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The remaining ingredients, including pomegranate seeds and chopped almond, have been added to the top of the kale. A purple dishcloth sits to the side.
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5 — Votes 7 votes

The Best Winter Kale Salad with Lemon Cardamom Dressing

This festive salad combines chopped kale and spinach with a simple lemon-cardamom dressing, goat cheese, pomegranates, and marcona almonds for a delicious veggie side.
Prep Time15 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 5 servings
Author: Amber Goulden

Ingredients

For the Dressing:

  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, about 1 small lemon
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom

For the Salad

  • 1 bunch lacinato kale
  • 1 bunch spinach
  • ¼ cup fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 ounces fresh goat cheese
  • ½ cup pomegranate seeds
  • ½ cup marcona almonds, crushed

Instructions

  • To prepare the dressing, whisk together the lemon juice, zest, and honey, then slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the dressing begins to thicken. Then, add in the salt, pepper, and cardamom and whisk to combine.
  • Remove the stems from the kale, coarsely chop it, and add it to a large bowl. Pour half the dressing over the kale and massage the dressing into it, until the kale starts to soften slightly.
  • Remove the stems from the bunch of spinach then slice into ½-inch pieces and add to the bowl with the kale. Add the parsley to the bowl along with the remaining dressing and toss to combine.
  • Top the salad with crumbled goat cheese, pomegranate seeds, and marcona almonds and serve!

Notes

Recipe Variations and Modifications:
  • Use a different type of cheese - if you aren't a fan of goat cheese, don't count this recipe out! Fresh shredded parmesan or gruyere would both be delicious here, as would crumbled feta.
  • Omit the cheese - if you're dairy-free, feel free to omit the cheese altogether. The salad will still be really delicious.
  • Swap the pomegranate seeds - we are BIG fans of the pomegranate seed addition to this salad, but if you can't seem to find them at your local grocery store, feel free to swap them for dried cranberries instead.

Nutrition

Calories: 189kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 359mg | Potassium: 637mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 12142IU | Vitamin C: 78mg | Calcium: 228mg | Iron: 3mg