• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Blog
    • Food
      • Appetizers
      • Breads
      • Breakfast
      • Dairy Free
      • Drinks
      • Healthy
      • Homemade
      • Main Dishes
      • Pastas
      • Salads
      • Side Dishes
      • Snacks
      • Soups & Stews
      • Sweets
      • Vegetables
    • Obsessing On
      • Series Posts
        • Blogging Roundup
        • Crushing On…
        • Cookbook Love
        • Blog Crushes
        • Favorite Finds
        • Let’s Travel
      • Share Fest
        • Beauty & DIY
        • Blogging
        • My Kitchen
        • Every Day Things
        • Techy Stuff
  • Recipe Index
  • About
    • About CCWT
    • FAQs
    • Contact
  • Work With Me
  • Shop
    • Blogging Resources
    • Cookbooks
    • Cool Stuff
    • Kitchen Appliances
    • Kitchen Tools
  • Privacy

Can Cook, Will Travel logo

You are here: Home / Recipes / Diet / Clean Eating / Kale Salad with Warm Cranberry Almond Vinaigrette

February 22, 2014 By Kelli Wallace Leave a Comment

Kale Salad with Warm Cranberry Almond Vinaigrette


(Recipe can be found on the site Gimme Some Oven here.)
Step by Step Instructions:


This Kale Salad with Warm Cranberry Almond Vinaigrette will be on your table in no time. Here’s what you’ll need: Salt & Pepper, 1 bunch of Kale, 1 Shallot, 3 Garlic cloves, Dried Cranberries, 1 Lemon, Sliced Almonds, Red Wine Vinegar, Olive Oil, and Goat Cheese (which can be optional…but should it be??).


Start off with prepping your veggies. Thinly slice the shallot. I had a massive shallot, and I almost didn’t use the whole thing, but hell you only live once right?!


Good thing you’ve seen coarsly chopped garlic before because this picture is a bit on the blurry side. But in any case just coarsly chop 3 garlic cloves.


Then turn your attention to the kale. I stripped the leaves from the stalks and tossed those. Next I did nearly a chiffonade (like you would slice basil, for ex) to thinly cut the kale. So just pile the leaves on top of each other, roll them together a bit, and thinly slice through the leaves…


…and you’ll see how they look once I’m done. Yum!


Then zest half of a lemon. You’ll also need half of the lemon for juice in the vinaigrette, so keep it handy.


In a medium-sized pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat.


Add in the shallots. You’ll want to cook them for about 4 or 5 minutes until they are tender.


Here are the shallots after about 4 1/2 minutes. I let them get a little crsipy for added flavor.


Then add the garlic and saute it for about a minute.


Finally finish up the vinagrette by adding 1 cup of dried cranberries, the lemon zest, the juice of half of a lemon, 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar (which will make your eyes water!), and salt and pepper to taste.


Stir until it’s well combined and remove from the heat. You’ll need it in just a moment.


Now get your hands ready! Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt to the kale and massage the kale for 1 to 2 minutes. You’re looking for the kale to get nice and tender this way.


I forgot to take a picture after it was massaged, but here is a close up and the kale is softened and less bitter.


Then add the cranberry vinaigrette to the kale plus 1/4 cup of sliced almonds. Stir it well and serve. I topped mine with a bit of crumbled goat cheese, which I think really made this salad more special. The creaminess really helped with the tart cranberries and the slightly bitter kale. This Kale Salad with Warm Cranberry Almond Vinaigrette was fabulous! I can’t wait to dig into the leftovers. Happy massaging my friends!


Kale Salad with Warm Cranberry Almond Vinaigrette
 
Print
Prep time
20 mins
Cook time
7 mins
Total time
27 mins
 
I'm in love with this salad, and I think you will be too. Tons of flavor, textures, and all of the ingredients work harmoniously. Enjoy!
Recipe type: Salad
Cuisine: American
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil, divided
  • 1 Shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves Garlic, coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup Dried Cranberries
  • 2 Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar
  • juice and zest of half a Lemon
  • ⅛ tsp. Salt
  • ⅛ tsp. Black Pepper
  • 1 bunch Kale, very thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup sliced Almonds
  • (optional) ¼ cup crumbled Blue Cheese or Goat Cheese
Preparation Instructions
  1. Once you have your veggies prepped, the vinaigrette comes together in a snap. Get a medium or large pan and heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. Then saute the shallots for about 4 or 5 minutes until they are tender. The garlic is added next and sauteed for another minute. Then in goes the cranberries, red wine vinegar, lemon juice and zest, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir it all together and then remove from the heat.
  2. Time for the kale. Place the thinly sliced kale into a large bowl and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt to it. Then massage with your hands for 1-2 minutes. The idea is for it to get tender, and you'll be able to tell as it does.
  3. Once the kale is tender, add the cranberry vinaigrette and sliced almonds and combine. When you serve the salad you can top with goat cheese or blue cheese. I opted for the goat cheese, which was delicious!
3.5.3208

 

1

Subscribe To My Newsletter!

Ready to get weekly recipes, cooking tips, and more delivered straight to your inbox? Perfect! Sign up here and you're in.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Filed Under: Clean Eating Tagged With: Almonds, Dried Cranberries, Kale, Lemon

Previous Post: « Swoon-worthy Caramelized Onion and Bacon Mac ‘n Cheese
Next Post: Learning to Love Salads – Part 15: Kale Salad with Warm Cranberry Vinaigrette »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Welcome

Hi and welcome! I'm Kelli, a Midwestern girl at heart who loves to cook and travel (of course). This blog chronicles my journey to rediscover my passions and share them with all of you. From cooking & baking to travel & inspiration, I have tons of interests that I can't wait to share with you! Learn More…

Let’s Connect

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Subscribe

Welcome to Can Cook, Will Travel!

Never miss another delicious recipe again!

Get weekly newsletters in your inbox with new recipes, features & more! Plus subscribe now for my must-have kitchen tools guide!

You have Successfully Subscribed!




Take my survey, Pretty Please!

Survey Says_Small




Archives

Bloglovin

Footer

Stay Connected

  • Bloglovin
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr

Instagram

Unable to communicate with Instagram.

CanCookWillTravel.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. All thoughts and opinions are 100% our own.

Copyright © 2011–2023 Can Cook, Will Travel | All Rights Reserved