Warm Ginger-Scallion Pork & Kale Salad
PureWow editors select every item that appears on this page, and the company may earn compensation through affiliate links within the story. All prices are accurate upon date of publish. You can learn more about the affiliate process here.
We’re suckers for a kale salad, but when the leafy greens are served raw, they can be a little…hard to swallow. Enter this warm ginger-scallion pork and kale salad from Unbelievabowl Paleo by Kelsey Preciado, which uses heat and an acidic dressing to tame the beast…er, ruffage.
“Kale is great, but it definitely needs a little T.L.C. to really shine,” Preciado writes, “so serving it warm with lots of flavor is a win. Treat your kale like you treat an old friend, with a nice warm hug and a bit of sass.”
Coconut aminos is a popular soy sauce replacement in Paleo cooking, thanks to its salty and slightly sweet flavor profile. If you’re not Paleo, you could also swap regular or low-sodium soy sauce or tamari in the dressing without issue.
Reprinted with permission from Unbelievabowl Paleo by Kelsey Preciado, Page Street Publishing Co. 2020.
Ingredients
Meat
1 tablespoon (15ml) avocado or olive oil
1 pound (454g) ground pork
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon (15ml) coconut aminos (see intro)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
⅓ cup (33g) chopped scallions
Dressing
2 tablespoons (30ml) avocado or olive oil
1 tablespoon (15ml) rice vinegar
1 tablespoon (15ml) coconut aminos
1 tablespoon (15ml) honey
½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
Vegetables
2 bunches of kale, de-stemmed and chopped
1 cup (110g) shredded carrots
Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
Directions
1. Cook the Pork: Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the pork, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or spatula as it cooks. After about 2 minutes of cooking, add the ginger, garlic powder, coconut aminos and salt, and stir to combine. Continue to cook until the meat is fully cooked, about 3 minutes more. Add the scallions and stir to combine, then set the pork aside.
2. Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, rice vinegar, coconut aminos, honey and ginger. Place a large skillet over medium heat and add the dressing to the pan.
3. Add the kale to the dressing in the skillet, and toss with tongs to coat. Cover the skillet and cook to wilt the kale slightly, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the carrots and toss, then cook for about 30 seconds.
4. To assemble the bowls, divide the dressed kale and carrots among four bowls, top each bowl with some of the pork and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.
Note: To meal prep, you can make the pork and dressing up to five days ahead of time and store them separately in the fridge. Reheat each on the stovetop and continue with the recipe.
480 calories
35g fat
19g carbs
24g protein
10g sugars