If you are looking for a nutritious yet delicious salad recipe that can also be counted as a complete meal, look no further as Caitlin Prettyman’s kale and corn salad is just the one for you. This recipe can be made in minutes with just a handful of basic ingredients from your pantry.
Talking about the kale and cork salad recipe, Caitlin Prettyman told PEOPLE that this “flavor-packed salad” brought together “key elements of traditional Mexican street corn, called elote.” However, it offered the same in a much lighter form, making it excellent for the days when you want to grab something light.
For those who want to turn this salad into a complete meal, simply add your choice of protein. Prettyman recommends grilled chicken or steak, making it “a delicious weeknight meal made with little to no fuss!” Although the recipe calls for cotija cheese, one can also use feta as it has a similar texture.
Ingredients for Caitlin Prettyman’s kale and corn salad
- ½ cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt, strained
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro (with leaves and stems), chopped
- 2 medium garlic cloves
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 3 medium ears fresh corn
- 1 bunch kale, stemmed and chopped (about 6 cups)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 56 grams of crumbled cotija cheese (about ½ cup)
- ½ cup red onion (from 1 small onion), thinly sliced
- 2 medium avocados, sliced or diced
- Crushed tortilla chips, for serving
Preparation for Caitlin Prettyman’s kale and corn salad
- To make Caitlin Prettyman’s kale and corn salad, blend cilantro, garlic, yogurt, lime juice, chipotle powder, and ¼ teaspoon of salt in a food processor until smooth (should take about 30 seconds). Then, cover the dressing with plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Now, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. After the water comes to a boil, add corn cobs, and boil until tender (should take about 2 to 4 minutes). Transfer the boiled corn cob to a cutting board and let it cool completely.
- Once cooled, cut away kernels from cobs, keeping ribs of kernels intact as much as possible to yield about 2 cups.
- Now, take the star ingredient of the salad recipe — kale — in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Use your hands to toss the kale, oil, and salt mixture until the leaves begin to soften and shrink in size by half.
- Lastly, mix cooled corn kernels, red onion, avocados, and cotija with the kale mixture and drizzle the desired amount of cilantro-lime dressing on top. Toss to coat.
Your kale and corn salad recipe by Caitlin Prettyman is ready. For an added crunch, sprinkle some crushed tortilla chips on top at the time of serving. This quick and easy salad recipe will surely win your family’s hearts, so do give it a try!
