Chorizo Kale Salad with Fingerling Potatoes

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Salads rarely inspire backflips. At least that is my experience. I know there are people who adore salads and I am so happy for them. But I am sadly not one of them. But I do believe in the virtues of frequently munching on leafy greens. So when my body starts screaming for spinach and/or kale, I keep my tastebuds happy by adding a hefty dose of either cheese, nuts, meats, or carbs. I rarely put all four into a single salad because that sort of defeats the purpose of having a salad. But in the case of today’s Chorizo Kale Salad with Fingerling Potatoes I pulled meat and potatoes off of the bench and unsurprisingly they took the baby kale base to a whole new level. The chimichurri dressing certainly didn’t hurt either.

Now, I realize I don’t exactly have a reputation for express meals but this salad truly is one. I will warn you that the chimichurri dressing does require a bit of cutting board time. But if you’re opposed to lengthy chopping sessions, you can use a food processor to make your chimichurri. I prefer to chop everything by hand because I feel like the food processor makes the chimichurri a little too mulchy for my taste – that’s totally a word by the way. I like to happen across a hit of chili or a substantial bit of parsley when enjoying chimichurri. When it’s blended too much it becomes a little muddy and one-note in terms of texture. But if this all sounds unbearably fussy, please ignore me and enlist the help of a food processor.

I would say that making the chimichurri is the most time-consuming, hands-on portion of this recipe, which is saying something because I don’t think it will take more than 15 minutes of your time. Aside from the chopping, this meal is essentially a sheet pan or traybake dinner. It all starts with some fingerling potatoes. And they are optional. You could use any potato you fancy. I really like fingerling potatoes because they are so buttery and brown so beautifully. But you could use any baby potato you can get your hands on. And I mostly suggest a baby variety, though, because they cook so much faster and more evenly on a sheet pan. When making sheet pan meals, you want everything on the pan to have more or less the same cook time. And baby potatoes and sausages are definitely simpatico in this regard.

But before our potatoes hit the pan, we’re going to boil them in a cup of vinegar and some water to cover. This is one of my favorite ways to prepare potatoes. They come out tasting like salt and vinegar chips. And by boiling the potatoes prior to introducing them to a hot oven, you’re guaranteed a potato with a buttery interior and golden, crisp exterior. The boiling process strips the potatoes of their excess moisture, which can inhibit the crisping process. And starting raw in a hot oven can result in potatoes that brown far too much before their interiors turn to velvet. Not what we’re looking for.

Once the potatoes are boiled, arrange them on the sheet pan cut-side-down. You don’t want to crowd them. Then it’s as simple as introducing a few chorizo sausages to the pan. Again, make sure you’re using a pan large enough to allow some space between each potato and the sausages. From here add a few glugs of olive oil and a quick sprinkling of salt. There’s really no need to salt the sausages, so try to avoid them and focus your salting energies on the potatoes. Potatoes always need more salt than you think.

With the potatoes and sausages merrily roasting away, it’s time to focus on the salad portion of this Chorizo Kale Salad. I kept the vegetable portion of this dish very simple. I went with a pre-packaged, pre-washed baby kale mix and I have zero regrets. As most of you are aware, I hate salad spinners. So greens I don’t have to dry? Well, that’s just priceless. Then I added a few half-moons of thinly sliced red onion and covered everything with the chimichurri dressing.

When it comes to slicing the chorizo and adding the potatoes to the salad, I want you to listen to your heart. I left my chorizo fairly chunky because I like a good knife and fork kind of salad. But feel free to slice them into bite-size medallions instead. And I like to add my hefty salad items at the end. I more or less just lay them in there rather than tossing them with the greens and dressing. I find everything kind of migrates to the bottom of the salad bowl when you simply toss everything together. That’s why I like to dress my greens and then add my salad stars afterward. But if you would prefer to quite literally mix it up, you can toss everything in the bowl and go to town with your salad tongs.

That’s pretty much everything you need to know about this Chorizo Kale Salad with Fingerling Potatoes. It’s got every texture and flavor in the book, truly a salad with real personality and crispy carbs. What more could you ask for?

Enjoy!