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    Recipes » Salad Recipes

    Warm Kale Salad with Almonds and Golden Raisins

    Published: Jan 13, 2013 · Modified: Aug 18, 2020 by Marissa Stevens · 40 Comments

    Gluten FreePaleoVegetarianMediterraneanWhole30Quick Meals

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe
    warm kale salad served in a white bowl

    Warm Kale Salad is a tangy, sweet, savory, and satisfying meal for any time of year. Tender, salt rubbed kale is tossed in a warm and garlicky dressing studded with plump, sweet golden raisins and crunchy almonds. And thinly shaved parmesan cheese rounds out all of the flavors.

    Kale Salad

    Ingredient mysteries are part of the fun of co-posting with a friend from another country. Earlier this year Giovanna asked, "What is whole wheat flour?" We discovered that in Italy it's called 'farina integrale'. And believe me, when we were in Italy, we spent plenty of time in confusion - especially at the grocery store. One of my favorite posts from the trip tells, err shows, all about it.

    Giovanna (who shared her fantastic ragu sauce recipe with me) and I agreed that we should choose an ingredient and offer our own take on it, so I suggested lacinato kale. Here was her response:

    It  is a beautiful idea, I love lacinato kale! I thought it was typical from Tuscany and not well known outside this region .... When I read "lacinato kale" I had to see a dictionary - I discovered a new word! Wow ... We call it cavolo nero!

    What is Lacinato Kale?

    It turns out that this kale answers to many names. Check out this list from Wikipedia: lacinato kale, Tuscan kale, Tuscan cabbage, Italian kale, Dinosaur kale, cavolo nero, black kale, flat back cabbage, palm tree kale, or black Tuscan palm.  This green wonder is not just diverse in name; it's utterly delicious and endlessly versatile. Giovanna decided to share her recipe for Kale Bruschetta (Yum! Can't wait to try it.) And I chose a Warm Kale Salad.

    Oh heavenly warm salad! I made it last night and am already making it again tonight.

    I have to thank Kathryn of CookieAndKate for a technique that is KEY to the flavor of this kale salad recipe - a salt massage. The other keys: leave the stems, slice in the thinnest ribbons you can (chiffonade if you're fancy :), a warm tangy, savory, sweet vinaigrette - reminiscent of the warm bacon vinaigrette that you often see on a spinach salad.

    DSC_0058

    I realize that many recipes involving kale advise to remove and discard the stems. Perhaps this is a case of cutting the ends off of the roast? I love the stems; they add crunch and depth of flavor (so good in Kale Caesar Salad). Remove them if you must, but please try the recipe once with them intact. I predict you'll be converted.

    Even though I've offered amounts for the warm vinaigrette, it's a to-taste kind of recipe. Adjust any of the elements to suit your taste. The combination of raisins and garlic may seem odd, but just wait until you taste it! Divine.

    Warm Kale Salad with Almonds and Golden Raisins

    Marissa Stevens
    A warm and wonderful kale salad, full of sweet and savory flavors. (Skip the cheese for a vegan salad.)
    4.75 from 4 votes
    Save Recipe Saved! Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Course Salad
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 262 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    For the Salad

    • 1 bunch lacinato kale sliced into very thin ribbons
    • fine sea salt

    For the Warm Vinaigrette

    • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
    • 4 cloves garlic coarsely chopped
    • ⅓ cup golden raisins
    • juice and zest of half a lemon
    • salt and freshly ground black pepper

    For the Top

    • ⅓ cup coarsely chopped toasted almonds
    • several shavings of good quality Parmesan cheese

    Instructions
     

    • Place kale ribbons into a serving bowl. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of fine sea salt. Massage salt into kale by squeezing it in fistfuls and then rubbing it between your fingers, until it turns a darker shade of green and has a softer texture - just a minute or two. Set aside.
    • Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and garlic. Cook and stir until garlic and fragrant and softened, but not browned. Adjust the heat as necessary.
    • Add golden raisins to garlic in skillet; cook and stir until raisins have plumped and softened, about 15 seconds. Add lemon juice and zest, stir to combine.
    • Remove from heat; add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. 
    • Drizzle warm vinaigrette evenly over kale; toss to coat.
    • Sprinkle salad with toasted almonds and Parmesan cheese shavings. Serve.

