Paige Harris Looking to up your salad game? My Spanish-ish Kale Salad is packed with veggies & protein to keep you full and focused all day long.
I can only take half credit for this recipe, and here’s why.
Over on the other side of the Atlantic, it’s super common to have salads that don’t feature some kind of leafy green as the focal point. In France (where I studied in 2016), we would have “salads” of sliced tomatoes with basil leaves and thin pieces of mozzarella cheese drizzled with balsamic vinegar. And in Spain (where Jordan studied in 2015), he had plenty of “salads” made with salted, sliced tomatoes with tuna, olives, and plenty of olive oil.
This Spanish-ish Kale Salad is the love child of those.
I wanted to make this salad with kale for a few reasons. One, it’s a “superfood.” Two, it’s very actually delicious when you know how to prepare it!
I hate using terms like “superfood” because I really do believe that everyone should include a variety of vegetables into their lives. If you eat the same “superfoods” over and over, you could be hurting your body, not helping it. Just because some of a food is good for you doesn’t necessarily mean that more is better. Our bodies only process so much of any one vitamin or antioxidant at a time, after all!
That being said, kale is definitely a veggie that I recommend you include in your salad rotation. It goes above and beyond to provide you vitamins A, C, and K as well as a ton of minerals that you probably do need more of in your life.
And if you want to make your kale actually taste good, let me tell you a little secret…
Kale becomes way less bitter and a whole lot better once you massage it with some extra virgin olive oil.
That’s why I created a delicious dressing for this Spanish-ish Kale salad. Add it to the leaves and work it with your hands to break down the tough fibers before adding the toppings. Your taste buds and your jaw will thank you!
After all, nothing’s better than a salad packed with the good stuff.
And I do have to say that the salted roma tomatoes are my favorite topping. Guys. Salt. Your. Tomatoes. The salt pulls the moisture from the fruit and leaves your tomatoes with more flavor than you ever thought possible.
Give this Spanish-ish Kale Salad a try the next time you’re craving some veggies and let me know what you think!
Spanish-ish Kale Salad
Looking to up your salad game? My Spanish-ish Kale Salad is packed with veggies & protein to keep you full and focused all day long.
Ingredients
For the salad
- 1, 10 oz bag of organic Tuscan kale
- 1/4 cup homemade dressing divided (recipe below)
- 2 roma tomatoes cubed & divided
- sea salt (plenty of it)
- dried oregano for garnish
- 1/2 cucumber cubed & divided
- 2, 5 oz cans of wild caught tuna in water drained & divided
- 2 slices prosciutto sliced & divided
- 2 oz crumbed goat cheese divided
For the dressing
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp dried oregano
Instructions
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First, liberally cover your cubed tomatoes and cucumbers with sea salt and dried oregano. This step is NOT optional — it's what makes the tomatoes taste great!
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Next, make the dressing by mixing up all of the ingredients. You'll have more than what you need for two servings, so make it in a jar to save for later!
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Divide the kale between two bowls and top each bowl with 2 Tbsp of dressing. Use your hand to massage the dressing into the kale until the leaves begin to wilt.
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Time to top! Divide your tomatoes, cucumbers, prosciutto, and goat cheese between the two bowls and finish with a can of tuna on each.
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Mix it up and enjoy!
