I’m in need of some greens. The gnarly kind. The kind that bite back.
Clearly kale is the answer. It’s clean and crunchy and that’s where we’re starting for today.
The very back of the pantry is like a treasure trove of forgotten bottles and spices. I dug out my neglected bottle of sesame oil and rice wine vinegar for this clean and crunchy salad. They’re just the right ingredients to tame the taste and texture of raw kale.
Fresh ginger is grated and whisked together with minced garlic, sesame oil, and rice wine vinegar. A little honey to balance the spicy-ness of ginger, too! Salt and pepper, of course. Making fresh salad dressing is just that easy.
Before tossing the dressing onto the kale, I massaged the kale with a bit of olive oil. This helps soften the fibrous leaves further.
Chopped roasted almonds and sesame seeds for crunch and this salad is a go! It’s simple, satisfying, and totally green! What a way to make a pound of kale go down easy.
Sesame Kale Salad with Roasted Almonds
makes 4 small servings
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
1 pound kale, cleaned, stems removed, and coarsely choppd
1 teaspoon olive oil
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1 small clove of garlic, minced
scant 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
scant 2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon honey
salt and crushed red pepper flakes to taste
1/3 cup coarsely chopped roasted almonds
In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds until just fragrant. Remove from heat and place in a small bowl.
Place kale in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Massage the oil into the kale and set aside while you make the dressing.
In a small bowl whisk together the grated ginger, minced garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and honey until emulsified. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and taste. Season as needed. Pour the dressing over the kale and toss. Top with toasted sesame seeds and chopped almonds and toss once again. Serve immediately.
Carlinne @Cook with 2 Chicks
Sounds delicious! Massaging the kale really makes a difference.
joythebaker
it really does, right!?
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan
Unearth those goodies, girl, it’s kind of the best, right?!
Amy
My sister and I did some cooking for a few months for a loved one with health issues. We made her lots of massaged kale salad, and I got hooked on it myself! I’m happy to have a new recipe to try; this one looks particularly good! :)
Liza in Ann Arbor
Massagine kale…that’s a new one. I have a post about how to make kale more manageable in salads. I might have to add that tip (with credit of course!).
Rebekah
This looks so fresh and summery!
Lisa Williford
Great recipe – but didn’t you hear . . . according to a recent NYT style piece, we don’t have kale here in NOLA! ;-)
joythebaker
pffftttt… i found kale no problem!
Lisa Williford
Indeed! That’s why so many of us here were a bit peeved at this b.s. article . . . and why I think it’s excellent that you posted a yummy kale recipe – thank you!!
foodlikecake
I’ve never had kale but this salad makes me want to run out and buy some right now. Looks delicious!
Cheryl Coombes
Yum, the new kitchen is getting some use. Good luck in your new home.
Jessica (bakecetera)
i do a similar version with cold soba noodles, but i never add ginger!! great idea! i love this salad… so crisp and green and awesome!
joythebaker
cold soba sounds so good!
Aerin
This sounds so nice! I love kale xx
BerrieBlogs| {beauty blog}
Allison
Quick question – you mention grated ginger in the description, but not in the recipe; how much?
katemai
Wait- nothing in the back of your pantry should be forgotten- you just stocked it!!! It’s all still neat and clean and organized, right?
joythebaker
i’m talking about when i cleaned my last pantry and moved it to New Orleans. that’s when i unearthed all of these gems!
Kezia
I have a huge bunch of kale from my grandad’s garden, so this recipe popped up in my feed at just the right time. It looks delicious and I think i have all the ingredients in my cupboard right now!
Averie @ Averie Cooks
Greens that bite back. Love that :)
And the dressing. With the rice wine, sesame oil, soy, honey….mmmm, sounds perfect! Pinned
Belinda Lo (Moonblush Baker)
mmm… I like the way you think with almonds and kale in salad. I always have stash in the back of the cupboard for those times of want to eat “clean”.
Like always I an stunned at the level of photography skills you have to get such crisp images. I can almost hear the texture!