Kale Salad with Bacon and Caramelized Onions is a quick , easy and gluten free salad that is perfect for the fall, with the taste of bacon, maple syrup and caramelized onions!
If you are a living, breathing human being who does not live under a rock, you will have noticed that Kale is the new thang. When I’m on Pinterest pinning every delicious looking thing without even looking at the recipe researching recipe inspiration ideas, I see it ev-ery-where.
I even saw Kale cupcakes. I thought that was taking things a little into crazy town, but I guess don’t knock ’em till ya try ’em right?
Anyways.
I have been leary about hopping on board the kale train. I think it has something to do with this tenant that used to live in my parent’s house who was not so lovely. His name was Kale. But, that is an entirely different story and I do need to try to stay on topic at least sometimes. P.s who names their child after a vegetable? Then again, wasn’t it Gweneth Paltrow who named her baby “Apple?”
What is this world coming to?
Ok, keeping on topic.
Since I wanna be all cool and “down with the times” (or is it up?) I decided to give it a go. This kale salad was one of those I-really-don’t-even-know-how-to-cook-this-weird-leafy-thing-so-I’ll-just-throw-random-things-in-and-hope-it-tastes-good kinda meal. Ya know, the ones that either turn out ah-may-zing or go horribly, horribly wrong and you have to order pizza. Then again, one could argue that outcome is actually horribly, horribly right. I’ll let ya’ll be the judge of that.
Luckily, we did not have to order pizza.
Can I just say that this is my new favorite salad? I haven’t had a new favorite salad in like a week or so, so I think that is ok to say. You know what else? I served this with some fancy shmancy slow cooker pork tenderloin and Mr.FFF said he liked the kale salad BETTER THAN THE PORK! Say whaaa? It really did happen guys.
Please do yourself a favour and do not skip caramelizing the onions. I know, it takes time. But, you really can just leave them and walk away and watch re-runs of “The Millionaire Matchmaker” until they are ready.
Not that I watch silly shows like that. In my leopard print Pjs. Nooope.
Moving on.
Ok so. Make the onions and just walk away and let them achieve brown, sweet goodness. Anything with the word “caramelized” has to be yummy, I don’t even need to tell you why. When the onions are almost done cooking, you can throw some turkey bacon in a pan and let it make your house smell like the best Sunday morning breakfast ever. Then, it’s time to get the kale in in the action. Let it cook down a bit, and then mix in some sweet maple syrup, salty tamari and red wine vinegar and let it get all cozy. Finally mix in those onions. Yum. Yum. Yum.
The sweetness of the maple syrup really brings out the caramelization of the onions, while balancing out the acid in the vinegar. Then you have the salty bacon and tamari that complements that sweetness.
There’s bacon. There’s salt. There’s sweet. And there’s super trendy Kale. I really don’t know what else you could ask for.
Ingredients
- 1 slices Onion chopped into .
- 4 Sliced of turkey bacon
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil divided
- 8 Cups Kale Chopped (about 1 big head)
- 1/2 Tbsp Garlic diced
- 2.5 Tbsp Red wine vinegar
- 1 1/4 tsp Tamari *
- 2 tsp Low sugar Maple syrup
- Dash of salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a large pan on med/high heat, heat 2 tsp of olive oil.
- Cut the onion into quarters, and then into slices and place into the pan.
- Stir the onions to coat in oil, and spread them out evenly over the pan.
- Turn to medium low and cook until brown and soft, about 30-40 minutes, stiring occasionally. You may need to add more oil if the onions start sticking together.
- While the onions caramelize, cut the bacon into 1 inch pieces .
- Heat remaining 1 tsp of olive oil in a medium sized pan,on med/high heat,
- Put the bacon in the pan, turn to medium heat and cook until the bacon is crispy, about 5 minutes, flipping half way through. Once they are cooked, take off heat and set aside,
- While all this cooking is going on, its time to chop the kale. Set aside.
- When the onions are all done and have achieved caramelized goodness, add in the cooked turkey bacon and the kale.
- Turn back up to medium heat and cook until the kale begins to wilt, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the garlic,red wine vinegar, tamari, low sugar maple syrup, salt and pepper and mix well. Really scrape the bottom of the pan to get all the yummy onion bits.
- Devour!
Tips & Notes:
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.
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Shashi says
This salad is amazing! One way I WILL eat Kale! 🙂
Tate says
Haha me too! Or kale chips, those are pretty yum! 🙂