Name: Peach-Pecan Kale Salad With Hot-Honey Vinaigrette
Total time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4–6 servings
Ingredients: ½ cup pecans; 2 large bunches Tuscan kale, ribs and stems removed, leaves thinly sliced; 8 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided; 3 large ripe peaches, thinly sliced, divided; 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice; 3 Tbsp. Champagne vinegar; 2 tsp. hot honey; 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt; ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more; 4 oz. Gouda, coarsely chopped; ½ cup torn mint leaves; Flaky sea salt

PeachPecan Kale Salad With HotHoney Vinaigrette on grey colored platter

Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Jillian Knox, prop styling Sophie Peoples

California Soul, Holland’s most recent cookbook, fuses food traditions of the American South and West. Here, Southern stalwarts like pecans and peaches meet a classic Californian kale salad. To turn it into a main dish, just throw on some grilled shrimp, chicken, or spicy sausage.

For Chef Holland, peaches always bring back memories of her father’s favorite dessert, peach cobbler, while pecans are a nod to her mother’s beloved pecan pie. And she’s not alone in thinking that this is the ultimate fruit and nut combination. (If you want to extend the shelf life of your nuts, store them in the refrigerator.)

While most salads need to be prepared right before serving, kale is a unique exception. It actually gets better when it’s massaged with the dressing in advance. So feel free to make this salad up to 2 hours before serving, and enjoy the flavors of California and the South in one delightful dish.