I was never a salad person before I started this blog, but I’ve become one. I think that’s one of the best things to come out of this endeavor! And I’ve blogged lots of salads, but this week’s salad recipe is something new: a warm salad. Specifically, Warm Kale Salad with Goat Cheese, Pine Nuts and Sweet Onion Balsamic Dressing. I’ve never heard of a warm salad made with greens, so I was instantly intrigued. Kale, goat cheese, pine nuts, and balsamic dressing are all great, but warm? This is one of those recipes I have to try because it sounds so odd to me, even though it’s filled with things I like. Let’s get started!
A bright, fresh salad made of tuscan kale, creamy goat cheese and pine nuts, tossed with a warm sweet onion balsamic dressing. Simple and so tasty!
The Ingredients
So my warm salad journey began with gathering the ingredients, of course. I had most of the ingredients on hand, and I think all I had to buy was the kale and goat cheese.
The smallest package of goat cheese I found was four ounces, which was a little over the three ounces listed in the recipe. I used it all in the salad so nothing went to waste. More goat cheese is a good thing in my book!
I also ended up with a block of herbed goat cheese. I couldn’t find plain, but I figured the extra flavor wouldn’t hurt.
The Process
The instructions for this recipe were short and easy to follow. Everything went according to plan, and I had my onions and garlic cooked up in just a few minutes. I was even able to prep the other ingredients while they cooked in the olive oil (I used my smallest skillet).
Then I poured the hot oil, onions, and garlic into my mini-prep and blended it with the balsamic vinegar to make the salad dressing. The oil was very hot, but it wasn’t a problem.
The only part I was worried about came in step three. It says to pour the blended salad dressing over the kale and massage thoroughly. The dressing was still steaming hot, and I was worried about burning my hands. I very cautiously began this step, and I was pleasantly surprised to find the dressing had cooled significantly. I was able to comfortably and safely massage the salad addressing into the kale per the instructions. Whew!
I did change up the next step just a little, though. Pine nuts (and nuts in general) always fall to the bottom of a salad when tossed with the rest of the ingredients. For that reason, I decided to sprinkle them on top after I tossed the kale and goat cheese.
I almost forgot to mention that I toasted the pine nuts, too. It wasn’t in the instructions, but I love them toasted, so I went for it. It was quick and easy to do in my toaster oven.
The total time for this recipe was 12 minutes. That is pretty close to the 10 minute time listed on the recipe. Toasting the pine nuts might be the reason for the extra couple of minutes.
