Kale and Broccoli Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Ingredients needed to prepare this recipe

For the lemony vinaigrette: A couple of lemons + a shallot + a couple of cloves of garlic + anchovy fillets + dijon mustard + honey + grated parmesan cheese + extra virgin olive oil + salt and pepper

For the salad:

• Kale
• Broccoli
• Farro
• Dried figs
• Roasted and salted peanuts
• Dried cherries (optional)
• Shredded parmesan cheese (optional)

Pro Tip: I prefer to use baby kale in this salad because it's more tender and has a more mild flavor. If using large kale leaves that are on the tough side, tenderize them by giving them a massage. Use your fingers to rub some salt and lemon juice into chopped kale and then let it rest for 15 or 20 minutes. The salt and lemon juice will soften the greens for a more tender bite.

Substitutions and variations

As with all salads, there are an endless number of possible substitutions and variations to this kale and broccoli salad. Here are just a few suggestions:

• Make it vegan/ vegetarian: Simply omit the parmesan cheese from the vinaigrette and the salad.
• Swap out the lemon in the vinaigrette for any kind of citrus or vinegar
• Swap out the kale for any kind of dark leafy greens
• Add some chopped cauliflower in addition to, or instead of, broccoli
• Add any other kind of chopped veggie you like in this salad such as bell pepper, shredded carrots, diced cucumber, shredded Brussels sprouts, roasted beets, or thinly sliced radishes.
• Swap out the dried figs and cherries for dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots
• Peanuts pair especially well with kale and figs, but any kind of nuts work well in this salad. I prefer them to be roasted and salted, but that is mostly a matter of preference.

Step-by-step photos and instructions

To make the vinaigrette, add all the ingredients except the olive oil to a blender and process to blend. Add the oil slowly, pouring it in a thin steady stream with the blender running. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Chop the kale and broccoli into small pieces and add them to a large salad bowl along with some cooked farro and shredded parmesan cheese (if using).

Add as much of the lemon vinaigrette as you like. Start by pouring half of the dressing into the salad, toss everything around to coat, taste, and add as much more as you like. I usually end up using all of it, but this is a matter of personal preference. At this point you can also add more lemon and/ or salt and pepper if you like.

Serve the salad topped with chopped dried figs, dried cherries, and roasted peanuts.

I prefer to top each serving with dried fruit and nuts rather than mixing them into the salad because leftover salad keeps better without the fruit and nuts.

Serving suggestions

I love serving this as a main dish salad topped with roast chicken, rotisserie chicken, lemon and rosemary grilled chicken, or any kind of leftover chicken.

Other protein options include:

• Any kind of grilled, roasted, or pan fried fish. It might sound strange, but beer battered fish is so, so, so good on this salad!
• Any kind of canned or smoked fish, like tuna or salmon.
• Leftover pork carnitas, or leftover steak.
• Hard or soft boiled eggs
• Any kind of beans, especially garbanzo beans and white beans (here's how to cook beans in a slow cooker and here's how to cook them in the instant pot)

More fresh and flavorful salad recipes

If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Scroll down to leave a comment and rate it!