Cacio e Pepe-Inspired Kale Salad

If you love the peppery, cheesy flavors of cacio e pepe, then you’ll enjoy this Cacio e Pepe Kale Salad. Cacio e pepe is a classic Italian pasta dish that translates to “cheese and pepper.” We give the dish a spin by using those same flavors with kale, a nutrient-rich vegetable that can help support inflammation. The peppery dressing is massaged into the kale to help break it down, while Pecorino Romano is the perfect finishing touch. Read on for tips for making this easy, three-ingredient salad at home. 

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• Massaging the kale leaves softens their texture, making them more tender, and helps distribute and infuse the flavor of the dressing into the leaves. Using your clean hands is the best way to massage the kale.
• Consider freshly grating the Pecorino Romano cheese through the fine holes of a box grater rather than buying pre-grated. While pre-grated cheese is convenient, it is often less flavorful than freshly grated cheese straight from the block. 
• It is worth freshly grinding your black pepper for this salad. The flavor is fresh, and you can control the size of the grind, making it finer or coarser depending on your preference.

Nutrition Notes

• Kale is the backbone of this salad, providing a nutritious base for the Pecorino Romano and black pepper. Not only are dark leafy greens like kale delicious, they are also one of the best foods to beat inflammation, thanks to their trio of lutein, folate and vitamin K.