This easy baby kale salad is a wonderful green side salad that pairs well with many types of main courses. It's so quick to pull together and highlights the lovely grassy flavor of baby kale.
I love using baby kale because it has all the great kale flavor but without any bitterness. Baby kale is curly kale picked early - it's much softer, and you don't need to remove the stem or massage the leaves like you do with more mature kale.
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Recipe Features
- Bright green baby kale topped with a tangy dijon vinaigrette, zingy sliced shallots, and mellow parmesan meld for a flavorful salad!
- Simple to make and ready in minutes!
- Pairs well with fish, chicken, steak, and more! We love to serve it alongside baked pork chops or grilled halibut.
Ingredients
- Fresh Baby Kale - much milder than mature curly kale, baby kale is easy to use and has all the flavor and nutritional benefits of kale! You can substitute for a mix of baby kale and spinach or use any other type of baby green in this recipe.
- Parmesan Cheese - you'll use a vegetable peeler to shred pieces of parmesan that add a superb mellowness to this salad. You can substitute for shredded parmesan, but I think the larger pieces of parmesan are the way to go!
- Shallots - fresh shallots offer wonderful allium flavor while not being overpowering. You can substitute for a small red onion or half a large red onion, but I would recommend soaking it for at least five minutes in cold water before adding it to the salad to cut some of the bitterness.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - use the best quality olive oil you have for this recipe, as the oil is the base of the vinaigrette.
- Dijon Mustard - adds a kicky, tangy flavor to the vinaigrette.
- White Wine Vinegar - adds acid while not being overpowering to balance the vinaigrette.
- Seasonings - you'll use kosher salt, garlic powder, dried oregano, dried thyme, and gound black pepper to season the vinaigrette.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1: Combine the olive oil, mustard, vinegar, salt, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, and pepper in a small bowl and whisk briskly to combine.
- Step 2: In a large bowl, toss the dressing and the baby kale.
- Step 3: Peel and thinly slice the shallot, and using a cheese grater or vegetable peeler, cut shards/slices of the parmesan cheese. Break any large pieces up.
- Step 4: Add the sliced shallots and pieces of parmesan to the kale and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
Tips for Making this Salad
Preparation Tips - allow the kale to marinate in the vinaigrette while you are slicing the shallots and parmesan. Baby kale is a slightly tougher green than spinach or lettuce, and this allows it to become tender.
Recommended Tools - You'll need a cheese grater, vegetable peeler, or mandoline to create the thin slices of parmesan.
Storage
Leftover salad can be stored for up to 3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. I recommend letting it come to room temperature before serving.
tasty side salads!
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Baby Kale Salad
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 5 ounces baby kale
- 2 shallots
- 2 ounces parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Combine the olive oil, mustard, vinegar, salt, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, and pepper in a small bowl and whisk briskly to combine.
- In a large bowl, toss the dressing and the baby kale.
- Peel and thinly slice the shallot and using a cheese grater or vegetable peeler, cut shards/slices of the parmesan cheese. Break any large pieces up.
- Add the sliced shallots and pieces of parmesan to the kale and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
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