This massaged kale salad is the perfect winter salad recipe; massaging the kale makes it taste tender and sweet! It’s paired with pomegranate seeds and an apple cider vinaigrette.

Meet your new favorite salad: the massaged kale salad. Massaged what? We know, we know. Massaging kale might sound strange—and maybe a little odd (like something out of Portlandia). And yes, it’s a little of both. The massage tenderizes the kale and removes the bitter taste, leaving soft and lightly sweet leaves that are suitable as salad greens. We combined the kale with apple, pomegranate seeds, and an apple cider vinaigrette, and it was a delicious side salad for a cozy meal. Keep reading for the massaged kale salad recipe and more about massaging—yes massaging!—your favorite green vegetable.

How to massage kale
OK really: how to massage kale? Well, it’s exactly as it sounds. You take the kale leaves and you, well, massage them! The cool thing about massaging the kale leaves is that it makes them tender and sweet tasting instead of crisp and bitter tasting. If you’ve ever tried raw kale, you know what I’m talking about! A raw kale leaf isn’t something to write home about. But after it’s been massaged….well, it’s a different story!
To massage kale, you first destem the kale and chop it into pieces. Then you sprinkle it with a pinch of kosher salt. Then, coat your hands with a few drops of olive oil and massage the kale leaves for 2 to 3 minutes until all pieces are tender. That’s it! It sounds mystifying but it’s actually very simple. And you can taste the difference right away.
How to plan a menu
This massaged kale salad is a fantastic component for a fall or winter menu. Are you planning a menu? Putting together dishes that complement each other is difficult. For me, this was the hardest part of cooking for me when I started. I would pour over books with menu plans trying to understand the art of putting together a cohesive menu. Here are a few menu planning tips we use
- Create contrasts. Think about contrasting elements, both between recipes and within recipes. This bright and crisp kale pomegranate salad pairs well with mushy, savory comfort foods that are typical in fall or winter.
- Think in colors. This salad adds a well needed burst of color to a fall or winter tablescape. When planning a menu, we always think of the colors that are represented in all of the dishes: since we eat with our eyes first!
- Focus on nutrients. A crisp green massaged kale salad is a great way to bring in needed nutrients to a fall or winter meal, which can tend towards heavier comfort food.
A few timer saver tips for integrating this massaged kale salad into a meal: you can chop the kale in advance and massage before serving. In some grocery stores, you can also find seeded pomegranate, which can help with the prep time. And of course, you can whisk up the dressing in advance and refrigerate: just bring it to room temperature before serving.
Looking for Thanksgiving recipes?
This massaged kale salad is a lovely idea for Thanksgiving! Here are few more Thanksgiving recipes on A Couple Cooks:
- Garlic and Chive Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pecorino and Pecans
- Poached Pears with Pecan Granola and Whipped Cream
Looking for more salad recipes?
Outside of this massaged kale salad recipe, here are a few more salad recipes on A Couple Cooks:
- Strawberry Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Pomegranate
- Vegan Italian Pasta Salad
- Vegetarian Cobb Salad
- Beet Salad with Blue Cheese
- Apple Manchego Salad
This recipe is…
This massaged kale pomegranate salad is vegetarian, vegan, plant based, dairy free, naturally sweet, and refined sugar free.
Print
Massaged Kale Salad with Apple and Pomegranate
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Prep Time: 30 minutes
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Cook Time: 0 minutes
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Total Time: 30 minutes
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Yield: 6 to 8
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Category: Salad
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Method: Raw
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Cuisine: American
Description
This massaged kale salad is the perfect winter salad recipe; massaging the kale makes it taste tender and sweet! It’s paired with apple cider vinaigrette.
Ingredients
- 2 bunches curly kale
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup pecans
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
- 1 apple
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- Chop the kale into bite-sized pieces and place in bowl.
- Sprinkle the kale with 1 pinch kosher salt. Coat your hands with a few drops of olive oil and massage the kale leaves for 2 to 3 minutes until all pieces are tender.
- In a bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, chili powder, and 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt. Gradually whisk in the olive oil 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Break the pecans into bite-sized pieces and place them in a dry skillet. Toast them over medium heat until fragrant, stirring constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat immediately.
- Remove the seeds from the pomegranate: cut the pomegranate in quarters and place them in a large bowl of water. Under the water, start to gently pull out the seeds with your fingers. Eventually you’ll be able to turn the peel inside out to extract the seeds closest to the outer skin. As you work, the pomegranate seeds will sink to the bottom, while the white pith from the fruit will float to the top. When all of the seeds are extracted, skim off the white pith and strain out the water.
- When ready to serve, julienne the apple by cutting it into matchsticks–or simply chop it into bite-sized pieces. Combine all ingredients and drizzle lightly with the dressing. (Parmesan shavings are also a nice garnish if desired.)
Keywords: Kale Salad, Massaged Kale Salad, How to Massage Kale, Pomegranate, Kale Pomegranate Salad, Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free
14 Comments
dixya@food, pleasure, and health
November 16, 2014 at 8:26 pmthis is so beautiful..love the color and flavors.
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
November 17, 2014 at 1:17 amThis looks like the perfect addition to your menu. The matchstick apples really make this look pretty!
Erum@www.TotalSalads.com
November 17, 2014 at 8:04 amThanks for the tip about massaging kale before putting it into a salad! I’m going to try that out. Lovely recipe and beautiful photos. I love your alternative Thanksgiving recipes – so healthy and fresh.
Kathryn
November 17, 2014 at 9:34 amI think your holiday menu tips are actually great tips for eating in general, focusing on the colours and textures within a meal can make all the difference and is such a simple way to improve your diet. Such great flavours in this salad!
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan
November 17, 2014 at 10:34 amI agree, sometimes it gets overwhelming to get everything figured out for a holiday meal, but this salad is too perfect!
Amy @ Parsley In My Teeth
November 17, 2014 at 11:26 amWow – two of my favorite ingredients in one salad! You can an never go wrong with kale and pomegranates in my book. This beautiful salad looks scrumptious!
Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy
November 17, 2014 at 12:58 pmLove massaged kale! Your menu looks perfect and nothing that will leave you feeling tired and weighed down!
Katie @ Whole Nourishment
November 17, 2014 at 2:17 pmThese are great tips Sonja, especially the one to focus on a few ingredients and stream them throughout the meal. This is a great idea for a dinner party or holiday meal alike. And this is a beautifully simple salad. Love the chili powder in the dressing.
Liz @ Floating Kitchen
November 17, 2014 at 6:06 pmYour menu looks great! Can I come? This salad is perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas too. What wonderful colors!
Sally
November 21, 2014 at 11:05 amYum! This looks great! My husband is not a fan of mustard – do you have any suggestions for what I could use as a substitute in the dressing instead of mustard? OR could I just leave it out? Thanks!
Alex
November 21, 2014 at 3:23 pmI would probably just leave it out — or make a small bowl separately for him :)
Sher
November 24, 2014 at 4:37 pmThis recipe looks spectacular! I live in Germany, so I was wondering what a “bunch” is in terms of grams. Kale tends to be sold by weight here in a bag or loose with the leaves already taken from the stems. Thanks in advance!
Alex
November 24, 2014 at 4:52 pmSince it’s a salad, you don’t have to be too exact. I’d say a bunch is roughly 12 ounces or 350 grams.
Rachelle
October 12, 2015 at 5:27 pmI just made this for Canadian thanksgiving and it went down a storm! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe