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This Kale Salad has lots of fresh and healthy goodness in it. Yes, it’s healthy, but it also tastes great once tossed with this fantastic creamy dressing, making it a salad that’s simply delicious.
Kale Salad
This Kale Salad is not only perfect on its own for a lunch, but you can also make a hearty dinner with it by adding a protein such as sliced chicken breast or steak. Another awesome idea, if your really hungry, is to use it as a side dish with an amazing grilled burger.
While I’m not a huge kale fan, as many of you, I’m sure, I did discover that the secret to a great kale salad is to gently massage the kale with a bit of salt and olive oil. This softens and wilts the kale a bit making it much easier to eat and so much more enjoyable. Besides that, this salad is loaded with lots of other great ingredients like dried cranberries, carrots, red onions, pecans and sunflower seeds. Did I mention it’s quite versatile too?
Ingredient Notes
Salad
- Leafy Greens – Green kale with the stems removed, and finely chopped.
- Nuts – Pecans are a great addition to any salad. Use other nuts if preferred, like walnuts or sliced almonds.
- Carrots – Shredded or chopped small. These carrots add a nice crunch and pop of color.
- Onion – I used red onion, diced. Substitute a milder onion, if desired, such as a white onion.
- Berries– I used dried cranberries which gives it such a nice sweetness. Other dried fruit could also be used.
- Seeds – Sunflower seeds are a great way to add some crunch, protein, and nutrients to the salad.
- Cheese – Crumbled feta, omit if you’d prefer but I really think it makes it.
Dressing
- Olive Oil – This is a base ingredient needed for most dressings.
- Vinegar – I used white wine vinegar. Regular vinegar can be used as well.
- Honey – Adds some sweetness and balances out the vinegar. You could also use maple syrup instead of the honey.
- Mustard – Dijon mustard is used to add flavor and is a good emulsifying agent.
- Spices – Salt and pepper to taste.
How to Make Kale Salad
- Make the dressing: Combine all the dressing ingredients in a lidded mason jar, close the lid and shake well to emulsify. Adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
- Prep the kale: In a large bowl add the finely chopped kale and drizzle the olive oil and a pinch of salt. Using your clean hands, gently massage the kale with the oil until the kale begins to darken a bit and tenderize.
- Make the salad: Add the rest of the salad ingredients to the bowl and toss together with the dressing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do you massage kale?
Massaging kale helps to break down how tough and fibrous raw green kale can be.
Is raw kale salad good for you?
Kale is one of the healthiest foods on the planet due to its high concentration of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. This super green is the epitome of “health” food. It’s low in fat, calories and can help lower cholesterol – now that’s a bonus!
How long can you store kale in the fridge?
Kale is one of the only greens that you can wash and prep days in advance – it’s so hardy that it rarely wilts. You can stem, slice or tear the leaves, rinse them, dry them well in a salad spinner or with kitchen towels, and store the leaves, wrapped in a paper towel in a zip-top plastic bag, for up to 3 days.
Can I use different ingredients in this salad?
Of course! Adding extra vegetables is a great way to change the salad once in a while. Try slicing some bell peppers, or mushrooms. Adding a protein makes it a hearty meal on its own. Different diced dried fruit works as well. Enjoy!
Tips
- Allowing kale to marinate in the dressing for 20-30 minutes will help to soften it a bit and eliminate some of it’s bitterness.
- To make a heartier meal, add a side protein to a green salad. Sliced chicken breast or steak works well!
- If you have some fresh kale left over that you aren’t going to eat soon, no problem! You can freeze kale leaves and use them in green smoothies later on. All it takes is a quick blanch. See Tip #4 for How to blanch kale.
- To blanch, cut the stems from the kale. Boil a pot of water and then put the kale in for about 2 minutes. Remove the kale and place them in a bowl of ice cold water to cool. Take the kale out and dry it, lay out on a baking sheet and freeze for a couple of hours. Put in freezer bags and use as needed for green smoothies!
Leftovers
If you plan on having extras, leave some of the dressing and cheese separately. Once salads have been mixed with the dressing, storing leftovers are usually not recommended.
More Delicious Recipes to Try
Kale Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 8 ounce kale regular curly green kale, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped
- 1 medium carrot shredded
- 1 small red onion diced
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- 2 ounce feta cheese crumbled
Dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1½ tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make the dressing: Combine all the dressing ingredients in a lidded mason jar, close the lid and shake well to emulsify. Adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
- Prep the kale: In a large bowl add the finely chopped kale and drizzle the olive oil and a pinch of salt. Using your clean hands, gently massage the kale with the oil until the kale begins to darken a bit and tenderize.
- Make the salad: Add the rest of the salad ingredients to the bowl and toss together with the dressing.
Tips & Notes:
- Allowing kale to marinate in the dressing for 20-30 minutes will help to soften it a bit and eliminate some of it’s bitterness.
- To make a heartier meal, add a side protein to a green salad. Sliced chicken breast or steak works well!
- If you have some fresh kale left over that you aren’t going to eat soon, no problem! You can freeze kale leaves and use them in green smoothies later on. All it takes is a quick blanch. See Tip #4 for How to blanch kale.
- To blanch, cut the stems from the kale. Boil a pot of water and then put the kale in for about 2 minutes. Remove the kale and place them in a bowl of ice cold water to cool. Take the kale out and dry it, lay out on a baking sheet and freeze for a couple of hours. Put in freezer bags and use as needed for green smoothies!
