Published 4/9/2018 • Updated 4/29/2024 We posted this massaged kale fennel salad before massaging your kale was cool 😎 But really, enough of the raw kale salads; it only takes a few minutes to massage your kale, and it tastes 100% better. This salad is one of our go-to salads when we are tasked to bring a salad to a get-together, this is what we bring. First and foremost, don’t be scared of kale salad. Yes, it’s roughage, and it is very hard to enjoy raw. Once you mix it with a little oil and salt and give it a nice massage for 2-3 minutes, you’re golden. This massaged kale salad is going to seriously change your life.
What is in this kale fennel salad?
Let’s talk about everything that is in this salad. Fennel is the star of the show. If you aren’t familiar with fennel, it is part of the carrot family and you will most likely see it in the grocery store under the name ‘fennel bulb’. It looks kind of crazy, as it has a bulb, stalks, and flowery herbs at the top. Guess what, you can eat the whole dang thing and we definitely use every part of the fennel bulb in this salad! Along with your fennel and kale, you’ve got apples, dried apricots, onion, cashews, and a super simple lemon vinaigrette! The key to this salad is chopping everything the same size! I love that this salad is not a bowl of lettuce with some toppings. This salad is a perfect mixture of crunchy, sweet, and savory with a nice tartness from the lemon vinaigrette. It’s as easy as 1-2-3.
Substitutions for Massaged Kale Salad
Fennel Substitutes: If you can’t find fennel, you can use thinly sliced celery, radishes, cabbage, or shredded carrots for a similar flavor and crunch. Kale substitutions: If you don’t have kale, you can use arugula instead. Apple Substitutes: If you don’t have apples, pears or chopped grapes would be good substitutes. Goat Cheese Substitutes: If you don’t like goat cheese, you can use crumbled feta cheese, ricotta cheese, or even a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese. Lemon Vinaigrette Substitutes: If you don’t have the ingredients for the lemon vinaigrette, you can use a simple olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing or a store-bought Italian vinaigrette. Apricot Substitutions: If you don’t have apricots, use raisins.
Does this salad keep well in the fridge?
Yes! It should keep for around 2-3 days, but we recommend eating it fresh for the best texture and flavor.
Serving Suggestions
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Kale Recipes
Garlic Roasted Kale Chips Honey Ginger Quinoa Kale Salad Grilled Kale and Watermelon Salad Easy Kale Pesto Crispy Chicken Kale Caesar Salad
