Tuscan Kale Salad with Lemon Basil Dressing
Think you don't like kale salad? Think again! This delicious Tuscan Kale Salad with crisp, buttery bread crumbs, salty, savory Parmesan and a fabulous lemon basil dressing will have the most adamant kale hater requesting seconds!
Servings: 8
Calories: 159kcal
Ingredients
For the crispy panko crumbs:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup panko crumbs you can also use a piece of a small baguette, see notes
For the dressing:
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 small clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt more to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves loosely packed
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
For the salad:
- 12 ounces Tuscan kale also known as black, dinosaur or lacinato kale, (1 large or two medium-size bunches)
- ½-¾ cup shaved or grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
For the crispy panko crumbs:
- Melt butter in a medium-size sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the panko (or baguette) crumbs and stir until the crumbs are well coated. Cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently until the crumbs are crisp and a nice golden color. Set aside.
For the dressing:
- Combine the lemon juice, garlic, mustard, anchovy paste, salt, pepper and basil leaves in the bowl of a blender or food processor (I like to use a mini food processor.) Blend or process until smooth. Add the olive oil and pulse a few more times. Set aside.(You can also use an immersion blender. Just place all ingredients except the olive oil in a large measuring cup. Use the immersion blender to blend until smooth. Add the olive oil and blend for a few more seconds.)
For the salad:
- Wash the kale in cold water and drain well. Wrap the kale in a clean kitchen towel or several thicknesses of paper towels and squeeze gently to dry. (You may need to do this several times to get the kale nice and dry. You could also use a salad spinner.)
- Grab a kale leaf with one hand. Running your fingers down the stem, strip the leaf free and discard the stem. You can also use a knife and slice the leaf off of the stem on either side.
- Tear the kale into small pieces, (about the size a quarter, no bigger!), again discarding any tough veins and transfer to a large salad bowl. (I think it’s prettier to tear the kale by hand and you can remove the smaller veins but you can also use a knife to cut the kale into narrow strips.)
- About 30-40 minutes before serving, drizzle 4-5 tablespoons of the dressing over the salad and toss with two large forks or a tongs until all the leaves are nicely coated. Set aside.
- Right before serving, toss the kale again then sprinkle the panko crumbs and the parmesan (also the corn, if using) over the top of the salad. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
See Café Tips above in the post for more detailed instructions and tips.
Nutrition
Calories: 159kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 274mg | Potassium: 238mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 4397IU | Vitamin C: 53mg | Calcium: 145mg | Iron: 1mg