Simple Kale Salad

4.52 from 338 votes

Recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod

This is the BEST kale salad recipe! It is made with fresh, hearty kale, Parmesan cheese, toasted almonds, dried cranberries, and a fresh lemon balsamic dressing. Enjoy for lunch or serve along side any meal.

Prep Time15

Total Time15

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: kale, salad

Servings:

Calories: 204kcal

Equipment

Salad Bowl (I use this Williams Sonoma bowl for large salads and entertaining)

Ingredients

For the dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 to 2 teaspoons honey
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the salad:

2 bunches kale, washed (I prefer Lacinato kale)
Drizzle of olive oil
Pinch of kosher salt
1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup toasted sliced almonds, can use pine nuts or pepitas
1/3 cup dried cranberries, can use golden raisins or dried currants

Instructions

To make the dressing, in a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
First, remove the kale stems. Squeeze the top of the kale stem and slowly move your hand down the kale stem. The leafy part of the kale will come right off as you go down. Use a sharp knife to finely chop the kale.
Place the kale in a large bowl. Drizzle the kale with just a little bit of olive oil, you don't need a ton because you are adding a dressing. Sprinkle with a little kosher salt and massage with your clean fingers until the kale softens a bit.
Drizzle the dressing over the kale and toss well. Add the Parmesan cheese, nuts, and dried fruit. Toss again and serve.

Nutrition