I have a secret to tell you. I love making bread, and I have been making a lot of sourdough lately. So much that I have to find inventive ways to use it to keep my supply fresh, like topping this lemon parmesan kale salad with toasted sourdough breadcrumbs.
Lemon parmesan is a classic pairing of flavors that cannot be beat. Fresh lemon is bright and refreshing while parmesan is full of rich umami. Adding toasted breadcrumbs takes this simple salad to the next level.
Before you ask, no I don’t have a sourdough recipe posted online. Maybe someday. As a novice baker I have only just figured out how to make the recipe work for me in my kitchen, and that is much different from giving advice to others on the process. Hence, it feels like a secret I haven’t shared.
For now, you can look here for creative recipes to use sourdough whether it is homemade or from your local artisanal baker, including this delicious salad.
Tips and Tricks for this Lemon Parmesan Kale Salad recipe:
- Massage the kale: This step is a must for any kale salad using mature kale. I find curly kale requires less massaging than dinosaur kale, so that is my preference. If you want to try the salad with arugula or spinach, no messaging is required.
- Fresh lemon: Another must. Fresh lemon juice is just more flavorful than bottled. Whole lemons will keep in the fridge for a while, but if you slice one, you should use it within a day or two.
- Lemons will vary on their level of tanginess based on when they were picked in the ripening cycle. They do not continue to ripen after picking, so you have to taste test the dressing to see if you have a mellow, more ripe lemon or a tangier one. Add another tablespoon of olive oil if your dressing seems too tangy.
- Use a high quality olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is best. The extra cost is worth it in simple applications like this one.
- 7 cups torn curly kale
- 1 cup crumbled sourdough bread (or another quality crusty bread)
- 4-5 TBS extra virgin olive oil, divided (or more to taste)
- Juice of 1 small lemon (about 2 TBS)
- 1 small garlic clove minced
- 1-2 tsp honey (to taste, or other sweetener of choice)
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp each: salt and pepper
- ⅓ cup shredded parmesan
- Massage the kale until soft and set aside.
- In a skillet, combine 1 TBS olive oil and the crumbled sourdough. Toast the bread over medium high heat stirring often until golden brown and crunchy. Remove from heat.
- Whisk together remaining 3 TBS olive oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic, Dijon, salt and pepper. Taste test the dressing and if it seems too tangy, add more olive oil to taste.
- Drizzle the lemon dressing over the messaged kale and top with toasted sourdough breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese.
