Kale Salad Recipe
This vibrant Kale Salad bursts with fresh flavors and hearty textures, making it an irresistible lunch or light dinner. Colorful veggies, crispy chickpeas, and creamy avocado turn simple kale into a crave-worthy meal.
Each bite of Kale Salad delivers earthy greens, tangy carrot ginger dressing, and pops of sweetness from cranberries, bringing balance and nourishment to your table in under an hour.
What You’ll Need for This Kale Salad
- Curly kale – The sturdy, nutrient-dense base, massaged to tender perfection.
- Roasted chickpeas – Adds a crispy, protein-packed crunch that makes this salad feel hearty.
- Carrot – Grated fresh for color and sweetness, plus roasted for the zesty ginger dressing.
- Fresh ginger – The zingy kick in the carrot ginger dressing that ties the whole salad together.
- Avocado – Creamy cubes that mellow the bold kale and add healthy fats.
- Dried cranberries – Sweet and tart, they contrast beautifully with the savory veggies.
- Pepitas – Toasted seeds bring nutty flavor and a toasty crunch to every forkful.
How to Make This Kale Salad
Start by roasting the carrots for the dressing until tender and slightly caramelized. Blend them with ginger, rice vinegar, olive oil, and a splash of water for a velvety dressing that’s bright and fresh.
While the carrots roast, crisp up the chickpeas until golden and crunchy. Meanwhile, massage the kale with lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil until the leaves soften and deepen in color.
Toss the massaged kale with grated carrot, beet, thin radish slices, cranberries, pepitas, and half the avocado. Drizzle with the chilled carrot ginger dressing and toss again. Finish with the crispy chickpeas, remaining avocado, sesame seeds, and an extra swirl of dressing if you like.
Kale Salad Tips & Flavor Twists
Massaging the kale well is key—don’t rush this step. It breaks down the tough fibers and transforms the leaves into a tender, silky base. The carrot ginger dressing can be made in advance and stored for up to three days; it only gets more flavorful overnight.
Feel free to swap the roasted chickpeas for toasted nuts like almonds or walnuts if you want a different crunch. You can also sprinkle in some feta or goat cheese for a tangy twist, or toss in roasted sweet potato for extra heartiness.
Keeping Your Kale Salad Fresh
To keep leftover Kale Salad crisp and tasty, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. If you’re making it ahead, keep the dressing, chickpeas, and avocado separate, adding them just before serving to maintain their texture and flavor. Re-crisp the chickpeas in a warm oven if they soften.
This colorful bowl is proof that a simple salad can be bold, satisfying, and anything but boring—give this Kale Salad a try for your next lunch prep!
Kale Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for drizzling
- ½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 bunch curly kale stems discarded, leaves torn into bite-sized portions
- 1 small red beet grated
- ½ watermelon radish sliced wafer-thin
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- ¼ cup pepitas toasted
- 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ¾ cup chopped carrots
- ⅓ to ½ cup water
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger finely minced
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt plus extra for seasoning
- 1 recipe Roasted Chickpeas
- 1 small carrot grated
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 avocado diced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper. Arrange the chopped carrots on one sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and toss to coat evenly. Spread the carrots in a single layer and roast for 20 to 25 minutes until tender. Once roasted, transfer the carrots to a blender, pour in the water, olive oil, rice vinegar, ginger, and salt, then blend until velvety smooth. Refrigerate until needed. On the second sheet, cook the chickpeas following the Roasted Chickpeas recipe. In a large bowl, combine the kale with the lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil, and a few pinches of salt. Gently massage the leaves with your hands until they soften and reduce in volume by about half. Incorporate the grated carrot, beet, watermelon radish, half the avocado, cranberries, pepitas, a pinch more salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Toss thoroughly. Drizzle with the prepared carrot ginger dressing, then top with the remaining avocado, an extra drizzle of dressing, the roasted chickpeas, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Adjust seasoning as desired and serve immediately.
