This kale pomegranate salad is the perfect winter salad recipe, pairing the sweet seeds with an apple cider vinaigrette!

Massaged Kale Salad with Apple and Pomegranate | A Couple Cooks

Meet your new favorite salad: the massaged kale pomegranate salad. Massaged what? We know, we know. Massaging kale might sound strange (like something out of Portlandia). But the massage tenderizes the kale and removes the bitter taste, leaving soft and lightly sweet leaves that are delicious as salad greens! Pair the tender kale with apple, pomegranate seeds, and an apple cider vinaigrette, and it’s a tasty side salad for a cozy meal.

First step: massage the kale!

OK really: massage the kale? Yes, 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:

Destem the kale and chop it into pieces.
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 make this kale pomegranate salad

Once you’ve massaged the kale, this kale pomegranate salad is a breeze! Here’s what you’ll need to do to assemble the salad:

Massage the kale. See the notes above!
Cut and seed the pomegranate. We’ve got a genius no-mess method for how to cut a pomegranate.
Make the apple cider vinaigrette: Whisk together a dressing with apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, chili powder, and olive oil. The flavors together are fantastic! See the recipe below. Other homemade dressings that would work? Dijon Mustard Dressing or Citrus Salad Dressing.

What to pair with kale pomegranate salad

This massaged kale pomegranate 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.

More pomegranate recipes

Love pomegranates? Here are a few more pomegranate recipes that use these vibrant seeds:

Make a bright Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
Shake up a Pomegranate Martini or blend a Pomegranate Smoothie
Make fresh squeezed Pomegranate Juice
Sprinkle over dips, like Yogurt Dip with Pomegranate

This kale pomegranate salad recipe is…

Begetarian, vegan, plant based, dairy free, naturally sweet, and refined sugar free.