Kale Salad with Radishes, Grapefruit and Candied Pepitas

A bowl of kale salad with sliced radishes, grapefruit segments, and crunchy seeds. A spoon rests in the bowl. Another smaller white dish with seeds and a spoon sits nearby on a dark surface.

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Kale Salad with Radishes, Grapefruit and Candied Pepitas

Bright citrus, raw vegetables, candied nuts, and a piquant dressing come together in this seasonal salad!

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cardamom, Grapefruit, Horseradish, Kale, Make-ahead, Pepitas

Servings:

Author: Nicole

Ingredients

For the Candied Pepitas

1 large egg white
1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste optional
1 cup RAW pepitas

For the Salad

¼ Extra-virgin olive oil divided
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 red grapefruit
12 ounces curly kale stemmed and chopped (about 5 ounces)
1 ½ cups fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves roughly chopped
6 radishes trimmed, halved, and sliced into half moons(you can also thinly slice a whole radish on a mandoline, stack the slices, and cut them in half)

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk egg white until frothy. Add the melted butter, both sugars, cardamom, salt, and cayenne and whisk until combined. Add pepitas and stir to coat evenly.
Spread pepitas onto prepared sheet in a single layer and bake until nuts are deeply browned and fragrant, 15 to 17 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking. Transfer the sheet to a wire rack and let the nuts cool completely about 20 minutes. Break the nuts into ½-inch clusters. (Pepitas can be stored at room temperature for up to one week.)
Meanwhile, whisk 3 tablespoons of oil, vinegar, cardamom, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Cut away a small piece from pole to pole so that the grapefruit will stay flat as you cut away the peel and pith from the grapefruit. Cut the grapefruit into sixths from pole to pole. If there is a thick pithy midsection, lay the piece on one long side and trim away the pith. Cut each section into 1/4-inch thick pieces.
In a large bowl, combine the kale and the remaining tablespoon of oil. Gently knead and squeeze the kale until the leaves are evenly coated and have started to soften, about one minute. Add the grapefruit, radishes, parsley and vinaigrette and toss until combined. Add the pepitas and toss again. Transfer salad to a platter and serve. Salad can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 hours or refrigerated for up to 2 days (if refrigerating, add pepitas just before serving). Enjoy!

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