You have to love a salad that bucks all the rules—treat it roughly, make it ahead, let it sit for hours. But that’s what makes Tuscan kale such a brilliant salad green. The sturdy grooved leaves seem tough at first but, like your back after a trip to the chiropractor, relax and open up once they’re heartily massaged. A confetti of nuts, seeds, and golden raisins—a very Sicilian combination—blesses the top of the salad and provides lots of welcome crunchy contrast to the creamy almond-butter dressing.
Recipe information
Total Time
45 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Dressing
1
⅓
¼
¼
¼
2
2
2
Salad and Assembly
2
¼
3
⅓
2
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Dressing
Step 1
Whisk 1 large garlic clove, finely grated, ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, ¼ cup almond butter, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, ¼ cup white wine vinegar, 2 tsp. Calabrian chile paste, 2 tsp. onion powder, 2 tsp. sugar, a large pinch of kosher salt, and 2 Tbsp. water in a small bowl until thick and smooth. Taste dressing; season with more salt if needed.
Do Ahead: Dressing can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
Salad and Assembly
Step 2
Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium. Cook ¼ cup pine nuts or raw shelled sunflower seeds and 3 Tbsp. raw shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas), stirring constantly, until pale golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add zest of 1 lemon, ⅓ cup golden raisins, and a large pinch of kosher salt and stir to combine.
Step 3
Transfer about a quarter of dressing to a large bowl. Add 2 bunches Tuscan kale, ribs and stems removed, leaves thinly sliced, and, using your hands, massage dressing into kale to soften slightly. Add remaining dressing and about a quarter of pine nut mixture and toss to coat evenly.
Step 4
Transfer kale salad to a large shallow bowl or a platter and top with remaining pine nut mixture.