Mediterranean Chopped Kale Salad

This colorful chopped kale salad is full of so many fresh flavors! Feta, olives, and crispy fried capers add a delicious salty bite.

This chopped kale salad has been one of my go-tos for years now, and with good reason. It’s everything a salad should be: salty, savory, and loaded with a lot of ~stuff~. I prefer a greens-to-stuff ratio of about 20:80, personally.

Now, I know there are still people out there who vehemently hate kale. But this green doesn’t have to be relegated to weird buffet dividers and useless garnishes. You just have to treat her right.

Never, ever make a kale salad without massaging the kale. It only takes a minute or two to do, and it makes a world of difference in the final flavor and texture of your salad. With just a little bit of TLC, kale goes from tough, fibrous, and ineffably green-tasting, to tender and even a little bit sweet.

Beyond that, this salad comes together in a snap. I like to add a scoop of chewy farro for some extra staying power and texture, but you can sub out just about any grain or go grain-free.

And, of course, this is a chopped salad, which, as we all know, is the superior variety of salad. The smaller you chop your vegetables, the more surface area you’ll have for maximum dressing cling, and the better your salad will be.

Whatever you do, don’t skip the fried capers! They take about 5 minutes to make, and they add a crispy, salty, briny bite that takes the whole salad over the top. I like serving this salad with my Pink Greek Dressing, but you can toss it with just about any vinaigrette that tickles your fancy.

Did you make this Mediterranean Chopped Kale Salad? Don’t forget to share a photo on Instagram and tag me @emily.eats.things!

Mediterranean Chopped Kale Salad

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This colorful chopped kale salad is full of so many fresh flavors! Feta, olives, and crispy fried capers add a delicious salty bite.

• Author: Emily Hanka
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 2–4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• ½ cup dry farro
• 6 cups chopped kale, from about 1 bunch
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from about 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and patted dry
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained, rinsed and patted dry
• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
• 1 medium cucumber, seeded and diced
• ½ small red onion, diced
• ¼ cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
• Kosher salt + freshly cracked black pepper
• Pink Greek Dressing, for serving

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Instructions

1. Cook the farro: In a small saucepan, combine farro with 1 ½ cups of water and a pinch of salt. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the farro is tender but still has a bit of bite to it.
2. Massage the kale: While the farro is cooking, combine the chopped kale and lemon juice in a large bowl. Massage with your hands for a few minutes, or until the kale feels softer and has turned a darker shade of green. Set aside while you fry the chickpeas and capers.
3. Fry the capers: Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the capers and season with a bit of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until the capers are crispy. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain, cool, and continue crisping up.
4. Assemble the salad: To the bowl with the massaged kale, add the cooked farro, crispy capers, bell pepper, cucumber, red onion, olives, chickpeas, and feta cheese. Toss together with Pink Greek Dressing (or your favorite Greek dressing) and a little pinch of salt and pepper before serving.

Notes

• You can use another grain here, like quinoa, freekeh, or bulgur wheat.
• Similarly, you can sub out any salad green you like; just don’t massage lighter salad greens.