Simple Lemon Kale Salad

Okay, so we have to tell you something crazy!  It’s confession time.  This simple lemon kale salad is like one of our favorite, most requested, staples that we make all the time and have been making for years and we literally just discovered that we didn’t have it up here on the site!!  What??  Gasp?!?  I know, we were horrified at this discovery.  We are so very sorry for those of you who have lost sleep over this! How could this have happened?  Ha ha  Well, have no fear, we have fixed the little blunder and well, here it is!  Your life is now complete!!  Phew! You are going to wonder how you’ve made it this far without this recipe.  So, check it out…simple and so so good!

We prefer lacinato or dino kale…also called black kale and it looks like what you see in this picture.  It’s the long flat looking kale as opposed to the really frilly kind.  Don’t get us wrong, we will eat them both but if we have a choice, it’s what you see here.  Simply a texture preference.  So, clean and dry your kale really well.  We have a youtube video here so you can see how we clean and cut our kale.  Yep, we actually take the time to make videos like this for you!  Your welcome.

Did you love the video?  Did you learn something new?  We sure hope so.  So, now you know how to clean and de-stem the kale so you can quickly chop it up into thin strips.  Now just whisk your lemon juice, garlic and olive oil and pour it over the kale and toss it so it’s all nicely covered.  (FYI, the lemon breaks down the kale and makes it soft)  Many people have issues with the texture of kale but we always tell them that’s because they aren’t eating it right!  Try our salad and you will change your mind! We are feeling really confident right now.

Anyway, toss the salad with freshly grated pecorino romano cheese, red pepper flakes and the toasted panko breadcrumbs and you are good to go!  We are not lying when we tell you that both of our daughters (who are 13 years old) absolutely love this salad and have it in their school lunches on a regular basis.  How cool is that?  As a mom, there is extreme satisfaction with your child eating (and wanting) a kale salad for lunch.  Winning!!

Simple Lemon Kale Salad

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Total time

10 mins

 

Author: Good Thyme Kitchen

Serves: 4 As a side salad

Ingredients

• 1 large bunch lacinato (Dino) kale, cleaned and chopped into thin strips (approx 6-8 C)
• 3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice - approx 1 large lemon
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• ½ - 1 tsp red pepper flakes - can adjust or omit depending on how much heat you want
• ¼ C good quality olive oil
• ⅓ C pecorino romano cheese, finely grated
• 3 Tbsp panko breadcrumbs - toasted in skillet over medium heat until golden brown.

Instructions

1. Whisk lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil together. Toss kale with dressing and sprinkle with cheese, red pepper flakes and toasted bread crumbs.

Good Thyme Tip - Add chopped avocado, grilled chicken, salmon, etc.

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