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5.0 from 15 votes

Easy Kale Salad Recipe with Marcona Almonds, Manchego, & Aleppo Pepper

This Easy Kale Salad Recipe features an array of Spanish flavors including buttery Marcona almonds, zesty Manchego cheese, and spicy Aleppo pepper. With plump golden raisins, hard-boiled egg, crispy panko crumble, and a garlic-infused lemon vinaigrette, this salad comes together quickly and brings life to the often-overlooked crunchy kale. Pair this salad with some roasted red pepper soup!

Prep Time
10 mins
Total Time
10 mins
Servings: 6
Calories: 339 kcal
Course: Side Dish , Salad , Appetizer , Lunch
Cuisine: Mediterranean , American , International

Ingredients

Garlic-Infused Lemon Vinaigrette
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
  • ½ teaspoon aleppo pepper
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • pinch sea salt
Panko Crouton Crumble
  • ¼ cup panko
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • pinch sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
Kale Salad
  • ¼ cup golden raisins
  • ½ cup hot water
  • 6 cups fresh curly kale chopped or chiffonade
  • ½ cup Marcona almonds roughly chopped
  • 1 hard-boiled egg chopped
  • 1 cup manchego cheese finely grated
  • pinch Aleppo pepper

Instructions

Garlic-Infused Lemon Vinaigrette
    Cup of Yum
  1. In a small pan over medium-low heat, add the olive oil, smashed garlic, and aleppo pepper. Once hot, transfer to a small dish and let sit. When ready to finish the salad, strain the oil through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the garlic and aleppo pepper, then add the lemon juice and a pinch of salt and whisk well.
Panko Crouton Crumble
  1. In a small bowl, toss together the panko with the minced garlic, sea salt, and 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Wipe the pan from the vinaigrette clean and add the mixture, heating over medium until the panko is golden and crisp, stirring occasional to prevent burning. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Kale Salad
  1. Add the golden raisins to a bowl and top with the hot water. Let sit for 5 minutes then drain thoroughly.
  2. Add the kale to a large bowl, then drizzle with a tablespoon or two of the dressing. Gently massage the kale by hand until the leaves loosen and become tender. Add a couple more tablespoons of dressing, then add the golden raisins and marcona almonds. Toss well to combine then turn out onto a serving dish. Sprinkle with the hair-boiled egg, then top with the panko crumble and grated manchego cheese. Add more dressing as desired, then sprinkle with a pinch of aleppo pepper and serve immediately.

Notes

  • I recommend making extra panko crumble, because it smells and tastes so delicious, you may find yourself eating it out of the pan.
  • If you forget to plump the raisins, all is not lost! You can use them as-is.
  • Do not skip the massaging of the kale. Do not skip it, you will regret it.
  • I like to add a teaspoon of the dressing to the chopped egg and toss it gently before adding it to the salad, rather than tossing the eggs with the salad. You can do it either way.

Nutrition Information

Calories 339kcal (17%) Carbohydrates 16g (5%) Protein 12g (24%) Fat 27g (42%) Saturated Fat 7g (35%) Cholesterol 51mg (17%) Sodium 175mg (7%) Potassium 461mg (13%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 6890IU (138%) Vitamin C 82mg (91%) Calcium 342mg (34%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 339

% Daily Value*

Calories 339kcal 17%
Carbohydrates 16g 5%
Protein 12g 24%
Fat 27g 42%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 51mg 17%
Sodium 175mg 7%
Potassium 461mg 10%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 6890IU 138%
Vitamin C 82mg 91%
Calcium 342mg 34%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.