The BEST kale salad recipe! It's packed with colorful vegetables, crispy chickpeas, avocado, cranberries, and pepitas. Great for lunch!
Kale salad recipes aren’t as trendy as they used to be, but I’m still making them, and I think you should be too. My case in point is this kale salad recipe, which, if I do say so myself, is one of the most delicious ways to eat kale.
A vibrant carrot ginger dressing coats the tender leafy greens, and roasted chickpeas, colorful veggies, and avocado add lots of contrasting textures. I love to serve it as a side dish because it pairs well with almost any meal, but it’s also hearty enough to pass as a standalone lunch. The sturdy greens hold up for days in the fridge, so it’s perfect for meal prep!
It may not be one of the coolest salads to be making these days, but it’s certainly one of the best. Find the full recipe and my tips for making it below. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Kale Salad Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this kale salad recipe:
- Kale, of course! Any type of kale will work here. I especially like to use curly kale, but feel free to swap in Tuscan kale (aka lacinato kale) if you prefer.
- Extra-virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice – You’ll massage them into the raw kale to help the leaves soften.
- Roasted chickpeas – They add plant-based protein and crunch.
- Carrots and beets – I grate these root veggies to add sweet, earthy flavor to the salad.
- Watermelon radish – Thin slices add crisp texture and bright pops of pink to the salad. If you can’t find a watermelon radish at your market or grocery store, sub in regular red radishes.
- Avocado – For creamy texture.
- Dried cranberries – They add sweet-tart flavor.
- Toasted pepitas and sesame seeds – For nutty crunch.
- And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Kale Salad Dressing
The guest star of this recipe is the carrot ginger dressing that you see in the photo above. I make it by blending roasted carrots with ginger and tangy rice vinegar. It has a wonderful creamy texture and bright, refreshing flavor. You’ll LOVE it on this kale salad recipe!
How to Make Kale Salad
When it’s not prepared well, a raw kale salad can be tough and bitter—no thanks! The first trick to making yours delicious is to massage the kale so that the leaves become soft and tender. Here’s how to do it:
- Remove the kale leaves from the stems and wash them well. Spread them on kitchen towels to dry, or quickly dry them in a salad spinner.
- Tear the kale leaves into bite-sized pieces.
- Place them in a large bowl and add fresh lemon juice, ½ teaspoon olive oil, and a few pinches of salt.
- Use your hands to massage the lemon and oil into the leaves until they become soft and wilted and reduce in the bowl by about half.
That’s it! Add the root veggies, half the avocado, cranberries, pepitas, and more salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
Drizzle the salad with the dressing, and toss again. Top with the roasted chickpeas, the remaining avocado, and sesame seeds. Season to taste and serve!
How to Store Kale Salad
Leftover kale salad keeps well for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Because the kale leaves are so sturdy, it holds up well even when it’s dressed!
This recipe is a great one to meal prep for lunch. If you prep it ahead for multiple days, I recommend keeping the avocado separate. Add it to individual portions just before you eat so that it doesn’t brown in the fridge.
Want more meal prep/lunch tips? Check out these 60 Healthy Meal Prep Ideas or these 41 Healthy Lunch Ideas.
Salad Variations
- Toss in some cheese. Sprinkle in feta cheese or shaved Parmesan cheese for a salty bite.
- Roast the veg. Add sliced roasted beets or roasted carrots instead of grated raw ones.
- Change the protein. Swap out the chickpeas for baked tempeh, tofu, or lentils.
- Add a grain like quinoa or farro for a heartier salad.
- Switch up the seeds. Replace the pepitas with toasted sunflower seeds, or try a nut like toasted almonds, pecans, or walnuts instead.
- Try a different dressing. My tahini dressing, lemon vinaigrette, or balsamic vinaigrette would be yummy alternatives to the carrot ginger dressing.
More Favorite Salad Recipes
If you love this massaged kale salad recipe, try one of these delicious salads next:
- Kale Caesar Salad
- Best Broccoli Salad
- Chickpea Salad
- Cabbage Salad
- Lentil Salad
- Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Balsamic
- Greek Salad
- Or any of these 51 Best Salad Recipes!
Want more plant-based meal ideas? Check out our 85 Best Vegan Recipes.
Kale Salad
Ingredients
Carrot Ginger Dressing (See notes)
- ¾ cup chopped carrots
- ⅓ to ½ cup water
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
Salad
- 1 recipe Roasted Chickpeas
- 1 bunch curly kale, stems removed, leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small carrot, grated
- 1 small red beet, grated
- ½ watermelon radish, very thinly sliced
- 1 avocado, cubed
- 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
- ¼ cup pepitas, toasted
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Make the dressing: Preheat the oven to 400°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the carrots on one of the baking sheets. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and toss to coat. Spread evenly on the baking sheet and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, or until soft. Transfer the carrots to a blender and add the water, olive oil, rice vinegar, ginger, and salt. Blend the dressing until smooth and chill in the fridge until ready to use.
- On the second baking sheet, prepare the roasted chickpeas according to this recipe.
