This Kale, Date & Almond Salad features earthy kale, zesty lemon, mildly flavored shallots, sweet dates, heart healthy almonds & hemp hearts, and a sprinkle of almond parmesan. It’s a delicious combination of savory and sweet!
Kale, kale and more kale! I hope you all love it as much as me because I have another kale recipe for the collection. And if you don’t love it maybe this simple and easy salad will make you a kale lover!
On a recent trip to Trader Joe’s there was a packaged Kale & Hemp Seed Salad with Dates that caught my eye. After doing a quick google search I came across a similar salad from Epicurious that had great reviews. I love finding gems like this with such positive feedback (even non-kale lovers loved it). I’ve brought the two inspirations together creating a simple, classic kale salad for us to enjoy time and time again.
Whether serving for a crowd or simply for yourself, you’ll love the ease of this salad. Pair it with a slice of whole grain bread, better yet, a slice of fruit, nut & seed bread and you have yourself a nice light, healthy lunch or dinner. It was a perfect fresh salad for this chilly day!
Full grown raw kale can be a bit tough, the lemon dressing will help to soften it. The kale you find in bunches will benefit the most from a little marinating. It can really make a big difference for those who have a hard time eating raw kale. I would suggest for the most tenderizing effect to leave the kale in the lemon mixture for an hour or so, even overnight, covered, in the fridge. If using baby kale (like I’ve used here) there isn’t a need to let it set very long, if at all, since it’s already baby tender.
Use your favorite dates. I’ve used 8 medjool dates here. Use as many as you like. I like to get at least one piece of date in every bite. Just remember to only add the dates when ready to serve or they’ll get soggy and mushy. Dried figs would also work well here.
Simple, fabulous, light and refreshing! This salad is perfect for a light lunch or dinner. I hope you enjoy this kale, date and almond salad as much as I have.
This salad is:
- Fresh & light
- Gluten free
- Super easy
- Healthy & delicious
If you try this easy salad recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
KALE, DATE & ALMOND SALAD + LEMON DRESSING
Savory and sweet, this salad is an easy way to love your kale. Makes for a light lunch or dinner and pairs great with a slice of whole grain bread.
- Prep Time: 10 - 20 min
- Total Time: 10 - 20 min
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients
- juice of 1 large lemon
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
- pinch of salt
- pinch of red pepper flakes or fresh cracked pepper
- 1 large bunch lacinato or curly kale (stem removed and julienned) or 5 oz. package baby kale
- 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, optional
- 8 dates, seeds removed and chopped
- 1/3 cup slivered almonds
- 3 tablespoons hemp hearts
- almond parmesan
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine the lemon juice, maple syrup, salt and red pepper flakes, add the kale and shallots, mix well. If using large leaf kale, let set for at least 20 minutes (or overnight in the fridge) making sure to toss a few times. If using baby kale, serve right away as baby kale is tender ready.
Before serving add a drizzle of the optional olive oil, toss well. Add in the dates, almonds, hemp hearts and light dusting of almond parmesan.
Serves 4
NOTES:
Try toasting the almonds on the stove if you like. To do this, place almonds in a pan over medium heat (no oil needed), stir frequently until almonds change color slightly, about 1 – 2 minutes.
Do not add dates until serving time. If you add them before they may become soggy.
Try using dried figs in place of dates.
For the most tender kale (if using large leaf), let marinate in the lemon juice mixture, covered, in the refrigerator overnight, tossing once or twice.
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Carrie says
January 25, 2016 at 7:33 amThis salad is DELICIOUS! The combination of flavors and textures is so refreshing and elegant. I loved it, my husband loved it, our friend from France loved it. She said it was very much like the types of salads they make, with the shallots and nuts and fruit. I’ve never used dates in a salad before, but now I will do it all the time! Well done, Julie. A hit, as always.
Amy | Lemon and Coconut says
January 24, 2016 at 2:27 pmI must try this, I never eat kale in a salad as mad as that sounds and it’s about time, it looks beautiful! xx
Ana @ Ana's Rocket Ship says
January 23, 2016 at 1:19 pmKale kale and more kale. I’m in heaven!
rachel pugliese says
January 18, 2016 at 1:52 pmI made this last night, substituting arugula for the kale and it was delicious! Will be on my rotation list for sure.
genevieve @ gratitude & greens says
January 16, 2016 at 7:07 pmI am all about kale salads! Medjool dates are my favourite, too. This sounds so simple and refreshing- can’t wait to add it to my roster of kale salads! :D
Marlies Gierls says
January 16, 2016 at 10:05 amBy the way, on your foto is ROCKET and NO Kale, Excuse me please.
Julie | The Simple Veganista says
January 16, 2016 at 1:42 pmHi Marlies, now that you mention it it sure does look like rocket but it’s kale alright. I used the packaged Earthbound Farm Deep Green Blend Baby Kale. I made this salad a few times using 3 different tubs of this kale and each one was filled with what you see here. It was delicious too! Thanks for mentioning it in case anyone else may be wondering the same thing. :)
Marlies Gierls says
January 18, 2016 at 5:32 amOK, thank yoe for information. i have never seen a kale like this, and its looks like our normal rocket. I now see the site of earthbound, in Germany totally unkown.
Greetings Marlies