Raw Tuscan Kale Salad Recipe with Avocado and Lemon Dressing | Healthy (2024)

FAQs

Can you eat Tuscan kale raw? ›

And unlike the hardier curly kale, Tuscan kale is tender with a slightly sweet flavor, which makes it great for cooked dishes and raw in salads alike. (We especially love it in salads since the textured leaves are the perfect vessel for sauces and dressings.)

A serving of this Kale Avocado Salad is 234 calories.

Drizzle most of the vinaigrette over and toss. Use your hands to toss the greens, massaging/rubbing the vinaigrette into the kale a bit as you toss. Taste and correct the seasoning with salt and pepper. Let the salad sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.

No! That's the beauty of kale. You can prep this simple kale salad up to an hour before serving it and it will still be crunchy and delicious. After several hours it becomes a bit softer but never really soggy.

Adding kale to your meals

Kale holds its texture well when cooked, and it can be steamed, stir-fried, roasted or eaten raw. You can blend it into smoothies, roast it to make kale chips, wilt it into soup, mash it with potatoes or turn it into pesto.

RELATED: Believe It Or Not, Kale Actually Lives Up To All Of Its Hype—Here's Why. Manganiello says you can eat kale every day, just don't overdo it. She recommends one to two servings maximum of kale per day, leaving room for other healthy foods that provide an assortment of nutrients.

Here's another reason to consume lutein-rich foods, as a recent study has suggested that eating spinach, kale and avacados in middle age will not only keep you physically, but cognitively fit as well. Lutein is a nutrient that the body cannot make on its own, so it must be acquired through diet.

A 1-cup serving of fresh kale contains over 20% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin A, which supports eye health and is vital for vision. One 100g serving of kale also provides over 100% of the daily value for vitamin C, which has been associated with a lower risk of cataracts.

Curly Kale Is the Best Type of Kale for Salads

You'll probably recognize curly kale from the grocery store produce section. Curly kales, as the name suggests, have frilly-edged leaves and long stems.

What kind of kale is best for salad? ›

Any type of kale will work here. I especially like to use curly kale, but feel free to swap in Tuscan kale (aka lacinato kale) if you prefer. Extra-virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice – You'll massage them into the raw kale to help the leaves soften.

Kale is fibrous and can be difficult to munch compared to other greens like romaine lettuce or spinach. The rubbing, kneading motion helps to tenderize the veg and make it easier to chew and digest. Try this for raw kale you are going to be serving or eating right away.

“Minced garlic, olive oil, and salt are also simple ingredients that can transform the flavor of a bitter kale dish. ' “Cutting the stem of kale and marinating it with olive oil and salt can help reduce bitterness.”

Raw kale leaves (any variety, such as curly kale or Lacinato kale) Olive oil or a light vinaigrette dressing.

Kale has a slight bitter taste and is often eaten cooked because of its fibrous leaves. However, it makes a great raw salad with the right preparation. It is often used in stews, braises, stir-fries and roasted dishes where you want to add some green because it holds up well during the cooking process.

Lacinato kale is a favorite variety among kale amateurs and fanatics alike. It is also known as Tuscan kale or “dinosaur” kale because its bumpy leaves have a seemingly reptilian appearance. Flavor: More delicate with a slightly sweet nuttiness and less bitterness than curly leaf kale.

Tuscan Kale aka Lacinato Kale aka Dinosaur Kale

It has a deeper color and is slightly thinner and more tender than curly kale, making it more versatile—it cooks more quickly and requires less massaging for use in raw preparations.