Every week I buy a big loaf of sourdough from my amazing local bakery or this brilliant baker at my farmer’s market, and making breadcrumbs is my favorite way to use up the heels. I store them in plastic bags in my freezer and grab them by the handful whenever I need them for breading chicken or fish, making meatballs, stuffing mushrooms, or whipping up my easy almond butter romesco sauce. Meal prep AND a no-waste hack? Yes please.
I’ve also decided that breadcrumbs are WAY better than croutons in salad. The crunch is way more distributed and you don’t have to worry about cracking a tooth.
There are lots of things to love about this salad, but my favorite things about it is that it’s kind of season-less. Apples and Kale are grown year-round where I live, but they’re also staples of standard supermarket produce sections. It’s bright and fresh enough for the spring and summer, but hearty enough for the fall and winter with the warm earthiness of the za’atar.
A note about the Sunflower Microgreens: I have a wonderful microgreen supplier at my farmer’s market who grows a huge variety of shoots, and these are some of my favorites. They are rich and buttery and little bit sweet and they make every salad better, so this one is no exception. If you are lucky enough to find some (or intrepid enough to grow some yourself!), you’ll see what I mean.
EQUIPMENT: Food Processor, Knife, Bread Knife, Cutting Board, Skillet, Large Mixing Bowl, Small Bowl, Small Whisk
Kale Salad with Apples Za'atar Breadcrumbs
Ingredients
- 1 bunch Kale
- 1 medium Apple
- ½ Red Onion
- Sunflower Microgreens (optional)
- ½ cup Breadcrumbs (from 1 heel of crusty bread)
- 1 tbsp Za’atar Seasoning
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
- 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 4 tbsp Olive Oil (divided)
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 tsp Honey
- Salt and Pepper
Directions
- Step 1 Prepare the breadcrumbs. If you’re using pre-made or store-bought breadcrumbs, skip to step 2. If you’re starting from scratch, cut the heel off a loaf of crusty bread and tear into small pieces. Let sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours until they get hard, or if you don’t have that kind of time, spread out on a baking sheet and toast in the oven at 375 for 10 minutes or so until most of the moisture evaporates. Then pulse in a food processor until you have coarse crumbs.
- Step 2 Prepare the vegetables. Remove the fibrous stems from the kale and cut or tear into bite-size pieces. Cut the apple into matchsticks: Cut away from the core in four pieces with flat sides. With the flesh side down, slice thinly. Then stack the slices on their side, and slice again. Thinly slice the onion.
- Step 3 Make the dressing. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard, and honey. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the sliced onion to the dressing and set aside.
- Step 4 Toss the kale with a tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt, then massage it in with your hands. This will tenderize the kale and help remove some of the bitterness.
- Step 5 Toast the breadcrumbs and the za’atar in a tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat until golden brown and fragrant. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Step 6 Assemble the salad. Toss the kale,apple, and microgreens if using in the dressing. Then top with the breadcrumbs, parmesan, and an extra drizzle of olive oil if desired.
SUB LIST
| Red Onion | Shallot, White or Yellow Onion, Scallion |
| Za’atar | Any combination of Chili Powder, Cumin, or Coriander |
| Apple Cider Vinegar | Red or White Wine Vinegar, Sherry Vinegar |
