Let’s face it, kale is a tough and can have a stronger flavor than lettuce which leads to the opinion in many cases that it can’t be eaten raw. Those who feel this way believe that lettuce is the only option for a good salad even though, kale is considered to be more nutritious. Kale is high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, while lettuce is a good source of beta carotene and folate.
There is a secret those of us who love Kale Salads use to totally change the flavor and texture of kale making it delicious for salads. That secret is taking a few minutes to massage your kale by hand or using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer.
Massaging kale is a method of gently kneading the leaves to make them more tender and easier to eat. This process breaks down the kale’s fibrous structure, making it easier to chew and digest. Massaged kale also has a darker, shinier appearance, and can because it is sturdier than lettuce you can pre-make a salad in advance without the fear it will become droopy or soggy.
How to massage kale by hand:
- Wash the kale and remove the leaves from the stems.
- Tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces.
- Add a splash of olive oil, lemon juice, or vinegar. You can also add a pinch of salt.
- Using your hands, rub the leaves together in a massaging motion.
- Continue massaging until the leaves are soft and have wilted a little, don’t go crazy. You can over massage making the pieces mushy.
- Give it a taste and be amazed.
How to massage kale using a stand mixer:
- Add 7 cups of bite sized kale to your stand mixer bowl (5 qt. bowl)
- I add olive oil, lemon and salt or whatever dressing you plan to use for your salad before I start massaging. (This dresses the salad for you and aids in the massage process!)
- Use the paddle to do the massaging on low speed. Let it massage for a few minutes
- Add your toppings to make your salad or put your massaged kale in the fridge to use later.
Any kale variety or tough green will work. You want to stem the (cleaned) kale first by grasping the kale around the tough stem and pull upward – pulling the leaf off the tough stem. Then tear your kale leaves into bite sized portions and massage.
A few Salad Options:
Parmesan cheese, cranberry and toasted almond or walnut with Dijon mustard vinaigrette
Roasted chickpeas, beets, carrots, pepitas with ginger dressing
Pecorino cheese, homemade croutons, lemon, olive oil, red pepper flakes
Granny smith apples, pomegranate arils, walnuts or pecans with goat cheese