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Crunchy Kale Parmesan Salad

Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Chill Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 126kcal
Author: Emily
A bright and citrusy kale salad with parmesan and lemon. Perfect for a picnic, a BBQ, or a side dish!
Print Recipe

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 large bunch of kale, rinsed and chopped (usually 1 lb or 8 cups chopped)
  • 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

  • Rinse the kale really well and remove the leaves from the stems. The stems are the most bitter part of kale. Use a salad spinner or paper towels to dry the leaves as best you can. Chop the kale leaves into small pieces. The smaller pieces help the salad be less tough and easier to eat.
  • Zest the lemon and then juice it. You will use all of the zest and all of the juice. Add the kale, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, and parmesan cheese to a large mixing bowl.
  • Toss everything together until the kale is coated and everything is combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour, 3-4 hours is best.

Notes

    • The thick main stems of kale are the most bitter part so make sure you remove the leaves before chopping the kale into smaller pieces.
    • This salad needs to chill for a MINIMUM of an hour but 3-4 is even better. This will give the flavors a chance to really settle in and for the kale to soften from the lemon juice and olive oil.
    • Use good olive oil for this salad. You don't have to spend a fortune but don't use the cheapest stuff you can find. Since it's not being cooked, you will notice the difference.
    • Use fresh lemon juice. You will need a lemon for the zest anyway but do not use bottled lemon juice. The taste will be completely different and not nearly as good as a fresh lemon.
    • As with olive oil, use good parmesan cheese too. Freshly grated is best, or find the grated cheese in the deli section if you can. Since this salad only has 4 ingredients, make sure they are high quality.
    • This salad will last 2-3 days covered in the fridge. You can also make this salad a day ahead of an event or party.
    • If you want to make this salad into a meal, add some grilled chicken, steak, or tofu and some fresh vegetables and you will have a healthy and easy meal.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 126kcal | Carbohydrates: 8.4g | Protein: 5.7g | Fat: 8.7g | Saturated Fat: 2.5g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 134mg | Potassium: 343mg | Fiber: 1.3g | Sugar: 0.3g | Calcium: 193mg | Iron: 1mg