Super Healthy Kale And Walnut Salad

Packed with flavour this rich and hearty kale salad also has the crunch of toasted walnuts. A salad for all seasons, perfect at any time of year.

Spring means the salad season is in motion, actually I love to eat salads all year round and this kale and walnut salad is one of these strong-tasting salads that would work just as well in winter as it does in spring or summer. So get that superfood into you and enjoy some kale.

What is kale

Kale is a member of the cabbage family and one of the most nutrient dense veggies there are.

This green is seriously good for you.

There are various different types of kale but the most common is Scot’s Kale or Curly CKale.

Kale yards were once a must-have in Scotland. The term meaning the patch of ground that every cottage/croft would have for the growing of kale. This veggie was for feeding the cattle not the people themselves. In Scotland kale is synonymous with cattle feed so the whole superfood thing took a bit of getting used to above the border.

Ingredients for this kale salad

I love kale in many forms, from kale crisps to soup and steamed as a side vegetable, but this simple kale and walnut salad really hits the spot.

It is packed with flavour and those walnuts add some texture and crunch too. Toasting the walnuts first ensures their very best flavour, it brings out the nuttiness, so don’t miss out on this step, it only takes a minute.

I’ve used one anchovy fillet from one of those little jars of anchovies in oil. For those of you who hate the mere thought of these little jars of pungent fish, calm down, you don’t taste the fishiness, you use them as part of the seasoning, they really do help to bring out flavours in everything from bolognaise sauce to soups and stews.

The other ingredients for this kale and walnut salad are Dijon mustard, half a garlic clove, the zest and juice of 1/4 of a lemon and some olive oil and cracked black pepper.

Note there is no salt involved, the saltiness comes from the anchovy fillet.

Pro tips

You can use my homemade Gentleman’s Relish instead of anchovy fillet to give the same depth of flavour to this salad dressing.

How to make kale and walnut salad

First things first, you want to toast those walnuts. Toasting nuts really brings out their flavour. I like to toast them in a dry pan on the hob.

This is quicker than toasting nuts in the oven. You have to watch them like a hawk though, do not answer your phone, nip to the loo or anything!

As soon as the nuts turn slightly golden and start to release that gorgeous nutty aroma they are done. Tip them out of the hot pan immediately to stop them cooking.

Cut any thick stalks out of the kale and discard them.

Mix your dressing in a small jar and pour this over the prepared kale and set it aside with the dressing mixed in for 30 minutes.

There are two reasons for this, the kale will soften slightly with this added time in the dressing and the flavours will develop beautifully.

Scatter with the walnuts and your kale and walnut salad is done!

How many does this kale and walnut salad serve?

This salad is for one person as a light lunch or two as a side salad. If you want more just double it up etc. By the way it’s great with a simple poached egg for lunch, yum!

Looking for more super salads to try? Then check these out before you go;

Beetroot salad with orange and feta

Greek watermelon and feta salad

Greek green salad with smoked pork

Salad Nicoise with smoked mackerel

Finally, if you do try this recipe don’t forget to leave a comment/star rating below as I just love to hear from readers. Want more Larder Love? Then follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter and sign up for my newsletter too of course.