Kale And Corn Salad With Ginger-Lime Dressing Recipe

Elevate your salad game with a vibrant combination of flavors in this corn and kale salad with ginger lime dressing. This delicious dish brings together the natural sweetness of corn kernels with the earthy crunch of kale all tossed with a zesty dressing. 

Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "I love using kale in salads, and the simple massage technique I use has turned many of my clients into kale fans. Kale can have a bad rap for being tough but once you break it down, the leaves hold up so much better than other greens and could become your new favorite." 

Kale has gained popularity over the years because of its health benefits and new recipes have been popping up like crazy using this versatile green. This salad pairs well with anything off the grill, a light pasta dish, or a sandwich, and it takes just 15 minutes to throw it all together!

To make this recipe, start by grabbing some fresh corn, Lacinato kale (also called dinosaur kale), red onion, avocado, lemon, limes, and fresh ginger. 

"There are several types of kale out there and my first choice for this recipe is Lacinato because it's more delicate, but you can use another type if you have one on hand or grow it in your garden," Hahn shares. 

Then you'll need some slivered almonds, coarse salt, olive oil, maple syrup, and pepper. To make this salad nut-free, you can use pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds in place of the almonds.

Start by grabbing a large pot and filling it with water. Bring it to a boil and then add the corn. Boil for 5 minutes, then remove it with tongs and place it in a colander to cool. While that is cooking you can work on the kale, red onion, and avocado. 

You don't want the kale stems in the salad so strip the stems, discard them, and cut the remaining green parts into thin slivers. Place the slivers into a large bowl and set aside. Now slice the red onion and chop the avocado but don't add them to the bowl just yet.

To break down the kale squeeze on the lemon juice along with ¼ teaspoon of salt. Massage the kale with your hand for a few minutes until it has reduced in size. "I typically use a kitchen glove for this, or you can stick your hand in a Ziploc baggie and get the same effect," Hahn explains. 

Once the corn has cooled, cut the kernels from the cob, and add them to the bowl with the kale along with the red onion, avocado, and slivered almonds.

The ginger lime dressing is our next step, and it comes together quickly. For the fresh ginger, pull out a micro plane or fine grater. Grate the ginger, and combine it with olive oil, lime juice, maple syrup, the remaining salt, and pepper.

Toss the dressing over the salad and just like that you have a quick and delicious salad that screams fresh! Hahn tells us the salad is best eaten right after making it but it will be good the next day if kept in an airtight container in the fridge. This is a great summer side dish when fresh corn is plentiful at the store, but many stores carry corn year-round so you can enjoy it any time!