Kale “Tabbouleh” with Dried Cranberries and Pistachios
By Erica TurnerPublished on September 18, 2025
Time
30 minutes
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Fine-grind bulgur is ideal here, but medium-grind will work. For the best texture, thoroughly dry the kale after washing; don’t overprocess it; and don’t substitute bagged, precut kale. For an accurate measurement of boiling water, bring a kettle to a boil and then measure out the desired amount.
Instructions
- Stir ⅓ cup fine-grind bulgur and ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons boiling water together in bowl. Cover and set aside until grains are softened and water is fully absorbed, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cut away peel and pith from 2 large navel oranges. Holding fruit over bowl, use paring knife to slice between membranes to release segments. Squeeze remaining juice from membranes to yield 2 tablespoons. Cut each segment crosswise into 3 pieces; set aside.
- Process 1⅓ cups kale stems, cut into 1-inch lengths, in food processor until broken down into ⅛-inch pieces, about 15 seconds, scraping down bowl halfway through; transfer stems to large bowl. Working in 2 batches, process 8 cups kale leaves, sliced into 2-inch-wide strips, until broken down into ⅛-inch pieces, 20 to 25 seconds, scraping down bowl halfway through. Add leaves to bowl with stems.
- Add orange juice, ¼ cup lemon juice, 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon table salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper to kale and toss until kale is evenly coated. Add bulgur; orange segments; ½ cup dried cranberries, chopped fine; and ½ cup pistachios, toasted and chopped fine, and toss until combined. Serve. (Salad can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
Time
30 minutesYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
Everybody loves pebbly-soft lacinato kale leaves, but one of the variety’s most appealing traits is that every bit of the stalk is nice to eat—including the stems—so there’s no waste. In this raw, tabbouleh-inspired salad, we blitzed the leaves and stems in the food processor so every bite was tender, then mixed the greens with soaked fine bulgur, a tangy-sweet combination of orange segments, citrusy dressing, chewy dried cranberries, and pistachios for crunch. Best of all, the naturally sturdy nature of kale means that this salad can be prepared days in advance.
Before You Begin
Fine-grind bulgur is ideal here, but medium-grind will work. For the best texture, thoroughly dry the kale after washing; don’t overprocess it; and don’t substitute bagged, precut kale. For an accurate measurement of boiling water, bring a kettle to a boil and then measure out the desired amount.
Instructions
- Stir ⅓ cup fine-grind bulgur and ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons boiling water together in bowl. Cover and set aside until grains are softened and water is fully absorbed, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cut away peel and pith from 2 large navel oranges. Holding fruit over bowl, use paring knife to slice between membranes to release segments. Squeeze remaining juice from membranes to yield 2 tablespoons. Cut each segment crosswise into 3 pieces; set aside.
- Process 1⅓ cups kale stems, cut into 1-inch lengths, in food processor until broken down into ⅛-inch pieces, about 15 seconds, scraping down bowl halfway through; transfer stems to large bowl. Working in 2 batches, process 8 cups kale leaves, sliced into 2-inch-wide strips, until broken down into ⅛-inch pieces, 20 to 25 seconds, scraping down bowl halfway through. Add leaves to bowl with stems.
- Add orange juice, ¼ cup lemon juice, 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon table salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper to kale and toss until kale is evenly coated. Add bulgur; orange segments; ½ cup dried cranberries, chopped fine; and ½ cup pistachios, toasted and chopped fine, and toss until combined. Serve. (Salad can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
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