    Notes

    Serves 4 as a hearty side dish.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 262kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 6gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 28mgPotassium: 518mgFiber: 2gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 6743IUVitamin C: 82mgCalcium: 145mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword brunch, dinner party, gluten free, guilt free, healthy
    Tried this recipe?I'd love to see it! Tag me on Instagram at @pinchandswirl or leave me a comment and rating below.

    More Salad Recipes

    • Pulled Pork Salad
    • Caesar Salad
    • Classic Wedge Salad
    • Crab Salad

    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Barbara says

      January 16, 2022 at 12:55 pm

      5 stars
      I have made this several times!! It is Great

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        January 17, 2022 at 8:21 am

        I'm so glad you're enjoying the recipe, Barbara! Thank you for coming back to let me know!

        Reply
    2. Kita says

      January 24, 2019 at 12:17 pm

      5 stars
      I made this last night and it's absolutely delicious. The recipe is quick and easy and super flavorful.

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        January 24, 2019 at 4:12 pm

        I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Kita! Thank you for coming back to let me know!

        Reply
    3. Michelle @ Sunkissed Kitchen says

      December 28, 2018 at 1:18 pm

      5 stars
      I have all the ingredients for this salad -- and I am definitely making it tonight! We've been eating leftovers 3 times a day and it's time to move on!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        December 28, 2018 at 3:37 pm

        haha, I hear you, Michelle! We've been eating leftovers for days!! I need to make this salad too! 😉

        Reply
    4. Meggo says

      July 11, 2018 at 8:08 pm

      4 stars
      I really liked this salad. The only things I would change are to eliminate the lemon, replacing it with a little vinegar, and to reduce the oil. I love lemon, but for some reason it didn’t work for me in this dish. My whole family enjoyed it, including my six year-old. It went really well with roasted seeet potatoes, and I even mixed mine in together at the end: Thank you!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        July 11, 2018 at 8:54 pm

        Glad you and your family enjoyed the salad and made it your own, Meggo! Thanks for coming back to let me know. 🙂

        Reply
    5. Sydney Dunning says

      March 22, 2017 at 10:40 am

      This looks delicious, but I only have dried cranberries - do you think that would be good instead of the golden raisins? I think the lemon would be fine, but not sure about the garlic...

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        March 22, 2017 at 2:41 pm

        Hi Sydney, hmmm....good question. I haven't tried it with cranberries, but I think that would work. And, as you said, maybe skip the garlic.

        Reply
    6. Patricia says

      February 14, 2016 at 6:11 am

      Marissa...I eat kale often, but this has become one of my favorites. It's quick and easy to make...a must...and I love it. I found the recipe a week ago and I made it twice since then. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        February 21, 2016 at 2:43 pm

        Wow! Thank you so much, Patricia. So sweet of you to let me know...

        Reply
    7. HW says

      July 12, 2015 at 12:53 pm

      I don't even remember how I came across this recipe but it is divine, and have forwarded the link to the recipe to friends many times. I have made this salad at least ten times in the last year, including for Thanksgiving dinner and for my 9-yr-old's birthday dinner (at his request). We had it again last night and he asked to eat the leftovers after finishing his breakfast cereal this morning. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        July 13, 2015 at 9:21 am

        Wow! You made my day...such a sweet comment. Thank you.

        Reply
    8. Karen Belknap says

      April 12, 2015 at 12:13 pm

      I love this salad! I've made it several times : ) - Karen in Arizona

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        April 12, 2015 at 4:09 pm

        I love to hear that, Karen! Thank you...

        Reply
    9. Fran says

      April 28, 2014 at 4:18 pm

      I know this is an old recipe, but I was searching for novel ideas on what to do with the two bunches of kale in my fridge, and this is it! I don't have golden raisins, so I hope it works just as well with sultanas?

      Anyway, I'll give it a whirl and see how it turns out.

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        April 28, 2014 at 4:23 pm

        The sultanas will be perfect! Let me know how it goes...

