Does your Thanksgiving table include a green salad? It’s a divisive issue among my colleagues: some of my fellow test cooks think the idea of salad on this feast day is ludicrous and wholly unnecessary, while others have grown up enjoying and expecting a salad course before the gravy hits.
This recipe makes a strong case for having salad as part of your holiday spread because most of the work is done ahead of time. Plus, it’s incredibly tasty and nutritious.
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Weeknight cooking inspiration, curated and written by longtime ATK author and editor (and avid home cook) Jack Bishop.
We don’t usually recommend dressing lettuce-based salads too far in advance because the dressing wilts the lettuce (it is the oil that is the main culprit here, although the vinegar and salt also play a role), which then releases its moisture to create a limp, soggy mess.
But kale is sturdy and holds up better and doesn’t exude as much liquid. Relatively mild, sweet lacinato kale (see “Does the Type of Kale Matter?” below) works best here because it is more tender than curly kale and thus works better in this application.
For the dressing, we wanted rich pecans to take center stage. “Creamy” dairy-free, nut-based dressings are having a moment, and for good reason—they’re delicious. To make the dressing, toast and chop pecans and add them to a blender with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, a little water, chopped shallot, maple syrup for a hint of sweetness and autumnal flavor, and salt and pepper, then blitz.
Yes. You need to use lacinato kale, not curly kale, in this recipe. Curly kale’s leaves contain more cellulose, which helps it thrive in colder climates but gives it a more fibrous texture that must be treated (via soaking or massaging) to be enjoyed raw. Lacinato kale, a favorite in Italy that thrives in both cool and warm climates, has less cellulose in its leaves and thus is more tender and works perfectly in this application. It has a darker color and slightly slimmer, less frilly leaves.
Next, thoroughly toss the pecan vinaigrette with stemmed, chopped kale and let time do its magic. The thick dressing coats every piece of kale, and after a few hours in the fridge, the dressing breaks down and softens the hearty greens. As the kale softens, it maintains some texture and structural integrity, and any exuded moisture is absorbed into the ground nuts in the dressing, thinning the nutty vinaigrette to the perfect creamy (not watery and not too thick) texture.
Make-Ahead Kale Salad with Pecan Dressing
Here's a salad that actually gets better as it sits.
Get the RecipeEvery good salad needs some crunch and flavor counterpoints. Here, fennel—tossed in the dressing with the kale—is just the thing, as its soft crispness adds textural interest and its sweet licorice flavor nicely balances the minerality of the kale.
Just before serving, fold in halved grapes for a burst of juicy, refreshing sweetness, and add more toasted pecans for crunch and to double-down on the pecan flavor. Finally, crumble in blue cheese for a jolt of salty, pungent creaminess.
This delicious salad is chock-full of seasonal flavors, and, with almost all of the work done ahead, it is holiday cooking at its finest.
