Kale and date salad with crispy sausage bread crumbs

New York Times CookingKale and date salad with crispy sausage bread crumbsThis spicy-sweet kale salad has gusto - enough to be a complete meal. The star is the sausage breadcrumbs, made by crumbling and crisping hot sausage in a pan, then toasting bread crumbs in the sausages' flavorful rendered fat. Add them to the kale, along with chewy-sweet dates, a shower of salty Parmesan and crunchy celery. That's what's great about a kale salad: The leaves are sturdy enough to handle hefty additions, even after a soak in vinegar tenderizes and brightens them. Feel free to add white beans or chopped almonds, too.Time: 30 minYield: 4 servings3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil3 tablespoons sherry or red wine vinegar2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup1 large bunch Tuscan kale (about 12 ounces), stems stripped from leaves, both thinly sliced but kept separate4 celery stalks, thinly slicedSalt and black pepper3 hot Italian sausages (about 12 ounces), casings removed1 cup panko or coarse fresh bread crumbs2 garlic cloves, finely chopped4 Medjool dates, pitted1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan1. In a large bowl, stir together the oil, vinegar and honey until the honey dissolves. Add the kale leaves (not the stems) and celery, season with salt and pepper, and toss until shiny. Set aside to soften.2. Meanwhile, add the sausage and kale stems to a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet and set over medium-high. Cook, breaking up the sausage into crumbles, until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the bread crumbs and cook, stirring occasionally, until toasted, 2 to 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.3. Rip the dates into small pieces. Top the kale salad with the dates, sausage bread crumbs and Parmesan. Eat right away.This recipe originally appeared in New York Times Cooking.© 2026 The New York Times Company