This Chopped Kale Salad with Cranberries recipe is filled with curly kale, toasted almonds, and salty parmesan cheese and massaged until tender. Made with a bright honey lemon vinaigrette this easy salad will make you fall in love with this superfood all over again.
Chopped Kale Salad with Cranberries
Chopped Kale Salad with Cranberries that is massaged to tender perfection is one of my all-time favorite recipes. I’ve always been kind of obsessed with the beautiful chopped kale salads served in restaurants and this one is my copycat version of a local Asheville restaurant - Well Bred bakery. Both theirs and my salad are made with hearty curly kale leaves that are massaged until tender and then filled with the rather simple combination of tart cranberries, savory toasted almond slices, and salty parmesan cheese.
The dressing is a simple homemade lemon vinaigrette featuring a touch of honey and rich olive oil. There's nothing too fancy about it, but wow the combination of flavors and textures is pure magic in a bowl.
Plus you have to love a salad that's naturally gluten-free!
Whether you serve this as a side dish or meal, you are sure to love this simple and hearty salad that is served in perfect bite-sized pieces.
Chopped Kale Salad with Cranberries Share on X
Why You'll Love this Chopped Kale Salad with Cranberries...
- This Chopped Kale Salad with cranberries is the kind of salad that makes kale enjoyable to eat! The kale is massaged until tender and so tasty!
- One of my favorite parts of the salad is the kale holds up in the fridge with the dressing on very well. Kale - even with dressing on it - can be made ahead of time and doesn't get soggy for a few days.
- This salad is packed with nutrition thanks to the kale. Keep reading for all the health benefits you'll get from kale.
- It's quick and easy. The entire kale salad recipe can be made in less than 10 minutes.
- A lot of salads feature fussy ingredients, but this one uses just a few, easy-to-find ingredients. It really lets simple flavors shine!
- It's great as a year-round salad BUT it's especially nice to serve in the winter when other fresh veggies may be harder to come by.
Ingredients:
Here's an overview of what you'll need to make the Chopped Kale Salad with Cranberries. Keep reading the recipe card for the full recipe amounts.
For the Salad:
- Curly Kale: I like to use curly kale for the Chopped Kale Salad because of its hearty flavor and rich texture. It can be tough to eat, but massaging before assembling the salad will make it tender and soft. Keep reading my instructions on how to massage the kale properly to make the salad. You can also make this salad with dinosaur kale also kale Tuscan kale or lacinato kale. You can buy curly kale pre-chopped in bags, but for this salad, I like to buy it in bunches like shown below so you make sure all the stems are fully removed and cut it into smaller ribbons than they do in the bags.
- Almonds: Slivered almonds are perfect in this salad. I like to buy plain slivered ones and toast them myself for the freshest flavor. To prep, the almonds just pop them on a pan in the toaster oven for 2-4 minutes or until they are slightly browned and fragrant. If you don't have a toaster oven, do the same thing with your oven set to 350 degrees.
- Parmesan Cheese: Salty parmesan cheese compliments this salad perfectly. You can shred your own or buy pre-shredded parmesan cheese.
- Cranberries: Tart cranberries are the key ingredient in this salad. The sweetness of the dried cranberries balances out the other flavors in this dish. It's a perfect way to use dried fruit.
For the Dressing:
- Olive Oil: Use extra virgin olive oil that is good for salad dressings. You'll want a high-quality one since this salad has just a few ingredients and it's the base for the dressing. Here's an easy-to-find olive oil that I like to use for homemade dressings.
- Lemon: Bright lemon is the perfect addition to the dressing. Use freshly squeezed lemon.
- Honey: Just a touch of honey balances out the sour lemon, brings out the other flavors in the salad, and helps make the kale tender to eat.
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
Health Benefits of Kale:
Curious about how good this Chopped Kale Salad with Cranberries is for you? Check out these health benefits.
- Kale is one of the most nutrient-dense foods you can eat.
- It's rich in vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin B6, Manganese, Calcium, Copper, and potassium.
- Kale is high in antioxidants!
- It's only 33 calories a cup and has 3 grams of plant-based protein.
- Below is a photo of curly kale with its bright green leaves with ruffled edges. This is exactly what I like to use to make this salad.
Instructions:
How to Prepare Kale for Salad:
- For my Chopped kale Salad with Cranberries, start with a bunch of curly kale. Wash the kale and dry it. I pat the kale dry so it will absorb the oil and lemon well.
- Use your fingers and hold the stem. Carefully rip the leaves off the tough ribs or stem as shown below.
- Take those leaves and bunch them up like a basil chiffonade. Using a shark knife, cut the kale into ¼-inch stripes.
