Pear Kale Salad Nuts (Printable)

Sweet pears and hearty kale tossed with toasted nuts and a bright lemon-honey dressing.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Produce

01 - 1 large bunch kale (about 7 oz), stems removed, leaves chopped
02 - 2 ripe pears, cored and thinly sliced
03 - 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
04 - 1 lemon, juiced

→ Nuts & Cheese

05 - 1/3 cup toasted walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped
06 - 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese or feta (optional)

→ Dressing

07 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
08 - 1 tablespoon honey
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# How-To Steps:

01 - Place the chopped kale in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with half of the lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Massage the kale with your hands for 1 to 2 minutes until it softens and darkens slightly.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, remaining lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
03 - Add the sliced pears and shallot to the prepared kale. Pour the vinaigrette over and toss gently to evenly coat.
04 - Sprinkle the toasted nuts and crumbled cheese, if using, over the salad. Toss lightly one more time to integrate.
05 - Serve immediately, or allow the salad to rest for 10 minutes to develop flavors.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Kale becomes creamy and tender when you massage it with lemon, so it tastes nothing like that tough raw stuff people fear.
  • Sweet pears and tangy goat cheese are a combination that feels fancy but takes no real effort.
  • This salad actually gets better when you let it sit for a few minutes, so you can make it ahead without stress.
02 -
  • Slice your pears last—like five minutes before serving—or they'll oxidize and turn brown no matter how much lemon you have on hand.
  • The massage step isn't optional; it actually breaks down the cell walls in kale and makes it edible in a way raw kale never is, even when it's young.
  • If you make this ahead, keep the nuts separate and add them right before serving or they'll get soggy and lose their whole purpose.
03 -
  • Toast your nuts in a dry skillet right before serving—they cool down fast and the warmth brings out flavors that raw nuts can't match.
  • If you're making this more than a few minutes ahead, keep the warm nuts separate and add them at the last second so they stay crunchy and don't absorb moisture from the salad.

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