It's not every day that you show up for a casual playdate and get fed an award-winning salad that blows your mind. But that's what exactly what happened to me about a year ago! I was at my friend Bridget's house and as we are both lovers of kale, she was excited to share her sister's* salad recipe with me. One bite later and I was practically in the car on the way to the grocery store to make another batch for that night's dinner!
Since this recipe won a culinary contest and involved an award, it wasn't previously available to share online. But, I have been given the official permission to now share it...something I've been anticipating for awhile! Now, all of you can bless your tastebuds with this salad and be the talk of any dinner party/social gathering you might attend! It's a salad that packs a lot of flavor, so if you serve this with a meat dish or soup, I recommend keeping them on the milder side. Enjoy.
Tuscan Kale Salad with Lemon-Srirachi Greek Yogurt Dressing
1-2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp Srirachi sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
5 oz. Greek yogurt
1/2 bunch of Tuscan kale, stems removed and torn into small pieces
1/8 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup grated Pecorino cheese
Mix together garlic, salt, lemon juice, Srirachi sauce, sugar, and yogurt in a medium sized mixing bowl. Whisk in olive oil. Toss in kale, pine nuts, and grated cheese. For best flavor, let the salad marinate for 1-2 hours before serving.
Variations
2026 update: I first shared this recipe 12 years ago and still make variations of it today. I’ve added a few updated notes and favorite swaps below.
- Curly kale tends to be a little more kid-friendly than Tuscan kale.
- If you don’t usually keep sriracha on hand, substitute a pinch of red pepper flakes instead. You can also leave the spice out completely for those who prefer a milder salad.
- The sugar can be replaced with honey or maple syrup.
- For a slightly thinner dressing, add a little more lemon juice.
- Walnuts can be swapped for pine nuts.
- Add grape tomatoes and/or thinly sliced radishes for a nice pop of color.
This award-winning salad was created by Molly Buckie-Pinder, Director of Catering at Restaurant Associates at HBO in NYC.
