One of my favorite fancier restaurants when I lived in Portland was called Ava Gene’s and they had a kale salad on the menu that I ordered every time without fail. This is my attempt to recreate it! Thin ribbons of kale and crunchy fennel get tossed in a super simple lemon parmesan dressing and topped with easy homemade crunchy garlicky breadcrumbs and showering with parmesan cheese. I highly recommend serving this on a large serving platter or shallow bowl so that every bite has those breadcrumbs on top!
P.S. This recipe goes really well as a side with this week’s Sneaky “Cheesy” Spaghetti! To make it a meal on its own, top with any cooked protein and bulk it up with some roasted veggies or toast.
Ingredient Highlight
Kale! This popular leafy green is rich in calcium, iron, vitamin K, and vitamin C, to name a few. When eating it raw, it’s always best to massage it with some oil and salt to make the texture less fibrous and more pleasant.
Servings 4 side
Prep Time 10 minutes 
Cook Time 20 minutes Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ cup finely grated parmesan, plus more for topping
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 bunch kale, stems removed, thinly sliced 6 cups loosely packed
- 1 head fennel, halved lengthwise, cored, thinly sliced about 2 cups
For the Garlicky Breadcrumbs:
- 2 cups cubed bread about 5 oz
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, grated or pressed
- ¼-½ tsp kosher salt depending on how salty you like things, I always use ½ tsp
- If you don’t like or can’t find fennel, you could leave it out and add an extra 2 cups of kale or substitute with another raw crunchy veg shaved brussel sprouts, grated carrot, celery
Instructions
For the breadcrumbs:
- preheat the oven to 300F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the cubed bread to a high-speed blender and blend into fine bread crumbs. Spread on the baking sheet in an even layer and bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through or until the breadcrumbs are toasted and dry. Let cool for a few minutes. In a small bowl, mix together the oil and garlic then pour it over the bread crumbs and immediately use your hands to toss it together thoroughly to coat. Sprinkle salt on top and toss again.
- In a large bowl, add the oil, lemon, parm, and salt and whisk to combine. Add the kale and fennel and toss to coat.
- Serve that salad on a large serving platter or a wide shallow serving bowl and spread into a thin layer. Top with breadcrumbs and a generous sprinkle of parmesan. I also like to top it with black pepper and a final drizzle of olive oil.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Thinly slice 1 bunch kale (6 cups loosely packed)
- Thinly slice 1 head fennel (about 2 cups)
- Cube 5 oz bread (2 cups) and make the breadcrumbs
Substitutions:
- To make gluten-free, use any gluten-free bread for the breadcrumbs or skip the breadcrumbs and add something else crunchy on top (like chopped toasted almonds or walnuts or crumbled potato chips)
- To make vegan, skip the parmesan cheese, add an extra ¼ teaspoon salt to the dressing. Skip the cheese on top entirely or substitute with some chopped green olives.
Storage:
-
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer:
- Salad: 4-5 days in the fridge
- Bread crumbs: 7 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Enjoy this salad right out the fridge, or let it come to room temperature for the best flavor. Topp with more breadcrumbs and cheese.
- Top with a fried egg or any leftover protein (grilled or shredded chicken, meatballs, steak, etc…)
