Menu

Broccoli Rabe & Kale Harvest Salad with Cranberry Orange Dressing

Jump to Recipe
Pin Recipe
No ratings yet

Broccoli rabe and kale harvest salad with orange cranberry dressing is a colourful and healthy addition to any Fall table.

Broccoli Rabe + Kale Harvest Salad // via thefirstmess.com #broccolirabe
This post is sponsored by Andy Boy Broccoli Rabe.
An overhead shot of kale growing in the sunshine.
An overhead shot of ingredients for a salad.
An overhead shot of farro cooked in a pot


Hey American friends. I see your Thanksgiving holiday coming up, and I offer you this colourful and hearty kale harvest salad, along with a few other tidbits. Our Canadian version of the holiday has already come and gone. I got a couple dinners in and a little downtime, so a win overall!

Don’t forget to eat a salad/have some vegetables for extra vibrance around this time. I created this colourful salad with kale and broccoli rabe as an unusual and light counter to all of the heavier holiday fare. There’s a hot pink cranberry-orange dressing that’s spiked with ginger and maple syrup. Chewy cooked farro fills the dish out, along with some crunchy walnuts and thin wisps of fennel, apple, and red onion. I find that incorporating lots of colours and small/thin cuts of vegetables makes for greater success with healthier dishes at large get-togethers. The small cuts seem less committal maybe? Hope you try this broccoli rabe and kale harvest salad for yourself or for a feast sometime soon :)

Broccoli Rabe + Kale Harvest Salad // via thefirstmess.com #broccolirabe

Broccoli Rabe & Kale Harvest Salad with Cranberry Orange Dressing

Broccoli rabe and kale harvest salad with orange cranberry dressing is a colourful and healthy addition to any Fall table.
No ratings yet
Broccoli Rabe + Kale Harvest Salad // via thefirstmess.com #broccolirabe
Print Recipe
Servings 6 -8

Ingredients

Salad

  • ¾ cup dry, uncooked farro
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 bunch of broccoli rabe
  • 1 bunch of lacinato/dino kale; about 5 packed cups of chopped kale
  • 1 small fennel bulb
  • 1 small sweet apple, such as gala or honey crisp
  • ⅓ thinly sliced red onion
  • ¼ cup walnut halves, toasted and chopped

Orange Cranberry Dressing

  • scant ½ cup frozen whole cranberries, thawed
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup fresh orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1 inch of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Notes

  • You could cook up an equal amount of wild rice, millet, or quinoa for a gluten-free option.

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the rinsed farro, 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Bring the farro to a boil, cover the pot and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook the farro for 25 minutes, or until it’s cooked through and still has a bit of chew. Drain the farro and set aside.
  • Rinse out the saucepan that you used for the farro and fill it with about 2 inches of water. Place the pot over medium heat. Let it come to a light boil. Set up an ice bath in a medium sized bowl.
  • Trim the tough stems off of the broccoli rabe and cut it into bite-pieces. Drop half of the cut broccoli rabe into the saucepan and place the lid on it right away. Allow the rabe to steam for about 3-4 minutes, or until tender and lightly wilted. Transfer the steamed broccoli rabe to the ice bath. Repeat this blanching process with the remaining broccoli rabe.
  • Remove the stems from the kale and chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Place the chopped kale into a large bowl. Trim the fennel bulb, reserving some of the fronds, and removing the core. Shave the fennel with a mandolin right over the bowl with the kale. Remove the apple core and shave it with a mandolin over the large bowl. Remove the tough outer peel of the red onion and shave it with a mandolin over the large bowl.
  • Squeeze all of the excess water out of the blanched broccoli rabe and place it in the large bowl with the kale and other shaved fruits/vegetables. Add the cooked farro to the bowl as well.
  • To make the dressing, combine the thawed cranberries, olive oil, orange zest, orange juice, fresh ginger, maple syrup, salt, and pepper in an upright blender. Blend the mixture on high until you have a smooth consistency.
  • Season the salad with salt and pepper and pour three quarters of the orange-cranberry onto the salad. Massage the dressing into the kale, broccoli rabe, farro, and other fruits and vegetables until everything is evenly coated. Transfer the dressed salad to a large platter. Drizzle the remaining dressing on top and garnish the salad with the chopped walnuts and fennel fronds.
Author: Laura Wright
Broccoli Rabe + Kale Harvest Salad // via thefirstmess.com #broccolirabe

*This post was created in partnership with Andy Boy Broccoli Rabe. All opinions/endorsements are my own. Thanks for supporting!

17/11/2015 (Last Updated: 17/11/2015)
Posted in: autumn, bitter, broccoli, earthy, gluten free option, kale, refined sugar-free, salad, side dish, sour, sweet, vegan, winter
Show 28 comments
Add comments & rating

Recipe Rating




Similar Recipes

« Better Than Bullet Proof Coffee
Papaya Salad Rolls »