Sautéed Kale Salad with Crispy Bacon Walnuts Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Sauteed Kale Salad With Crispy Bacon Walnuts App

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Preparation time:20 Mins

Cooking time:15 Mins

Servings:4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 pound (450g) kale, stemmed and chopped
• 4 slices bacon, preferably thick-cut
• ½ cup (50g) walnuts, roughly chopped
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup (40g) dried cranberries or raisins
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Wash and thoroughly dry the kale. Remove the tough stems and chop into bite-sized pieces.
• Cook bacon in the skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon and set aside to drain on paper towels. Reserve bacon fat in the pan (about 1-2 tablespoons) – drain off any excess if needed. Crumble the cooked bacon.
• Add walnuts to the same skillet with the bacon fat (or clean olive oil if you prefer). Toast over medium heat until fragrant and lightly browned, stirring frequently (about 3-5 minutes). Remove from skillet and set aside.
• Add olive oil to the skillet (or use the remaining bacon fat and clean olive oil). Sauté the red onion until softened (about 5 minutes). Add the kale and cook until wilted and tender-crisp, stirring occasionally (about 5-7 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.
• In a small bowl, whisk together apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey (or maple syrup), olive oil, and minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
• In a large bowl, combine the sautéed kale and red onion, crumbled bacon, toasted walnuts, and dried cranberries (or raisins).
• Pour the apple cider vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts

Calories:400 calories

Fat:30g

Fiber:5g

Recipe Info

Category:Salad

Cuisine:American

Recipe Introduction

Quick Hook

Fancy a Healthy Sautéed Kale Salad with a bit of everything nice? This recipe takes kale from drab to fab! We're talking amazing flavours and textures that make you feel good.

Brief Overview

This Warm Kale Salad is proper autumnal comfort food. It's easy as pie. Takes about 35 minutes, and feeds four hungry souls. The origins of the recipe seems to be american.

Main Benefits

Healthy kale recipes doesn't need to be boring! Packed with nutrients, it’s perfect for a light lunch. What makes it special? The crispy bacon and tangy vinaigrette – proper lush!

A Salad Revelation: From 'Meh' to Marvelous

Honestly, kale gets a bad rap, doesn’t it? I used to think it was rabbit food. Until I tried it properly sautéed. This Sautéed Kale salad has changed my mind!

Say Hello to the Best Kale Salad Recipe

This isn't just any Kale Salad Recipes , this is the recipe. Forget boring salads. Think crispy bacon, toasted walnuts, and a zesty apple cider vinaigrette recipe .

That vinaigrette? Oh my gosh, it's divine.

The Magic Ingredients

You'll need kale, obviously. Bacon, walnuts, red onion, and dried cranberries. For the vinaigrette, grab apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, olive oil, and garlic. Easy peasy!

How to Make This Bobby Dazzler

First, wash and chop your kale. Cook the bacon until crispy. Toast those walnuts. Sauté the red onion, then the kale.

Whisk together the vinaigrette. Combine everything, and boom! You've got a masterpiece.

This Kale salad with bacon recipe is amazing.

Ingredients & Equipment for Your Healthy Sautéed Kale Salad with a Kick

Right, let's talk about what you'll need for this Warm Kale Salad . It’s not rocket science, I promise! I reckon you probably have half this stuff kicking about in your kitchen already.

Main Ingredients: Let's Get Precise

• Kale: 1 pound (450g) , stemmed and chopped. Honestly, the fresher, the better. Look for deep green leaves that aren't wilting.
• Bacon: 4 slices , thick-cut if you can find it! We want that crispy goodness.
• Walnuts: ½ cup (50g) , roughly chopped.
• Red Onion: 1 small , thinly sliced. This adds a bit of a bite!
• Dried Cranberries (or Raisins): ¼ cup (40g) .
• Olive Oil: 2 tablespoons . Extra virgin, naturally.
• Salt and Pepper: To taste. Don't be shy, give it a good grind!

Apple Cider Vinaigrette is the bomb. It elevates the whole thing! You could buy one but it will not taste like this Apple cider vinaigrette recipe .

• Apple Cider Vinegar: 3 tablespoons .
• Dijon Mustard: 1 tablespoon .
• Honey (or Maple Syrup): 2 tablespoons .
• Olive Oil: 6 tablespoons .
• Garlic: 1 small clove , minced.
• Salt and Pepper: To taste.

Seasoning Notes: Flavour Bombs!

The Apple cider vinaigrette recipe in this recipe is the real star! The mustard adds a bit of tang, the honey a touch of sweetness.

.. It's a flavour explosion! For a bit of extra warmth, consider adding a pinch of smoked paprika to the sautéed kale.

Seriously good!

Don't have Dijon? A dollop of wholegrain mustard works in a pinch. Want a sweeter vinaigrette? Up the honey just a touch.

And, oh my gosh, don't be afraid to throw in a little fresh thyme or rosemary when you sauté the kale.

Essential Kit: What You'll Need

• Large Skillet or Sauté Pan: This is where the magic happens.
• Small Bowl: For mixing that amazing vinaigrette.
• Whisk: To get that vinaigrette all emufied and lovely.
• Tongs: To wrangle the kale.

