Kale Edamame and Orange Salad with Ginger Miso Dressing
The Winter Salad
To be honest, I’m not a big salad person in the winter time. I’m one to crave warming bowls of soup or heartier entrees to keep me toasty on cold evenings. Salads like this kale orange salad, however, are the exception. Fresh winter citrus and hearty kale with a salty, spicy miso dressing is exactly the combination I need when looking for a light lunch or salad to add to the side of a meal. It’s a celebration of the wintery citrus and has so much crunch that it’s a delicious meal to eat - any time of year, not just winter!
This salad has a great combination of flavors and textures. It’s sweet and a bit spicy from the dressing, sweet from the oranges, herby from the green onions and basil, and earthy from the kale.
Recipe Tips
When you make this kale and orange salad with crispy edamame and miso ginger dressing, here are a few tips to make sure it’s delicious:
- To make sure your edamame gets really crispy, dry them off with a towel before tossing them in the oil. By removing any moisture before putting them in the oven, you’ll stop the edamame from steaming and immediately begin crisping up.
- If you don’t want to take the time to peel your orange by hand, slice each end off the orange and set it on a cutting board on one of the flat ends. Use your knife to slice downwards along the peel, rotating the orange to get the next piece of peel.
- If you’re expecting leftovers from this salad or are not planning on serving this right away, be sure to store the edamame separately. The longer the edamame sits on the salad, the less crunchy they’ll get.
- I’ve included a step in the recipe directions to pour half of the dressing onto the kale and to toss it in before assembling the rest of the salad. This step is called “massaging the kale” which softens the kale up and makes it much more enjoyable to eat. If you’ve ever eaten a kale salad and not been the biggest fan, make sure you’re massaging it before you eat it - it completely changes the texture and makes the flavor more mild!
Recipe Details
To get a start on this recipe, first you’ll need to crisp up your edamame. Pat dry the shelled edamame and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast in an oven for about half an hour, until they’re really crispy and lightly browned. These edamame also make for a great snack - make a double batch and save half for your afternoon salty snack craving!
While the edamame roasts, you can whip up the rest of the salad. The dressing is made by shaking up some olive oil, sesame oil, white miso paste, rice wine vinegar, honey, and ginger paste. These ingredients will come together into a thicker vinaigrette that’s tangy and salty - a perfect combination for the sweet oranges in the salad. Prep your fruits and vegetables and then you’ll be ready to assemble!
To build this salad, you’ll first massage half of the miso ginger dressing into the kale. This will soften the kale and coat the greens in the dressing. Top with the oranges, carrots, basil, and green onions. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the top, as desired, and then top with sesame seeds and the roasted edamame. Enjoy right away as a light meal or as a side dish to your dinner!
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days with the crispy edamame stored separately at room temperature.
I hope you love this orange kale salad as much as I do!
A refreshing salad with a miso ginger dressing, fresh sliced oranges, tasty herbs, and the crispiest roasted edamame. This salad makes for a great light lunch or a wonderful side dish for your next meal.
- 8-9 oz shelled edamame (thawed if frozen)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp white miso paste
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 tsp honey
- 2 tsp ginger paste
- 6 cup roughly chopped kale, hard stems removed and patted dry
- 2 navel oranges, peeled and sliced
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, thinly sliced
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
Preheat the oven to 400°F and set out a large baking tray.
Pat dry the edamame with a kitchen towel and then toss the edamame with olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes until browned and crispy.
In a glass mason jar or small bowl, add the olive oil, sesame oil, white miso paste, rice vinegar, honey, and ginger paste.
Seal shut the mason jar and shake, or vigorously whisk the ingredients in the small bowl, until the ingredients emulsify together.
In a large salad bowl, add the chopped kale and pour half of the miso ginger dressing over the top. Use your hands or salad tongs to massage the dressing into the kale, softening the kale and coating it in the dressing.
Arrange the sliced navel oranges, shredded carrots, fresh basil, and green onions onto the kale. Drizzle the remaining of the ginger miso dressing over the top, to your dressing preference.
Sprinkle the roasted crispy edamame and sesame seeds over the top. Serve right away and enjoy!
