally, kale can last in the fridge for about five to seven days. The key is to store it correctly to maintain its crispness and nutrients. Impact of temperature and humidity: Kale prefers a cool and slightly humid environment, so the crisper drawer in your fridge is ideal.

But despite all that kale-leaf love, most kale recipes suggest you de-stem the sturdy greens by slicing along the thick middle stalk, use only the (relatively) more tender leaf, and toss the stems into the compost bin.

Adding kale to your meals

Kale holds its texture well when cooked, and it can be steamed, stir-fried, roasted or eaten raw. You can blend it into smoothies, roast it to make kale chips, wilt it into soup, mash it with potatoes or turn it into pesto.

Massaging kale for salad makes the vegetable more palatable by releasing its bitter compounds and—as a result—making the kale less bitter. This simple process breaks down the vegetable's fibrous texture, making it more tender, easier to chew, and more digestible.

Does kale salad go bad? ›

In the Refrigerator

Following the instructions shared above for this storage method should help kale last up to a week before it starts to wilt. This is true whether you refrigerate whole kale bunches or chopped kale leaves.

Any type of kale will work here. I especially like to use curly kale, but feel free to swap in Tuscan kale (aka lacinato kale) if you prefer. Extra-virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice – You'll massage them into the raw kale to help the leaves soften.

Additionally, overcooking kale can cause it to become mushy and lose its texture, making it less enjoyable to eat. Another reason why kale can taste bad when cooked is that it contains sulfur compounds that are released when it is cooked.

Blanching kale allows it to hold onto its color, as well as many of its nutrients. Kale that has been boiled too long appears wilted and gray. The nutrients leach into the water, which you can use to make a stock.

The emulsified vinaigrette works the best at keeping the salad crisp because in this state the vinegar surrounds droplets of oil, keeping them trapped and preventing contact with the greens. Tossing a salad with a fully emulsified vinaigrette (bottom) is the only way to ensure that greens keep their crisp texture.

Kale offers the make-ahead cook a great option for a salad. Because kale is notoriously tough and fibrous, it actually benefits from being prepared ahead. In fact it may be the only leafy green salad you can dress hours in advance.

Wipe all the vegetables with a paper towel before you cut them and add them to your salad. Extra moisture can only spoil your salad. Make sure that any cooked ingredients are cool before you add them to your salad. If you are using larger vegetables, make sure you put them on the bottom of your container.