Don't have a fancy sauté pan? No worries! Any large frying pan will do. If you don't have a whisk, a fork works just fine.

Honestly, it is a super Easy kale salad recipes and I've made this with minimal equipment when I was in a hurry.

Alright, let's have a natter about how to make Healthy Sautéed Kale Salad with a proper twist! This isn't your nan's boiled kale, mind you.

We're bringing in some seriously tasty flavours, like crispy bacon, crunchy walnuts and a zingy apple cider vinaigrette recipe that'll make you do a little happy dance.

It’s so simple but it will taste like a million dollars. Fancy learning easy kale salad recipes ?

Let's Prep Like a Pro for Sautéed Kale

Getting Your Ducks in a Row (Mise en Place)

Honestly, the secret to cooking anything without tearing your hair out is all about the prep. So, before we even think about turning on the hob, let's get our ingredients sorted.

Chop your pound (450g) of kale and remove all the thick stems. Dice your four slices of bacon and give ½ cup (50g) of walnuts a rough chop.

Thinly slice one small red onion. Measure out your ingredients for the apple cider vinaigrette recipe .

Time-Saving Tip

Chop the kale a day ahead, and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Warm kale salad will be ready in 15 minutes! Boom!

Sautéed to Perfection: A Step-by-Step Guide

1. Fry the Bacon: Get that bacon sizzling in a large skillet over medium heat until it's crispy as you like.
2. Bacon Time: Remove the bacon, let it drain on paper towels, then crumble it up. Try to keep some of that yummy bacon fat in the pan (about 1-2 tablespoons). But drain all excess if needed.
3. Toast the Walnuts: Toss the walnuts into the same skillet with that bacon fat (or olive oil if you prefer). Toast them until they’re fragrant and lightly browned. This normally takes about 3- 5 minutes . Don't burn them!
4. Sauté Time: Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil (or use that glorious bacon fat) to the skillet. Add the red onion and cook it until it's softened, which will take about 5 minutes . Then, in goes the kale! Sauté it until it's wilted and tender-crisp – about 5- 7 minutes . Season it with salt and pepper.
5. Vinaigrette Magic: In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup), 6 tablespoons olive oil, and a minced garlic clove. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Putting it all Together: In a big bowl, mix the sautéed kale, red onion, crumbled bacon, toasted walnuts and ¼ cup (40g) dried cranberries or raisins.
7. Dress and Serve: Pour that apple cider vinaigrette recipe all over the salad and toss it gently. Serve it straight away!

Pro Tips for Kale Salad Recipes like a Chef

• Massage your kale! Before cooking, give that kale a good massage with olive oil and lemon juice. It makes it wilted kale salad easier to eat.
• Don’t overcook your kale. You want it to be tender, not mush.
• This Cranberry Salad alternative is best served warm, right after you sauté the kale. Adjust the vinaigrette to your liking. More honey for sweet, more vinegar for tang.

Recipe Notes: Level Up Your Kale Game

Right then, let's talk about getting the most out of this Healthy Sautéed Kale Salad with bacon. Honestly, this isn’t just any kale salad recipes .

We're aiming for chef's kiss levels of deliciousness here! Here's some tips to make it perfect.

Serving Suggestions: Ace that Presentation

Okay, first things first, presentation is key. None of us want to eat bland looking salad kale , do we? Think about plating this warm kale salad like you're on MasterChef .

You could mound the sautéed kale in the centre of the plate. Then, strategically sprinkle the bacon and walnuts over the top.

Drizzle with the apple cider vinaigrette recipe . Fancy pants stuff, eh? Serve it alongside grilled chicken or salmon for a proper meal.

A slice of crusty bread? Absolutely!

Storage Tips: Keep it Fresh, Mate!

If you've got leftovers – and honestly, I doubt you will – here's how to keep them shipshape. Pop the salad into an airtight container and stick it in the fridge.

It'll be good for about 2 days, but the wilted kale salad might be a bit softer on day 2.

I don't recommend freezing it, the kale goes a bit mushy. Reheating isn’t really needed, this is best served at room temperature.

Variations: Mix It Up!

Want to put your own spin on things? Go for it! For a vegan version, ditch the bacon. Use some smoked tofu instead.

Swap honey for maple syrup. Boom. Vegan healthy kale recipes , sorted! Feeling festive? Try adding orange segments. A little kick is always welcome, so add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the vinaigrette.

Remember to substitute pancetta or prosciutto with bacon, pecans or almonds with walnuts, and Agave nectar with honey. Oh my gosh!

Nutrition Basics: Goodness in Every Bite

Let's break down what makes this cranberry salad a nutritional powerhouse. Kale is packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and fibre. Bacon adds protein and, let's be honest, flavour.

Walnuts bring in healthy fats and even more good stuff. It is the perfect combination of goodness!

Listen, even if kale isn’t normally your cuppa, give this a go. It's quick, easy, and packed with flavour. I promise, you'll be converted! Happy cooking!