The #1 trick to making a salad with kale is messaging the fibrous greens until the leaves are supple and easy to eat. It also helps to tear the leaves off the hard center stem running the length of the leaf.
In less than 20 minutes this salad makes the perfect side dish for any meal! It’s hearty enough to make on your meal prep day and lasts nearly all week in the fridge. Plus it’s gluten-free, keto-friendly, low-carb, dairy-free, and vegan.
How to make kale salad with cranberries
This salad is bright with deep colors. You’ll find jewel-like glistening cranberries nestled in dark green curly kale with blueberries, bits of red pepper, purple shallots, and toasted pecans peeking through here and there. And bringing it all together is the lemon vinaigrette that smells like sunshine!
Kale Salad Ingredients
- 1 bunch of kale, washed and dried
- 1/2 cup of dried cranberries
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 cup red pepper, diced
- 1 cup pecans, chopped and toasted (or sliced almonds, toasted)
- 1/2 red onion, minced (or 1 shallot minced)
Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar with mother)
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Make the lemon dressing in a large bowl by whisking together the lemon juice, vinegar, salt, honey, and soy sauce.
- Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the dressing whisking constantly.
- Tear or chop the kale into small bite-size pieces and toss with the lemon vinaigrette.
- Using your hands, massage the kale leaves with the vinaigrette until it softens and darkens slightly.
- Sprinkle in the cranberries, blueberries, red pepper, pecans, and red onion. Toss lightly to mix.
- Taste it and season it with salt and pepper if needed.
How to cut kale
Instead of cutting the kale, you can tear it with your fingers. If you’d rather save time, try cutting it with this method.
First, cut the ends completely off and throw them away or put them in your compost. Then cut the hard center spine away from the leaf.
Next stack several leaves on top of each other and roll them like a big fat cigar. Slice the roll thinly then crosswise once or twice to get bite-size pieces.
Can you make Kale Salad with Cranberries ahead of time?
Yes, this is a wonderful make-ahead salad you can add to your weekly meal prep that will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days even after the vinaigrette is on it. Most salads with dressing wilt and get goopy after spending a little time in the refrigerator, but not this one.
Kale has more fiber than most greens and this keeps it from going south. In fact, this salad is better the next day as the kale takes on more and more of the flavors in the dressing.
Variations for Kale Salad Recipe
Here are some tasty options you can add to your salad:
- Crumbled goat cheese (plain, herb-crusted, or blueberry)
- Sliced strawberries
- Switch out the pecans for toasted pine nuts
- Mandarin orange sections
Why my family loves this Chopped Kale Cranberry Salad
- It’s gorgeous to look at! With all the bright vibrant colors, this salad is like eating a rainbow.
- It’s packed with tons of superfoods that are loaded with nutrients. (More color = more healthy)
- So easy and really fun to make! My granddaughters love rolling up their sleeves and massaging the kale.
- It’s La-Liscious!!! That’s how my 2-year-old granddaughter says Delicious. And she is so right! This salad is tangy, sweet, nutty, and super fresh.
Pro Tips for the Best Kale Salad
- Massage Massage Massage those kale leaves!
- Cut the spine out of the leaves.
- Make the salad a day ahead and let it sit in the refrigerator. This allows for maximum flavor and super soft kale.
- If your store-bought kale has wilted bring it back to life by soaking it in a large bowl of water with 1/4 cup white vinegar for 30 minutes. This is a good way to clean it too. Any grit falls to the bottom of the bowl and the leaves perk right up.
More Healthy Quick Salad Recipes
Nicoise Salad
Watermelon Salad
Yogi Kale Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 big bunch of kale fibrous spine removed and torn/cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup red pepper chopped
- 1 cup toasted pecans chopped
- 1 red onion diced
Dressing
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon honey or agave
- 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce*
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Make the Dressing
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In the salad bowl, combine all the ingredients except the olive oil. Whisk vigorously until incorporated.
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Slowly drizzle the oil in, whisking constantly. This will create an emulsion and bring it all together.
Putting it all together
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Put all the kale in the salad bowl on top of the salad dressing. Using your hands, massage the dressing into the kale. Really squeeze the kale. This will soften it up and make it easier to chew and digest.
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Add all the other salad ingredients in to the bowl and lightly toss.
Recipe Notes
* If you are gluten sensitive, make sure you are using a gluten free brand of soy sauce.
Can I break up the fibrous leaves with my rolling pin? (I’m not joking..,!!!)
Absolutely! You can even use a meat tenderizing mallet if that’s easier.
This is a beautiful dish!