This versatile kale salad can be made very simple or turned into a hearty meal with some added protein and grains. Choose your own adventure!
I’ve made this very simple kale salad for years, but have decided to take it up a few notches. I originally designed this salad with kale, a pecan crumble I make in my food processor for crunch and saltiness, a lemon vinaigrette and some dried cranberries. A client I cook for loves a good grain bowl for lunch and mentioned to me that she loves kale. Immediately, I started reimaging how I could turn this simple salad into a heartier main dish.
You can add or remove ingredients in this recipe to your heart’s content, using the kale, pecan crumble and vinaigrette as your base.
What You’ll Need:
- kale, chopped
- olive oil, garlic, lemon, salt, black pepper
- Italian seasoning or fresh herbs (e.g. basil)
- raw pecans
- nutritional yeast
- prosciutto
- fresh figs (fresh peaches or dried figs work too!)
- protein – chicken, or tofu (optional)
- cooked grain – brown rice, quinoa, etc. (optional)
- shaved parmesan (optional)
Making the Recipe:
If you decide to make this a hearty bowl with brown rice, I recommend cooking the brown rice first. I usually takes 45 minutes to cook!
If you’re not using brown rice or skipping the grain altogether, start by making the vinaigrette. Combine the freshly squeezed lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, pepper and herbs in a small bowl and whisk it well. Set the dressing aside, while you do the rest of the prep.
Next, make the pecan crumble. Place the pecans, nutritional yeast, olive oil and salt in a food processor and process on high until the mixture looks like coarse sand. Set that aside too.
Your next step is to cook the proteins. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Place the slices of prosciutto on the parchment so that they don’t touch. Once the oven is preheated, cook the prosciutto for about 10 minutes. Remove it from the oven and let it cool, where it will continue to get a bit more crispy.
If you plan to add some cooked chicken or tofu, prepare that while the prosciutto is baking and resting.
Finally, you are ready to assemble the salad or bowl! Add the chopped kale to a large bowl and add a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Massage the kale with your hands or some tongs to coat the greens. This will break down the fiber a bit so the greens are more tender.
Next, crumble the crispy prosciutto and slice the fresh figs. Place them on top of the greens and top with the pecan crumble. Drizzle the salad with some additional vinaigrette.
Kale Salad with Figs and Crispy Prosciutto
- Prep Time: 15-30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-45 minutes
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: salad
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This versatile kale salad can be made very simple or turned into a hearty meal with some added protein and grains. Choose your own adventure!
Ingredients
For the Lemon Vinaigrette & Marinade:
- 1/2 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/2 cup olive oil, extra virgin and cold pressed
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning (or 1 Tbsp. fresh basil)
For the Pecan Crumble Topping:
- 1 cup raw pecan halves
- 1 ½ Tbsp. nutritional yeast
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 pinches sea salt
For the Salad Base:
- 11/2 lb. chicken thighs, cooked and sliced
- 1 cup brown rice (sub quinoa or white rice for quicker cooking)
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 6 pieces of prosciutto
- 8 cups of kale, finely chopped
- 8 fresh figs, quartered
- 1/2 cup shaved parmesan
Instructions
- f you use brown rice for the bowl, start by cooking the rice. It can take 45 minutes to cook. If you are making quinoa or white rice as your grain, you can cook it while the chicken thighs are baking in the oven.
- Mix all the ingredients for the lemon vinaigrette and marinade in a small bowl or Pyrex measuring cup. You’ll use a portion of the dressing to marinate the chicken thighs.
- Place the chicken thighs in a glass bowl or a large zip top bag. Pour ½ cup of the dressing over the chicken thighs and coat them well. Let the thighs sit in the marinade at room temperature, while you do the rest of the prep.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
- Place the pieces of prosciutto on the rimmed baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes.
- Make the pecan crumble in a food processor and set it aside. Process all the ingredients until it looks like coarse sand.
- Chop the kale and place it in a large mixing bowl.
- Remove the pan from the oven when the prosciutto is crispy and let it cool.
- Place the chicken thighs on another baking sheet with parchment paper. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Then, pull the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes while you assemble the bowls.
- Add the dressing to the kale and massage it with your hands for a few minutes. This will help make the kale more tender.
- Crumble the prosciutto with your hands.
- Slice and add the cooked chicken and add it to the bowl, along with some of the cooked grain. Sprinkle the pecan crumble, crispy prosciutto, shaved parmesan and sliced fruit on top of the salad. Drizzle with a little extra dressing if you like, to taste.
Notes
- If you don’t have a food processor, you can whisk together the salad dressing and make the pecan crumbs by hand. A zip top bag and a rolling pin can be used to crush the pecans.
- Fresh peaches or dried cranberries or figs can be substituted for the fresh figs.
- To reduce cooking time, substitute cooked quinoa or white rice for the brown rice.
- To make this vegetarian, omit the prosciutto and chicken. Cooked tempeh or tofu are great vegetarian/vegan protein substitutes.
- Use dairy free cheese if avoiding dairy or eating vegan.