Kale Feta Salad with Candied Walnuts, Beets Optional
Eat a rainbow with this tasty Kale Feta Salad full of healthy kale, candied walnuts and feta with homemade vinaigrette. Beets optional.
I can’t believe I used to hate kale. Arriving in my CSA boxes it had one of two destinations: kale chips, which only I liked, or the compost bin.
But once I learned that kale chopped finely becomes tender and delicious (from my popular Kale Brussels Sprouts salad), the world changed.
It’s been a great winter for kale for us, thanks to one of my farmer friends who left his kale growing in an unheated greenhouse. He harvested into early February when the current brutal cold snap put an end to the bounty. 
The recipe is based on one from one of my regular blog reads, Ang Sarap. And let me tell you it looked great to me immediately. I even canned beets last fall. The only rub was that the rest of the family is strictly anti-beet (are you sensing a pattern here?). But once it clicked that the salad would still be tasty sans beets, I had a clear mission. Beets just for me. 
I did reduce the dressing and nuts some. A vinaigrette really stretches and while the leftovers were delicious on lettuce, my refrigerator is just too full. The nuts were going to push up the calorie count so I cut them in half and it still felt indulgent!
How to Make Kale Feta Salad with Candied Walnuts
The salad came together easily, and if you do the nuts ahead of time, super-fast.
To start you prepare the candied walnuts
Let cool 
Combine the dressing ingredients
Finely chop the kale
Assemble the salad and serve. 
Variations
Beets are certainly a vegetable that is becoming more popular–and I’m happy to hear this! For similar salad, this time from Greece, take a look at this Greek Beet Salad. Or how about this simple Creamy Beet Salad!
Tips and FAQs
This salad is already quick and easy. But to take easy further, you could buy candied nuts instead of making your own.
You can even sometimes find kale pre-chopped.
That is, if you don’t have a farmer friend growing it!
Kale Feta Salad with Candied Walnuts, Beets Optional
Ingredients
Salad:
- 1 small can beets drained
- 4 packed cups kale washed and finely chopped
- 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles
Candied Walnuts:
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 2 Tablespooons packed brown sugar
- pinch sea salt
Dressing:
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons honey
- ½ Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Candied Walnuts. In your smallest saucepan, combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil then add walnuts. Simmer on medium heat, spooning liquid over walnuts occasionally until liquid has thickened and evaporated. Remove the walnuts from the pan, place on parchment paper and separate since they are very sticky. Set aside to dry.
- Prepare Dressing. In a bowl combine all dressing ingredients and whisk to emulsify.
- Divide kale between four salad bowls. Toss with dressing then top with beets, feta and candied walnuts.
- Enjoy!
This is the kind of salad I would make if I didn’t have to feed my guys. The candied walnuts sound wonderful, but I think the salad would be a good with plain walnuts as well…and less calories too!
I think you’re right on the plain walnuts. These were delicious but that would be super quick too!
Aint this good! Not a huge fan of salads but this one is exceptional, its just so good
I am a salad fan but this one is more unique so I can see why you like it. Thanks so much for sharing!
I actually have all the ingredients to make this – although my kale is Russian Red kale. This will be perfect for our lunch tomorrow.
Isn’t it nice to have a new salad David!