- The biggest trick for this Chopped Kale Salad with cranberries is to massage the kale. Once the kale is chopped add the olive oil, lemon, honey, pinch of salt, and pepper to the chopped kale and then massage it. Use your hands and literally massage the kale until it's tender and the dressing coats every piece. Pretend you are rubbing someone's shoulders for 2-3 minutes. You want the kale to start to break down some so it is not as rough and bitter to eat. You are physically breaking down the tough fibers when you do this. It will look like the kale below.
- Then let the kale and dressing sit in the fridge for at least ten minutes to do the magic. Now your kale is massaged and ready to make the kale salad!
How to Make Kale Salad:
- To make the Chopped Kale Salad with Cranberries toss the massaged kale with the dried cranberries, toasted almonds, parmesan cheese, and dried cranberries.
- In a large bowl, toss until well combined.
- Serve immediately or store in the fridge in an airtight container until ready to serve.
Variations:
I love this Chopped Kale Salad with Cranberries as written, but here are some other delicious variations.
- Mix up the Kale: Instead of curly kale use dinosaur kale.
- Mix up the Nuts: This would also be good with pine nuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, or pecans.
- Add More Veggies: I kept this kale salad recipe simple, but you can make it more flavorful too. Add other hearty vegetables like chopped broccoli, shredded carrots, red onion, avocado, green cabbage, shredded brussels sprouts, and red cabbage.
- Add Fresh Fruit: You can also add fresh fruit like chopped oranges, apples, or grapes. If you can't find craisins or dried cranberries, raisins will also work.
- Mix up the Cheese: Replace the parmesan with feta cheese or goat cheese.
- Mix up the Dressing: There are lots of different options for kale salad dressing. You can also make this with my Lemon Tahini Dressing, Homemade Honey Mustard, Red Wine Vinaigrette, or Apple Cider Vinegar Vinaigrette. Whisk together the dressing in a small bowl before you drizzle it into the salad.
- Make it a Vegan Kale Salad: Replace the parmesan cheese with nutritional yeast and the honey with maple syrup.
- Make it a Meal: Add some protein like chicken, fish, shrimp, or tofu.
FAQ:
How do you store kale salad?
Store the Chopped Kale Salad with cranberries in an airtight container in the fridge for up 3-4 days. The hearty salad actually can sit with the dressing on it!
Can I make this salad for meal prep?
Hearty curly kale is actually the perfect base for a salad that is used for meal prep. It can be dressed and stored ahead of time.
Can you eat raw kale in a salad?
Yes! Eating raw kale is perfectly healthy. Curly kale can be a bit tough though so I recommend dressing the salad and massaging as I described in the instructions. That gives the kale a much more desirable tender texture. Massaging the kale also helps get the bitterness out of the kale salad.
This Chopped Kale Salad with Cranberries is Massaged to Perfection!
This Chopped Kale Salad with Cranberries is perfection! The tender massaged kale pairs perfectly with these simple ingredients for a salad you can enjoy for the holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Easter) or just for a weekday meal. It's the perfect side dish or lunch salad. And I love that chopping the salad gives you delightful small bites for easy eating.
This go-to recipe is a favorite of mine and I know you will love it too. Give it a try and let me know what you think.
Make it a Meal:
- Blackened Mahi Mahi
- Oven Roasted Salmon
- Lemon Pepper Tilapia
- Grilled Lemon Shrimp Skewers
- Crab Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
- Spinach and Three Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
Chopped Kale Salad with Cranberries Share on X
- More Kale Salads to Try:
- Kale Ceasar Salad
- Kale Strawberry & Goat Cheese Salad
- Baked Salmon with Kale Salad
- Kale and Wheat Berry Salad
- Summer Berry Kale Salad
If you make this Chopped Kale Salad with Cranberries recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment and a star rating ★ below. Make sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook too!
Chopped Kale Salad with Cranberries
Ingredients
- 1 bunch curly kale, 8 packed cups
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ cup slivered almonds, toasted
- ½ cup shredded parmesan
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash the kale well and remove the hard stems from the kale.
- Pat dry.
- Roll the remaining leaves like a basil chiffonade and cut the kale into ½ inch strips.
- Put kale in a big bowl and add the lemon juice, olive oil, and honey. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Massage kale well until all leaves are evenly coated and the leaves start to break down. The kale will reduce in size by a quarter to a half.
- Put kale in the fridge and allow to chill for at least ten minutes.
- While kale is in the fridge, toast the almonds in a pan for 3-4 minutes or until fragrant.