        Reply
    10. Sarah says

      October 17, 2013 at 6:39 am

      I made this salad last night, except using spinach (regular, not baby, since it is a bit tougher like kale) because there is no kale to be found where I currently live (Chile)! The flavors were amazing and made the tough spinach easier and much more pleasant to eat. I topped it with a hard boiled egg for a little extra protein. First time making a warm vinaigrette and now I don't think I'll ever go back! Thanks for the inspiration!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        October 17, 2013 at 2:43 pm

        I love the addition of hard boiled eggs - yum!

        Reply
    11. Cristel says

      October 02, 2013 at 3:28 am

      What a great recipe!! Thanks so much for sharing, I'm definitely making this one again. Absolutely delicious!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        October 02, 2013 at 8:19 am

        I'm so glad you liked it Cristel! 🙂

        Reply
    12. Ineke says

      March 27, 2013 at 8:33 am

      Heavenly! I made this last night after coming home from the farmers' market with several bunches of kale, and this is one amazing salad! My husband and I were oohing and aahing while eating every last bit of it, and I can't wait to make it again. The 'salt massage' technique is really genius — the kale developed the most amazing fragrance while I rubbed it, which really set the salad apart from other kale salad recipes I've tried. I used walnuts instead of almonds, and orange and a splash of vinegar instead of lemon, since that's what I had on hand, and it worked beautifully. Thank you for sharing this recipe, it'll go into heavy rotation over here!!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        March 27, 2013 at 10:26 am

        I'm so glad you liked it! Walnut/orange/vinegar variation sounds terrific.

        Reply
    13. MK says

      March 02, 2013 at 1:01 pm

      Just found this salad on tastespotting. it was so good! I added some dijon mustard to the sauce as well as a splash of sherry and blended it. I know kale is good for me so I eat it, but this actually made me love it. Massaging the kale really is key! Thanks!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        March 03, 2013 at 8:51 am

        I'm so glad you liked it! Your mustard and sherry additions sound great...

        Reply
    14. Laura says

      January 19, 2013 at 12:13 pm

      It looks like you might have mustard in your vinaigrette. Did you add some?

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        January 19, 2013 at 12:18 pm

        It does look like mustard in the pan, doesn't it? No, no mustard. That's the emulsion of olive oil and lemon juice. With that said, I think a little mustard in the dressing would be good!

        Reply
    15. giovibi says

      January 18, 2013 at 2:16 pm

      Sunday i will have friends for lunch and i'll prepare both kale salad and kale crostini ... i look forward to taste them !!!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        January 19, 2013 at 12:16 pm

        I wish I could fly to Italy to join you!

        Reply
    16. Sandra (@SECooking) says

      January 15, 2013 at 8:19 pm

      Fantastic salad. We love kale, and this sound so perfect for lazy days. Beautiful colors too. Thank you for sharing...will pin it!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        January 19, 2013 at 12:16 pm

        Thanks Sandra~

        Reply
    17. Jenn says

      January 15, 2013 at 6:27 pm

      I just made this salad and added some tofu i sauteed with sesame oil to turn it into a complete meal, and i am in love!! It was soo satisfying! Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        January 15, 2013 at 7:20 pm

        MMM that sounds so good. I'm really glad you liked it!

        Reply
    18. Kathryne says

      January 15, 2013 at 2:58 pm

      Whatever you want to call it, I love kale! Glad you picked up that massaging trick. It really is the key! This salad looks fabulous, love the dressing idea.

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        January 15, 2013 at 7:20 pm

        I'm so glad you gave that tip, Kathryne. Changed kale salad for me forever...

        Reply
    19. Paula @ Vintage Kitchen says

      January 14, 2013 at 10:42 am

      I can´t believe I never had kale! It´s not something to find in your regular supermarket, but there are places that sell it, so I must remember to buy it. I´m so intrigued about it. This salad sounds heavenly, sweet, tangy and crunchy. Wonderful Marissa!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        January 15, 2013 at 7:19 pm

        What?! No kale. You'll love it...

        Reply
    20. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says

      January 14, 2013 at 12:11 am

      That looks divine! And hehe we call it Tuscan Kale or Cavalo Nero 😛 Isn't it funny how all of these names change? Same with fish names-they've renamed all these fish types here!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        January 15, 2013 at 7:18 pm

        It is funny - I wonder who decides about the names? The proverbial 'they' I suppose. 🙂

        Reply

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