5 from 15 votes
Kale Panzanella Salad
Kale Panzanella Salad combines hearty chopped curly kale with garlic-flavored homemade croutons, chewy tomatoes, tangy feta, thinly sliced red onion, and fresh basil. The lemon-based dressing lightly softens the kale while preserving its texture. This salad offers a satisfying mixture of crisp, tender, and crunchy components with bright, savory flavors.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings:
4
servings
Calories:
206 kcal
Course:
Salad
Cuisine:
Mediterranean, Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 4 cups curly kale chopped
- 1 cup crouton recipe below, garlic flavored
- ¼-½ cup red onion , sliced thin
- 2 cups tomato
- ⅓ cup feta cheese crumbled
- 2-3 TBSP basil sliced, fresh, for topping
SPEEDY LEMON DRESSING
- 3 TBSP olive oil
- 1 lemon , juiced
- 1 TBSP white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
HOMEMADE CROUTONS
- 1 cup bread cut into 3/4 inch cubes, diced
- ½ TBSP olive oil
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- black pepper to taste
- salt to taste
Instructions
- For homemade croutons: Preheat oven to 375°F. Dice bread into ¾ inch cubes. Add cubed bread to a bowl with oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well (using your hands works best to really work it into every piece) and spread on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake on the center rack for 12-16 minutes or until golden and crisp. Times will vary slightly based on type and staleness of bread.
- While the croutons bake make dressing and prep salad ingredients.
- To make the dressing, combine ingredients in a small bowl, whisk, and set aside.
- Wash and dry kale and remove leaves from stem. Finely chop leaves and add to a large bowl.
- Drizzle a teeny bit of dressing (around 1/2 tsp) onto the kale leaves. Massage dressing into kale until the leaves darken in color and become tender and silky.
- Thinly slice red onion. If using cherry, grape, or campari tomatoes, cut into quarters. For roma or regular tomatoes, roughly chop or dice. Thinly slice fresh basil.
- For the crispy crushed crouton topping, place about ⅓ of the croutons in a plastic bag or between two paper towels. Use a bottle of olive oil to crush into small panko-sized pieces to sprinkle over the salad just before serving. The result is a little of this delightfully crispy topping in every bite. Love it so!
- Top kale with tomatoes, red onion, whole croutons, and basil. Pour over dressing and mix well. Next sprinkle crumbled feta and crushed croutons on top. Enjoy!
Cup of Yum
Notes
- This recipe yields 4 side salads or 2 larger portions suitable for sharing.
- Use stale or day-old bread for croutons for best texture and minimal waste.
- Massage kale gently with dressing until it darkens and softens to improve palatability.
Nutrition Information
Calories
206kcal
(10%)
Carbohydrates
15g
(5%)
Protein
6g
(12%)
Fat
15g
(23%)
Saturated Fat
3g
(15%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
4g
(24%)
Monounsaturated Fat
8g
(40%)
Trans Fat
1g
(50%)
Cholesterol
11mg
(4%)
Sodium
381mg
(16%)
Potassium
485mg
(10%)
Fiber
5g
(20%)
Sugar
4g
(8%)
Vitamin A
7426IU
(149%)
Vitamin C
88mg
(98%)
Calcium
257mg
(26%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 206
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 206kcal | 10% |
| Carbohydrates | 15g | 5% |
| Protein | 6g | 12% |
| Fat | 15g | 23% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 11mg | 4% |
| Sodium | 381mg | 16% |
| Potassium | 485mg | 10% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 7426IU | 149% |
| Vitamin C | 88mg | 98% |
| Calcium | 257mg | 26% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.