Kale Salad

The BEST kale salad recipe! It's packed with colorful vegetables, crispy chickpeas, avocado, cranberries, and pepitas. Great for lunch!

Kale salad

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!

Ingredients like dressing, dried cranberries, roasted chickpeas, and avocado

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!

Curly kale on marble

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:

  1. 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.
  2. Tear the kale leaves into bite-sized pieces.
  3. Place them in a large bowl and add fresh lemon juice, ½ teaspoon olive oil, and a few pinches of salt.
  4. 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.

Massaging curly kale in salad bowl

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.

Assembling kale salad recipe in large bowl

Salad Variations

Kale salad recipe

More Favorite Salad Recipes

If you love this massaged kale salad recipe, try one of these delicious salads next:

Want more plant-based meal ideas? Check out our 85 Best Vegan Recipes.

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Kale Salad

rate this recipe:
4.94 from 89 votes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Serves 4
This fresh, hearty kale salad recipe is packed with colorful vegetables, crispy chickpeas, avocado, cranberries, and pepitas. Great for lunch!

Ingredients

Carrot Ginger Dressing (See notes)

  • ¾ cup chopped carrots
  • â…“ 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

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

- Make the dressing ahead so it has time to chill in the fridge before adding to the salad.

 

125 comments

4.94 from 89 votes (46 ratings without comment)

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Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. Marion
    12.23.2020

    How long can you prepare this salad ahead? How will the wilted kale hold up?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      12.23.2020

      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!

    • Kristen
      01.01.2021

      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.

  2. Beth
    11.28.2020

    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.

  3. Manatee
    11.18.2020

    5 stars
    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).

    • Vardui
      11.25.2020

      5 stars
      Do you cook the beets before shredding?

      • Jeanine Donofrio
        11.26.2020

        no, in this case, they’re raw.

  4. Sarah
    11.03.2020

    5 stars
    This was yum! I used spinach instead of kale and edamame beans instead of chickpeas. The dressing is absolutely amazing!

  5. Alison
    09.23.2020

    5 stars
    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.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      09.24.2020

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  6. Kristen
    08.16.2020

    5 stars
    This salad was absolutely delicious! So much flavor, you could omitt the dressing if you want (I wouldn’t though, it’s fabulous!)

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      08.30.2020

      Hi Kristen, I’m so glad you loved it!

  7. Claudia
    08.14.2020

    Hi! How long will just the dressing keep in the fridge?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      08.14.2020

      Hi Claudia, I keep it about 5 days.

  8. Dawn Snyder
    03.11.2020

    5 stars
    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.

  9. Corie
    02.14.2020

    I made this and it was delicious! The dressing was amazing and cranberries added a subtle sweetness.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      02.15.2020

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  10. Glad
    02.14.2020

    I do not lik Kale. Can I replace it with spinach?

  11. Jodi
    12.15.2019

    Are the shredded beets raw?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      12.15.2019

      Yep, they’re raw. Roasted beets, sliced into wedges, would also be delicious in this recipe, but cooking the shreds is not necessary.

  12. Sonya Campion
    11.06.2019

    Do you cook the beets before shredding?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      11.08.2019

      Nope, I shred them raw. Although roasted beets (sliced, not shredded) would be delicious here too.

  13. Georgia
    03.14.2019

    5 stars
    Amazing dressing!!! I wish I could find watermelon radish…??
    The salad was so beautiful and fresh!!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      03.17.2019

      Hi Georgia, I’m so glad you loved it!

  14. Kim
    02.28.2019

    This looks amazing! Love the colours, can’t wait to make it.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      03.01.2019

      Thanks Kim! Let me know if you give it a go!

  15. Ashley
    02.27.2019

    5 stars
    Will definitely make this again! So good.

  16. Jacqueline B
    01.22.2019

    That looks delicious! Thank you for sharing! I’m going to make it tomorrow!

  17. Erin
    01.17.2019

    5 stars
    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!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      01.22.2019

      Ha, I love that description. I’m so glad you loved it with the spinach!

  18. Karen H
    01.16.2019

    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!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      01.22.2019

      I love pomegranates, I think they would be a great sub here!

  19. Gaby Dalkin
    01.14.2019

    YESSS! I’m so here for this salad (especially the ginger dressing)!

  20. Amber H
    01.14.2019

    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?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      01.14.2019

      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!

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.