Straightforward Kale Salad

This Kale Salad is crisp, colourful, and filled with contemporary veggies and many crunch. Topped with a easy do-it-yourself lemon dressing, it’s excellent to serve alongside baked chicken breasts or garlic grilled shrimp.

bowl of Easy Kale Salad with Fresh Lemon Dressing

Holly’s Recipe Highlights: Kale Salad

Taste: A tangy lemon dressing balances this hearty kale salad made with crunchy broccoli, candy cranberries, and salty cheese.

Why Make It: Leftover kale salad (even with dressing) will be stored within the fridge with out getting soggy, making it excellent for meal prep!

Method: For the perfect outcomes, therapeutic massage the kale with oil and salt to make sure it’s tender as an alternative of robust.

Complete Time: 20 Minutes Servings: 4

Ingredient Notes for Kale Salad

almonds , cranberries , broccoli , carrot , kale , onion with labels to make Easy Kale Salad with Fresh Lemon Dressing

Kale: Chop or tear into bite-sized items and take away any robust stems. Then, therapeutic massage it with a bit olive oil and salt till the leaves darken and soften for the perfect texture.
Broccoli: Chop the broccoli into small items so it blends into the salad. Swap it for broccoli slaw or bagged broccoli florets to avoid wasting prep time.
Carrots: Shredded carrots add sweetness, shade, and crunch. Use bagged shredded carrots to avoid wasting time.
Cranberries: Dried cranberries convey chewy sweetness that balances the earthy flavors. Substitute with raisins, dried cherries, or chopped dried apricots.
Almonds: Sliced almonds add crunch and nutty taste. Swap with pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds for a nut-free possibility.
Onions: Use a small quantity of pink onion for chew and shade. Thinly cube or soak in chilly water earlier than including to the salad to scale back the chew.
Cheese: I take advantage of cheddar chees, however feta cheese, parmesan, or goat cheese would work effectively too.
Dressing: Contemporary lemon juice, Dijon, honey, garlic, and olive oil make this tangy-sweet dressing that balances the kale’s earthy taste and ties all of the components collectively. Swap maple syrup or sugar for honey, use avocado oil as an alternative of olive oil, or attempt complete grain mustard for a bit texture.

Favourite Variations

Make it a Meal: Prime this salad with grilled chicken, steak, grilled shrimp, or baked salmon.
Skip the Meat: Sprinkle this salad together with your favourite grain, like quinoa, or add in chickpeas to make it a full meal.

The right way to Make Kale Salad with Cranberries

Wash and therapeutic massage the kale (full recipe beneath).
Prep the remaining components and add them to a big bowl.
Place the dressing in a jar and provides it a shake (or whisk in a bowl). Toss with the salad.

Kale holds up like a champ within the fridge, and it stays contemporary with out wilting! When able to serve, therapeutic massage the kale for the perfect texture. Massaging it releases a few of its bitterness and helps tenderize it for salads.

To Wash the Kale:

Rinse the kale leaves in chilly water.
Take away the thick stem by pulling off the leaves.
Spin dry in a salad spinner or shake dry and dab with a kitchen towel.

When Able to Use:

Tear or chop into bite-sized items, then sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
Drizzle olive oil in your palms and therapeutic massage the kale leaves till they darken in shade and turn into tender.

I swear {that a} massaged kale salad tastes one million instances higher, I wouldn’t prep kale another method! When you desire to therapeutic massage your kale with out oil, attempt a bit fresh-squeezed lemon juice as an alternative!

Storing Leftovers

Retailer leftover kale salad in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days. This hearty salad holds up effectively within the fridge, however some toppings are greatest added contemporary when able to serve.

This salad doesn’t freeze effectively.

Extra Kale Recipes

Leftover kale will be stirred into pasta, blended into pesto, and even baked into crispy kale chips if the craving strikes! The chances are limitless. I even love a bit kale on my pizza when I’ve it helpful.

Did you make this simple Kale Salad? Go away us a ranking and a remark beneath!

image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook dinner Time 0 minutes

Complete Time 20 minutes

To make the dressing, mix olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, Dijon, honey, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper in a lidded mason jar and shake effectively to emulsify.
Therapeutic massage the chopped kale with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Rub together with your fingers till leaves start to darken and tenderize.
In a big bowl, mix the kale, broccoli, almonds, cheese, carrots, onion, sunflower seeds, and cranberries.
Shake the dressing as soon as extra and pour ⅓ of the dressing over the salad. Toss to coat and add additional dressing, to style.

Elective: I like so as to add poppy seeds to my salad dressing from time to time to present it a lemon poppyseed vibe.
Dietary info doesn’t embrace cheese and different non-obligatory components

Diet info supplied is an estimate and can fluctuate based mostly on cooking strategies and types of components used.

Course Salad

Delicacies American

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