Kale Salad With Kohlrabi, Candied Pecans, and Pops of Vibrant Citrus Can Brighten Your Day

This hearty winter salad can be made ahead of time.

Hearty kale can be dressed and ready hours ahead. Elizabeth Fuller/TCA

We wanted to create a make-ahead salad that would complement and enhance a main course. Using kale as the hearty base meant the dish could be dressed and ready to go hours ahead of time without compromising taste, texture, or appearance.

Adding raw kohlrabi meant minimal preparation with maximum crunch. Taking advantage of seasonal fruit, we incorporated orange to add a bright burst of color and refreshing, juicy, and sweet flavor. To tie the salad together, we infused cumin into both a punchy vinaigrette and crunchy pecans.

Kale Salad With Kohlrabi, Orange, and Candied Pecans

Serves 6 to 8

• 1 large egg white
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt, divided
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 cup pecans
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 oranges
• 12 ounces (10 cups) curly kale, stemmed and chopped
• 2 ounces (2 cups) frisee, torn into bite-size pieces
• 8 ounces (1 cup) kohlrabi, trimmed, peeled, and cut into 2-inch-long matchsticks

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk egg white in a bowl until frothy. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of cayenne; whisk until combined. Add pecans and stir to evenly coat.