Kale Salad Recipes

January 10, 2014
Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower
Fresh takes with America's favorite green! Curly and Lacinato leaves are hearty, so plan to massage those leaves a bit to make them easier to eat. If you want straight-from-the-bag greens that are ready for the plate, look for baby kale leaves instead. This collection of our favorite kale salads also features tips for making sure the salad you plate is the best it can be. If you don't have kale but love the flavors of the salad, substitute for spinach, romaine, or other greens. These are versatile recipes, so feel free to explore.
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Marinated Kale Salad

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Marinated Kale Salad

Massage the hearty kale with olive oil and a little salt and then let it stand for up to an hour to soften and make it tender yet crisp.

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Roasted Kabocha and Kale Salad

Photo: Iain Bagwell
View Recipe: Roasted Kabocha and Kale Salad

Kobocha squash, also known as Japanese pumpkin, is the sweeter cousin of the pumpkin. The vivid orange flesh of this winter squash is tender and rich, with a flavor reminiscent of a sweet potato. While the shell is very hard when raw, it becomes very tender when cooked, making peeling optional. It's wonderful here, dressed with olive oil, coriander seeds, pepper, and salt.

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Bacon-Onion White Bean and Kale Salad

Photo: Linda Pugliese
View Recipe: Bacon-Onion White Bean and Kale Salad

This salad incorporates bacon, onions, white beans, and kale for a sweet-and-salty side the whole family will enjoy.

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That Kale Salad Dressing

Photo: Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: That Kale Salad Dressing

If you can find Meyer lemons, juice one and seed the other, chopping up the entire fruit (flesh, pith, peel and all) to make a thicker, more vibrant sauce. This recipe makes enough to dress 2 bunches of shredded lacinato kale mixed with 1 cup of finely grated Parmesan.

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Kale Salad with All-Day Everyday Dressing

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Kale Salad with All-Day Everyday Dressing

Like wine, honey has distinct characteristics unique to the region, season, and type of nectar it was made from. Varietals range from runny, delicate, almost white acacia to spreadable thick, smoky, dark-as-molasses buckwheat. Use the best honey you have for this easy, versatile dressing. The sweet and tangy taste of the dressing pairs well with the bitter bite of kale and crunch of almonds. It can be drizzled over any salad, but works particularly well with grilled chicken or steak.

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Cranberry-Goat Cheese White Bean and Kale Salad

Photo: Linda Pugliese
View Recipe: Cranberry-Goat Cheese White Bean and Kale Salad

Pack in the protein with white bean and kale to make a heart-healthy salad. Top it off with seasonal cranberries and crumbled goat cheese. Orange rinds and dried cranberries bring bright, fresh flavors to this perfect fall salad. The best part? It gets better with age, so don't be afraid to make a big bowl of it tonight and eat the rest with lunch tomorrow.

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Cilantro-Kale Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Cilantro-Kale Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

Drizzle cilantro and kale with a homemade buttermilk dressing for a fresh-tasting salad.

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Anchovy-Parmesan White Bean and Kale Salad

Photo: Linda Pugliese
View Recipe: Anchovy-Parmesan White Bean and Kale Salad

Need a last minute side to complete your favorite main dish? This cheesy kale salad comes together in just two simple steps.

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Lemon-Herb White Bean and Kale Salad

Photo: Linda Pugliese
View Recipe: Lemon-Herb White Bean and Kale Salad

Get 7 grams of protein in this speedy side salad that comes together in a flash.

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Lemony Kale Salad

Photo: Johnny Autry; Styling: Cindy Barr
View Recipe: Lemony Kale Salad

This citrusy salad packs in an extra dose of iron in the pumpkinseed kernels and vitamin K in the Swiss chard. Weighing in at only 65 calories, this salad will keep you full and energized thanks to its assortment of healthy ingredients.

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Cherry and Sunflower Seed Kale Salad

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower 
View Recipe: Cherry and Sunflower Seed Kale Salad

Perfect for a light lunch or side, this Cherry and Sunflower Seed salad features a homemade honey-mustard vinaigrette. The dried cherries and sunflower seeds give the kale an extra crunch with a sweet and salty finish.

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Spicy Soy Kale Salad

Photo: Johnny Autry; Styling: Cindy Barr
View Recipe: Spicy Soy Kale Salad

Get your favorite Asian flavors without the added calories and salt in traditional restaurant dishes. After tossing all the ingredients together let it stand for 8 minutes to let the flavors settle in to the greens.

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Kale Salad with Apple and Cheddar

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower 
View Recipe: Kale Salad with Apple and Cheddar

The classic delight of sweet apples and extra-sharp white cheddar cheese meet in this kale salad to give the vitamin-enriched green an extra boost of flavor.

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Tahini-Lemon Kale Salad

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower 
View Recipe: Tahini-Lemon Kale Salad

Highlighting tahini, quinoa, kale, and lemon, this ultra-nutritious salad is a tasty and satisfying dish to rack up your essential vitamins.

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Apple-Walnut Kale Salad

Photo: Johnny Autry; Styling: Cindy Barr
View Recipe: Apple-Walnut Kale Salad

Granny Smith apples, blue cheese, and toasted walnuts are each delightful on their own. When you combine the three together on top of a kale and Swiss chard base, drizzled with cider vinegar and walnut oil, you have a sweet and sharp treat in a bowl.

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Kale Garden Salad

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower 
View Recipe: Kale Garden Salad

Brightly colored, fresh golden beets are a beautiful addition to this classic kale salad. They have the same nutritional value as their red cousins but don’t stain your hands.

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Kale Salad with Mango and Coconut

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower 
View Recipe: Kale Salad with Mango and Coconut

Kale salad goes tropical with an abundance of flavor from avocado, ripe mango, unsweetened coconut, and fresh lime-honey vinaigrette.

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Greek-Style Kale Salad

Photo: Johnny Autry; Styling: Cindy Barr
View Recipe: Greek-Style Kale Salad

The simplest combinations can be the tastiest. In this Greek-inspired kale salad, the perfect combination of olives, feta cheese, and olive oil are a satisfying and nutritious addition to any bed of greens.

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Wheat Berry, Kale, and Cranberry Salad

Photo: Grant Cornett
View Recipe: Wheat Berry, Kale, and Cranberry Salad

If your supermarket carries frozen or shelf-stable precooked wheat berries, you'll save 50 minutes; use 1 cup of cooked grains.

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Kale Caesar Salad

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower
View Recipe: Kale Caesar Salad

There’s something so comforting about a classic Caesar salad. It’s even better when you have the same great taste for half the calories and double the vitamins.

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Fizz Kale Salad with Roasted Garlic-Bacon Dressing and Beets

Photo: Brian Woodcock
View Recipe: Fizz Kale Salad with Roasted Garlic-Bacon Dressing and Beets

Fizz kale boasts delicate cabbage flavor and hearty crunch. If Fizz is unavailable, the salad will still be delicious using all Lacinato.

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Kale Salad with Grilled Artichokes

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Kale Salad with Grilled Artichokes

The bold flavor of artichokes pairs perfectly with the strong flavor of kale in this main-course salad. Pine nuts add crunch; plumped raisins balance the zingy Dijon-spiked dressing.

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Kale Salad with Mango and Coconut

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower
View Recipe: Kale Salad with Mango and Coconut

Kale salad goes tropical with creamy avocado, ripe mango, toasted coconut, and a tangy lime-honey vinaigrette. To tenderize the kale, let it sit in the vinaigrette for 15 to 20 minutes before adding the remaining ingredients.

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