Best 5 Warm Kale Salad Recipes

WARM GRILLED PEACH AND KALE SALAD

Steps:

• Combine red bell pepper, vinegar, onion, oil, honey, ginger, and garlic paste in a jar with a lid. Cover jar, shake, and refrigerate dressing 8 hours to overnight.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Place peaches and kale on the preheated grill. Toss kale continuously until softened and lightly charred on the edges, about 5 minutes. Cook and turn peaches until grill marks appear, about 3 minutes per side.
• Place cooked kale in a serving bowl and toss with dressing. Top with cooked peaches and goat cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

RAW KALE SALAD WITH WARM BACON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Lay the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat and cook to your desired crispness, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the drippings and leaving any crunchy bits in the skillet.
• While the bacon cooks, remove the stems from the kale and discard. Roll up the leaves lengthwise and slice crosswise into thin strips. Transfer to a large bowl; add the nuts, chickpeas and Parmesan.
• Return the skillet to medium heat and add back 3 tablespoons of the reserved bacon drippings. (If you don't have 3 tablespoons, make up the difference with olive oil.) Add the shallots and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Whisk in the vinegar, brown sugar and mustard, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Remove the vinaigrette from the heat and season with salt and pepper.
• Chop the bacon and add it to the bowl. Drizzle in the warm dressing and toss to coat the salad. Serve immediately.

WARM KALE SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, honey, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes together to make the vinaigrette.
• Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon slices on paper towels. Reserve 3 tablespoons bacon fat in the skillet.
• Cook shallots in the bacon fat until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on a paper towel.
• Add kale and red peppers to the skillet and saute until warmed through but not wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Place kale, red peppers, and garlic in a serving bowl. Top with the vinaigrette, diced bacon, shallots, walnuts, and Parmesan cheese.

WARM MILLET, CARROT AND KALE SALAD WITH CURRY-SCENTED DRESSING

Steps:

• Separate the kale into two unequal bunches, with about two thirds in one bunch. Wash and dry the smaller bunch, roll the leaves in paper towels and set aside. Blanch the rest in a pot of boiling salted water for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon or skimmer, transfer to a bowl of cold water, drain and squeeze out excess water. Cut the squeezed bunch of kale crosswise into thin slices and set aside. Measure out 2 cups of the blanching water.
• Heat 2 teaspoons of oil over medium-high heat in a heavy 2- or 3-quart saucepan. Add the millet and toast, stirring, until it begins to smell fragrant and toasty, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the 2 cups of kale water. If not using the kale water add 2 cups water and salt to taste, and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 25 to 30 minutes, until the liquid in the saucepan has evaporated and the grains are fluffy. Turn off the heat, place a clean dish towel over the pot and return the lid. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then transfer the cooked millet to a baking sheet or a shallow pan and spread out in an even layer to cool. This helps prevent clumping.
• Meanwhile, make crispy kale with the remaining kale. Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Make sure that your kale leaves are dry. Tear them into medium-size pieces and toss with the olive oil. Gently knead the leaves between your thumbs and fingers to make sure they are coated with oil. Place in an even layer on the baking sheets. Do this in batches if necessary. Place in the oven and roast for 22 to 25 minutes, until the leaves are crisp but not browned. If some of the leaves crisp before others, remove them to a bowl or sheet pan and return the remaining kale to the oven. Watch closely as once the kale browns it will taste bitter. Once the kale is crisp, season to taste with salt. Allow to cool.
• Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl or measuring cup, then transfer to a wide skillet. Add the millet, blanched kale, carrots, and nigella seeds and heat everything together over medium heat, stirring to combine well, until sizzling. Stir in the cilantro just before serving. Serve with the crispy kale crumbled over the top.

WARM THAI KALE SALAD

Steps:

• Heat a heavy-bottom skillet over medium heat; add olive oil and swirl around in skillet. Cook and stir onion in the hot oil until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes; cook and stir until garlic and ginger are slightly browned and fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Stir carrots and celery into onion mixture; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add kale and cilantro; cook and stir until kale is slightly wilted, about 45 seconds. Stir lime juice, fish sauce, and lime zest into kale mixture until kale is evenly coated in lime juice.
• Serve kale salad topped with cucumber, peanuts, and mint.