Winter Kale Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

GFGluten Free

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Hearty kale, juicy pomegranate, and candied pecans combine to make the perfect winter kale salad with a pomegranate balsamic dressing. Naturally vegan and gluten-free!

I’m wholeheartedly team salad-all-year-long. Seasonal salad all year long, that is. No mealy, flavorless tomatoes to be seen here! 

This winter kale salad is simple, satisfying, and chock full of winter flavor. It’s the perfect holiday (or everyday) side that you didn’t know you needed…until now, of course.

ingredients for kale salad on blue textured background

INGREDIENTS FOR WINTER KALE SALAD

Like the title says, I wanted to keep things seasonal (yet still refreshing) here, which resulted in the combination of:

  • Lacinato or Curly Kale, for some hearty greens,
  • Pomegranate Seeds, for a burst of juicy goodness,
  • Candied Pecans, for sweetness, crunch, and some healthy fat,
  • Shallot for a little kick,
  • and fresh Parsley, for some extra greens 🙂

ingredients for winter kale salad in large glass bowl with pecans on the side
And we can’t forget the dressing, of course! We’ll toss everything in a simple Pomegranate Balsamic Vinaigrette that’s tangy, zesty, and refreshing. Depending on how “dressed” you like your salad you may have a little extra, but that’s a good thing in my book 🙂

salad ingredients in large glass bowl tossed with wood tongs

WAYS TO “SPRUCE” UP THIS WINTER KALE SALAD:

I kept the ingredient list short and sweet on this one, and it’s a totally satisfying side as-is. If you wanted to make it more of a main, you could always add:

  • pre-roasted veggies, such as sweet potato, winter squash, parsnips, and/or brussels sprouts
  • carrots or cucumber, for some added crunch
  • quinoa or some crispy tempeh, for some extra plant protein

two small white plates of kale salad with forks on blue textured background

However you serve it up, this Winter Salad is sure to impress and satisfy! If you’re looking for more kale salad recipes, you’ll also love this Everyday Kale Salad, this Kale and Quinoa Salad with Maple Mustard Tempehand this Kale Waldorf Salad!

Hearty kale, crunchy pomegranates, and candied pecans combine to make the perfect winter kale salad with a pomegranate balsamic dressing. Naturally vegan and gluten-free! #salad #kale #wintersalad #pomegranate #vegan | frommybowl.com

 

Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I love seeing your delicious recreations 🙂

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Winter Kale Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Hearty kale, crunchy pomegranate seeds, and candied pecans combine to make the perfect winter kale salad with a pomegranate balsamic dressing. Naturally vegan and gluten-free!

  • Author: Caitlin Shoemaker
  • Prep Time: 15 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 Minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: No Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

For the Vinaigrette:

  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) pomegranate juice*
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) balsamic vinegar 
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard 
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • Black pepper, to taste 

For the Salad: 

  • 1 head of lacinato or curly kale, de-stemmed and roughly chopped 
  • 1 cup (147 g) pomegranate seeds 
  • 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup (15 g) fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 cup (64 g) Stovetop Candied Pecans  
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Make the vinaigrette: add all ingredients to a small mason jar with a lid and shake vigorously until well-combined. Or, add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk well.
  2. Make the salad: add the kale to a large bowl and pour 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the dressing over it, then massage with your hands until darkened, tender, and reduced in size. Fold the pomegranate, shallot, and parsley into the salad, then add extra dressing, salt, and pepper to taste.
  3. Serve the salad on small plates, then top with candied pecans and an extra pinch of black pepper

Notes

  • Pomegranate Juice: fresh is always best, so make it yourself or go for the refrigerated kind, if you can. However, shelf-stable will work in a pinch.

Keywords: kale salad, kale pomegranate salad, kale salad with candied pecans, healthy winter kale salad, kale salad with pomegranate, kale balsamic salad

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About the Author

Hey there, I’m Caitlin! I make easy-to-follow, wholesome, and budget-friendly vegan recipes that are mostly gluten-free and refined sugar-free. I’m also an avid yogi, love the great outdoors, am chocolate-obsessed, and enjoy eating almond butter straight off of the spoon.

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Comments

  1. This was SO GOOD! I’m a bad vegan and terrible at eating salads, especially kale based ones, but this is a new staple recipe for sure! I did leave out the parsley because I don’t like the taste, but even without it was so flavorful and delicious. I might try it with a little quinoa added next time. Thanks for this recipe!