I grew up in a family that embraces the classic Mediterranean diet, a variety of fresh and seasonal food, cereal, and grains. This winter salad is definitely an expression of a nourishing Mediterranean dish, where I added a typical Middle Eastern ingredient – dates. Memory of my years spent in the Middle East.
This winter salad combines grains such as farro with kale, cabbage and carrots. The addition of almonds add more crunchiness, and the dates add a touch of sweetness to contract the bitterness of kale and cabbage. The dressing is a zesty lemon pecorino dressing, which add creaminess.
Why you will love this dish
-Quick to make, you will be done in 30 minutes.
-It works as a main dish, but also as a side salad.
-It is packed with vitamins that are great to recharge you during the seasonal change.
-The bonus is that, like most of my recipes, is versatile so that you can create as many variations as you like ( below there are some of my suggestions).
Winter Salad recipe ingredients
For this salad, you will need:
Kale: I recommend Tuscan Kale instead of the curly kale. It is better to “massage” the kale to be more tender to the bite.
Carrots: a great complement to kale and apple, carrots are root vegetables rich in vitamins and anti-oxidants.
Cabbage: with its earthier flavor, it is a a nutrient dense vegetable. It is rich in Vitamin C and contributes to reduce inflammation. With all this benefits, add it to any of your fall salad. It is always beneficial to eat the rainbow.
Farro: Farro is a Mediterranean grain and is very popular in Italy in soups and salads. It has a right balance of carbs, fiber and protein. This grain is also a good source of minerals such as potassium and magnesium, providing your body with a natural boost for the seasonal change. Farro also adds some chewiness and substance to the salad, maintaining its firmness without becoming soggy.
Almond: rich in healthy fats and anti-oxidants, they can be easily added to any salad to give a little bit of crunch. When you toast almonds, you enhance their flavor and texture. Toasting almonds (or any other kind of nuts) it is very simple, you can do it both on the stovetop or in the oven.
Pecorino: it is a sheep’s Italian cheese with a creamy and tangy flavor. It is excellent to add a savory touch to the fall salad. Its peppery note complements well the flavors of the greens and the sweetness of the dates.
The dressing is a simple zesty lemon pecorino enriched with some Dijon mustard to add more creaminess.
How to make Crunchy Kale Winter Salad with Farro, Pecorino & Dates
To make this nourishing harvest salad that will taste very fall-ish, simply:
Start by preparing the farro. Put a pot of water on the stove, bring it to boil. Add the farro, and cook it for 20 minutes or as long as indicated in the packaging instructions. The farro is ready when it is chewy to the bite. Drain it out in a colander and let it cool down.
Wash and chop all your veggies. Start by removing the stalks from the kale, chop it and then place it in a bowl, adding some salt and a swirl of EVO. Massage it to soften it. Continue by peeling and shredding the carrots. Slice thinly the red cabbage.
Toast the almonds: put a small frying pan to the stove top, add 2 teaspoons of EVOO and let it warm up, addd then slivered almonds and toast them until golden brown. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Mix up your dressing. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice to a blender, add the pecorino and start blending until the cheese has formed a paste. Add 2 teaspoons of water and the Dijon mustard and pulse again. Now add the olive oil until everything is combined and has the consistency of a creamy dressing.
Assemble all the ingredients. Add farro, the cabbage, carrots to a bowl. Add the dates, the almonds. Drizzle over the dressing, toss it and serve it!
Substitutions and variations
This nourishing salad is an excellent option for vegetarians. To make this meal vegan, replace the cheese with a vegan option. For whom is gluten-intolerant, I suggest to sub the farro with brown rice or quinoa.
In terms of variations:
– You could add beets and use goat cheese instead of pecorino.
– Another option would be to add some white cabbage, remove the pecorino and add some lemon to the dressing. Some pumpkin seeds would be great instead of the almonds.
Serving suggestions
This is a great recipe to serve and enjoy as a salad or main course. A smaller portion would be a perfect fall side salad. This crunchy fall salad is also a crowd-pleaser: consider to serve it for thanksgiving, as a side dish or as a mini-pot appetizer.
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 6 cup Kale Tuscan
- 3 cup Red Cabbage Sliced thinly
- 2 cup Carrots shredded
- 1 cup Farro dry
- ½ cup Almond Slivered
- ⅓ cup Dates Medjol
For the Dressing
- 4 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- ⅓ cup Pecorino Shredded
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- ¼ tbsp salt
- ¼ tbsp pepper black crushed
- 3 tsp Dijon mustard
Instructions
To make the salad
- Start by putting a pot of water on the stove, bring it to boil. Add the farro, and cook it for 20 minutes or as long as indicated in the packaging instructions.
- The farro is ready when it is chewy to the bite. Drain it out in a colander and let it cool down.
- Remove the stalks from the kale, chop it and then place it in a bowl, adding some salt and a swirl of EVO. Massage it to soften it.
- Continue by peeling and shredding the carrots. Sliced the cabbage finely.
- Toast the almonds: put a small frying pan to the stove top, add 2 teaspoons of EVOO and let it warm up, addd then slivered almonds and toast them until golden brown. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Mix up your dressing. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice to a blender, add the pecorino and start blending until the cheese has formed a paste. Add 2 teaspoons of water and the Dijon mustard and pulse again. Now add the olive oil until everything is combined and has the consistency of a creamy dressing.
- Assemble all the ingredients. Add farro, the cabbage, carrots to a bowl. Add the dates, the almonds. Drizzle over the dressing, toss it and serve it!
Nutrition
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