- Place the kale leaves in a large bowl and add the lemon juice, olive oil, and a few pinches of salt. Use your hands to massage the leaves until they become soft and wilted and reduce in the bowl by about half.
- Add the carrot, beet, watermelon radish, half of the cubed avocado, cranberries, pepitas, a few more pinches of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Toss to combine. Drizzle generously with the carrot ginger dressing. Top with the remaining avocado, more dressing, and the roasted chickpeas and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Season to taste and serve.
Notes
How long can you prepare this salad ahead? How will the wilted kale hold up?
Hi Marion, you could make most of it the day before – I’d leave off the avocado and chickpeas until ready to serve. And I’d pour some extra dressing on as you’re ready to serve. Kale keeps pretty well since it’s so hearty. Hope that helps!
I made this salad on a Sunday as meal prep, divided into four containers and it keep just fine through Wednesday. I added extra lemon juice (about half a lemon) to the kake as I find that the acid in the juice keeps the kale fresh. I also left out the avocado and dressing until I was ready to serve. Left the chickpeas in and they stayed crispy.
This was actually a lot of work. By the time I roasted the chickpeas and carrots, shredded the carrot, beet, and the radish and processed everything for the dressing, I was too beat to broil the salmon, so I only served this salad for dinner. (Just my husband and me). Not to insult the creators of this dish, I felt I was eating a plate of parsley.
And I love the idea of crunchy, snacky roasted chickpeas, but I was leery to make them again because they turned out dry, as they did last time. They were not yummy as a snack, but they were a fun crunch to the salad. Im sorry, I will not be making this again. I’m really sorry because I was hoping this would be a new vegetarian favorite.
Lovely salad, thanks for the recipe!
As a Dutchy we usually cook our kale; combined with mashed potatoes in a ‘stew'(which has never been my favorite)..
But raw kale like this, combined with fresh other flavors in a salad, is so much nicer! Googled a recipe as I wasn’t sure what combinations would work, but this turned out great! So healthy and delicious!
Used a spicy Tr.Joe’s cashew dressing that was nearing it’s use-by date; very tasty.
Also added some arugula; and randomly used celery instead of radish (which I didn’t happen to have).
Do you cook the beets before shredding?
no, in this case, they’re raw.
This was yum! I used spinach instead of kale and edamame beans instead of chickpeas. The dressing is absolutely amazing!
Made this gorgeous salad and dressing combo and devoured it like the glutton I am. So fantastic!!
I’ve been really working to improve my microbiota, and this salad couldn’t be any better for your ol’ gut. It’s also absolutely delicious. Highly recommended.
I’m so glad you loved it!
This salad was absolutely delicious! So much flavor, you could omitt the dressing if you want (I wouldn’t though, it’s fabulous!)
Hi Kristen, I’m so glad you loved it!
Hi! How long will just the dressing keep in the fridge?
Hi Claudia, I keep it about 5 days.
Thank you!
Love this dressing. I used 1/2 lemon olive oil and it was great. I used my kale and quinoa recipe with it, but did incorporate the roasted chick peas.
I made this and it was delicious! The dressing was amazing and cranberries added a subtle sweetness.
I’m so glad you loved it!
I do not lik Kale. Can I replace it with spinach?
Hi Glad, I’d check out one of the non-kale salad in this post – there are a bunch! https://www.loveandlemons.com/salad-recipes/
The carrot ginger dressing would be delicious with any lettuce.
Are the shredded beets raw?
Yep, they’re raw. Roasted beets, sliced into wedges, would also be delicious in this recipe, but cooking the shreds is not necessary.
Do you cook the beets before shredding?
Nope, I shred them raw. Although roasted beets (sliced, not shredded) would be delicious here too.
Amazing dressing!!! I wish I could find watermelon radish…??
The salad was so beautiful and fresh!!
Hi Georgia, I’m so glad you loved it!
This looks amazing! Love the colours, can’t wait to make it.
Thanks Kim! Let me know if you give it a go!
Will definitely make this again! So good.
That looks delicious! Thank you for sharing! I’m going to make it tomorrow!
Made this last night and it was delicious, filling, and healthy feeling AF. Few modifications: my husband doesn’t like kale (womp womp) so I used spinach. Because of this I didn’t do any massaging, just squeezed some lemon on before adding the dressing. I also didn’t have cranberries and forgot the sesame seeds, but I’m sure it would have been even better with those! Oh, and watermelon radishes–I can never find them so I used a few red ones.
Yum!
Ha, I love that description. I’m so glad you loved it with the spinach!
Awesome! I come here specifically for the colorful healthy seasonal delights! I’m going to sub pomegranate for the cranberries because…well… I always have them all over my counter this time of year. Can’t wait, this sounds delish!
I love pomegranates, I think they would be a great sub here!
YESSS! I’m so here for this salad (especially the ginger dressing)!
Wow, this looks so good! I’ll have to keep an eye out for watermelon radish, it’s so pretty. Does it taste like a red radish?
Hi Amber,
Yep – it’s similar to a red radish – you could thinly slice 2 red radishes if you can’t find a watermelon radish!