Kale has been through a lot. It went from being a throw-away garnish on buffets to being the the poster child, er vegetable, for healthy food. That’s a lot of pressure! And yet, it is still hated by many. I get it. I’ve made it just about every way that I can think of and only sometimes love it. But kale salad? That I love, every time. This kale salad with mango, spiced pepitas and pickled shallows might be my absolute favorite.
kale salad with mango, spiced pepitas and pickled shallots just might be the dish that turns kale haters around
I’m not just saying that – my husband, I’m pretty sure, is a super taster when it comes to bitter foods. Things that don’t taste bitter to me taste extremely bitter to him. Understandably, sautéed kale is high up on his list of vegetable dishes he hopes don’t make an appearance on our dinner table.
But this kale salad with mango? In his words, is bomb. I don’t know why, and I’m too tired and busy to find the scientific answer, but raw kale that is softened by massaging it is somehow much less bitter than cooked kale.
The recipe below will make more spiced pepitas than you’ll need for this salad. That’s a good thing! They are delicious for snacking and all of your spring and summer salads. Add them to anything you want a tasty crunch. Just store them in an airtight container to keep them fresh. If they lose some of their crunch, just pop them in the oven at 350ºF for a few minutes.
Check out how easy it is to stem kale:
And then there are the simple but oh-so delicious additions: juicy, sweet mango, slightly spicy and salty crunchy pepitas, and quick pickled shallots make this the perfect side dish to just about any meal. And since kale is sturdy enough to hold up once dressed, it’s a great one to bring to a potluck, once hanging out with other humans is cool again. (Please let it be soon)
When choosing your fruit for this kale salad with mango: go for ones that are more yellow than green or red, that’s when they’re ripe. They look the prettiest when they’re red and green, but they’re still on the firm side at that point. If that’s all that’s available, you can still get them, but give them a few days to ripen. They should be soft, but not mushy, to the touch and fragrant.
Are you a kale salad fan? Check out my other recipe here.
Printkale salad with mango, spiced pepitas & pickled shallots
This kale salad is easy, fresh, and just might convert some kale haters.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings
- Category: vegetables
- Method: raw
Ingredients
for the pepitas:
- 1 tablespoon citrus juice (orange, lemon, lime, whatever you’ve got)
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon chipotle powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar or coconut sugar (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups raw pumpkin seeds
for the kale salad:
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons champagne vinegar or other mild vinegar
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 bunches lacinato kale, stemmed and thinly sliced
- 2–3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 mangoes, diced
- 1/2 cup spiced pepitas
- a big pinch of salt
Instructions
- To make the pepitas: Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl to coat, spread on a parchment lined baking sheet, and bake at 375ºF for about 5 minutes, until golden brown and puffed up.
- In a small bowl, combine the sliced shallots with the vinegar and lime juice. Set aside while you prep the rest of the salad.
- In a large bowl, massage the kale with the olive oil with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil for 3-5 minutes, or until it’s softened and broken down a bit. If it’s on the dry side, add an additional tablespoon of olive oil. (This might be necessary if your bunches of kale are on the larger side.)
- Mix in the reserved shallot and liquid, mango, and a big pinch of salt. Toss to combine and taste for seasoning.
Notes
Store extra spiced pepitas in an airtight container at room temperature.
Thinking about taking on growing kale? Here’s more information about that.
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Donna in Inwood says
This is a very nice salad! So glad you called for Lacinato kale, which I much prefer to the rougher, chewier curly kale.
The citrus juice I used was lime. Next time I might add a bit more of the shallots.
Thanks for a lovely recipe!
Jessica says
This was so good! I made this for myself but my kids ended up eating the majority. I didn’t have any pumpkin seeds so I added a little bit of crumbled feta. This will definitely be a summer staple in our house and I can’t wait to try with the pumpkin seeds.