Full of fresh ingredients, this kale salad is such a satisfying salad recipe as it’s flavorful and has a variety of textures. Whether for the holidays or a weeknight meal, this salad goes with everything. You only need a few simple ingredients to make it, and it’s so easy to throw together.
The homemade lemon dressing is also so easy to make with a handful of ingredients, making this salad so vibrant and bright. The best part is the kale is quite hearty, so the leftover kale salad keeps well in the fridge, unlike most dressed salads. It’s great for making ahead of time, especially during the busy holiday season.
Need some main dish ideas for what to serve this salad with? Try my roast chicken recipe, turkey recipe, or stuffed peppers recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Lemon juice — I highly recommend using fresh lemon juice for the salad dressing. Bottled lemon juice has preservatives that make the juice taste not as fresh, bright, or flavorful.
Olive oil — use a good quality olive oil as it is the base of your salad dressing. If you’re not a fan of olive oil, you can use avocado oil instead.
Kale — I use curly kale, which can be slightly bitter, so you must massage it thoroughly. Curly kale is dark green and curly with a slightly peppery taste.
Dried cranberries — I love the perfect blend of sweet and tart that dried cranberries add to the kale salad.
Almonds — I use toasted almonds as toasting them provides a crunchier texture and enhances their nutty flavor.
Parmesan — parmesan adds a nutty, rich, and tangy taste to the salad. I recommend using freshly grated parmesan for the best flavor compared to pre-grated cheese.
How to Make Kale Salad
1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Drizzle in the olive oil, while whisking. Set aside.
2. Strip the kale leaves from the stems, pulling them off or cutting the rib off. Make small bundles of the leaves, roll them up, and slice them into thin strips.
3. Add the chopped kale to the bowl. Toss the kale in the dressing, massaging it a bit with clean hands or tongs as you toss it, until well coated. Add the cheese, almonds, and cranberries.
4. Toss to combine the kale salad.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- If desired, add a cup of other sliced vegetables or fruit to the salad, like radishes, apples, or carrots.
- I love using curly kale for this salad because the leaves make a pretty presentation, but lacinato (dinosaur) kale will also work very well. Lacinato kale has crinkled-looking leaves and is slightly sweeter than other kale varieties.
- If you’re not a fan of dried cranberries, you can swap them for regular or golden raisins. Dried apricots are great as well.
- You can swap out the almonds for other nuts like pecans or walnuts.
- If you do not have parmesan cheese, you can use cheddar cheese, feta cheese, or goat cheese.
- Make sure to rinse the kale thoroughly before you use it. Use a salad spinner or pat dry the kale afterward to keep it crisp.
Frequently Asked Questions
The massaged kale salad is best served within a few hours of assembly but is still very good if made ahead, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Kale is bitter and tough, so you need to massage the kale before serving. Massaging kale helps tenderize it by breaking down its tough texture and reducing its bitterness.
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If you’ve tried this Kale Salad recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Kale Salad
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
Ingredients
For the Dressing:
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (80ml)
- 1 garlic clove minced or grated
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup olive oil (120ml)
For the Salad:
- 1 bunch kale washed and dried (450g)
- 1 cup dried cranberries (160g)
- 1 cup toasted almonds (sliced or chopped) (120g)
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (80g)
Instructions
For the Dressing:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Drizzle in the olive oil, while whisking. Set aside.
For the Salad:
- Strip the kale leaves from the stems pulling them off or cutting the rib off. Make small bundles of the leaves, roll them up, and slice them into thin strips.
- Whisk the dressing again, then add the chopped kale to the bowl. Toss the kale in the dress, massaging it a bit with clean hands or tongs as you toss it, until well coated. (This helps to tenderize the kale.) Add the cheese, almonds, and cranberries, and toss to combine. The salad is best served within a few hours of assembly but is still very good if made ahead, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Notes
- If desired, add a cup of other sliced vegetables or fruit to the salad, like radishes, apples, or carrots.
- I love using curly kale for this salad because the leaves make a pretty presentation, but lacinato (dinosaur) kale will also work very well. Lacinato kale has crinkled-looking leaves and is slightly sweeter than other kale varieties.
- If you’re not a fan of dried cranberries, you can swap them for regular or golden raisins. Dried apricots are great as well.
- You can swap out the almonds for other nuts like pecans or walnuts.
- If you do not have parmesan cheese, you can use cheddar cheese, feta cheese, or goat cheese.
- Make sure to rinse the kale thoroughly before you use it. Use a salad spinner or pat dry the kale afterward to keep it crisp.
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