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Warm Pancetta, Egg, and Kale Salad Recipe

March 11, 2024

I’m a sucker for a warm salad! Warm salads always seem to deliver on the comfort front, and they leave me feeling more satisfied than a cold salad.

This Warm Pancetta, Egg and Kale salad is high in healthy fats, so let’s talk about why I don’t fear fat.

In a number of studies, fat has been shown to have positive effects on the body, including skin health, brain health, liver efficiency and even immunity. Eating saturated fat can increase free testosterone levels, which helps repair tissue, preserve muscle, and improve sexual function.

But here’s the catch! The health of a fat depends on the type, how it is processed, and how you cook with it.

Here are the fats I encourage clients to add to their diet: grass fed butter, ghee, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil. And here are the fats I suggest they ditch: inflammatory and highly processed vegetable and seed oils like peanut, tree nut, soybean, corn, cotton, canola and vegetable oil.
Choose extra virgin, cold-pressed oils. Go organic when possible.
Choose oils that are stored in dark containers, and store them in a cool, dark place to avoid oxidation.
Know your oil’s smoke point, and never heat it past that point.

All that to say, don’t fear the fat! This Warm Pancetta, Egg and Kale salad boasts a lot of healthy fat between the extra virgin olive oil and pancetta. Pancetta and hard boiled egg add protein. Kale and red onion complete the Fab Four with fiber and greens.

Prep Time
5 minutes
Total Time
20
Servings
1-2
Freezer Friendly
No

Ingredients

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 ounces sliced pancetta, diced (or pasture-raised bacon)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon raw honey
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (8-ounce) bunch of kale, stems discarded, leaves shredded
2-4 chopped hard-boiled eggs
1/4 cup chopped red onion

Directions

Place the pancetta in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the pancetta is golden and crispy (roughly 4-5 minutes).
Strain the pan drippings, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan with the crispy pancetta.
Add olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, and salt and pepper to the pancetta pan and whisk until the honey dissolves.
Combine kale, eggs and red onion in a separate salad bowl.**
Add the pancetta to the salad, then toss while adding the warm dressing from the saucepan, little by little, until salad is well dressed.
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve warm!

** If preferred, you can add the kale combination to the sauce pan at this point, and lightly sauté to further breakdown the fibrous kale. This will help make it less bitter and fibrous.