- Remove the kale from the fridge and add the almonds, parmesan, and cranberries. Mix well.
- Serve immediately or this salad stores well to eat later.
Notes
Nutrition
Pin for later
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
I am so happy that I came across your recipe. I just harvested some fresh kale from our garden and they are so delicate. This kale salad was the perfect choice and we loved each and every flavor. Thanks for the detailed instructions on massaging the kale. That really helps.
Mindy says
I've made this three times now and I just love how simple and delicious it is. Thank you for a great recipe!
Gloria says
I love using kale in salads. A nice change from lettuce. Has a lot of nutrition too.
Tami says
This recipe is soooooo good, made this today I added chia seed and apple for crunch, thanks for sharing!!! ????
Meg @MegBollenback.com says
Yum, this looks so great and healthy! I've heard about massaging kale and how it works wonders on salads, but haven't tried it yet myself. Will have to give it a go now - thanks for sharing!
Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner says
I am on a kale thing too! Love it. I like to let vinegar sit on the kale for a few minutes to soften it up. Yummy thanks for adding it to the link up today
Tina muir says
I looooovvee salads like this! So much goodness, and its just a little bit soft! Great call with honey too 🙂 Thanks for joining us!
Sarah says
Simply delicious, one of my favorite salads (except I don't add Parmesan and use pumpkin seeds and sometimes other seeds).
JulieWunder says
Pumpkin seeds is a great idea. So much crunch and flavor. Great idea!
Farrah says
So sorry about all the ice. :[ The ice in the parking lot of my apartment decided to redirect my car into a giant pile of snow yesterday morning and it completely sucked. (Thankfully, it was a very slow sort of redirection, so my car and I are alive and well. :O )
This looks absolutely amazing, and I think I actually have everything for it, save for the kale (which can easily be remedied)! Can't wait to try it out!
Lauren @ Fun, Fit, and Fabulous! says
This looks absolutely delicious! I haven't been a big kale fan until recently. I think I just haven't been preparing it right. I can't wait to try this!
Julie @ Girl on the Move says
Yum! I'm always looking for new ways to eat my leafy greens so I can't wait to try this recipe!
JulieWunder says
Thanks Julie!
Sue @ This Mama Runs for Cupcakes says
I absolutely love kale, my husband thinks i'm nuts and won't eat it. This sounds amazing and would be amazing with goat cheese too!
JulieWunder says
Luckily the hubs will eat kale and likes it... quinoa is still on the just barely tolerates category 🙂
Goat cheese makes everything better! good call!
Nicole @ Fitful Focus says
yum!!! I never have the patience to massage the kale, but I know that's what makes it good!
Lean Lena says
Love me some kale! I should definitely buy some and make this salad as I already have all the other ingredients for it 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing with Tasty Tuesday, Julie 🙂
JulieWunder says
Winner! I love it when that happens!
Bethany says
Oh I wish I had some Kale here at the house! Instead I'm watching the snow fall and will be staying clear of the grocery stores while everyone runs out for bread and milk!
JulieWunder says
I do that when it snows too... just work with what I have!
Danyelle Musselman says
What an easy and yummy way to get Kale into your diet! Love cranberries and almonds on any salad!
JulieWunder says
Me too! They are such a yummy flavor profile.
Emilie says
We have been on a kale kick lately because it's one of the few veggies that is in season here. I love that kale is sturdy enough to stay fresh in the fridge with dressing. This is a great side dish or even entrée with the addition of some protein. Saving this one to try next week!
JulieWunder says
Thanks Emilie! I hope you love it as much as I do!
Gingi says
Great recipe! I keep getting kale in my local co-op veggie box, and have been running out of ways to use it! - http://www.domesticgeekgirl.com
JulieWunder says
Oh I can totally you with that 🙂 This has honey in it too!
Diatta @ Femme Fitale Fit Club says
I LOVE KALE salad and am trying this one! I am constantly on the search for delicious versions of kale salad.
JulieWunder says
Me too! I just feel uber healthy when I eat it!
Diatta @ Femme Fitale Fit Club says
Yes yes yes me too uber healthy.
Andrea says
I ate some delicious kale salad yesterday from a restaurant. I may have to make some of this myself to take to work this week. Thanks for posting!
JulieWunder says
Thanks Andrea! I hope you like it!
Annmarie says
Kale really does make the perfect winter salad! Yum!
Jess @hellotofit says
I love a salty kale salad...hehe. Kale is definitely in my rotation! I get tired of it after a few days, and I'm about ready to buy some again. I want to make this next week!! Pinning this so I remember.
JulieWunder says
Haha! Thanks Jess!!! You know I love a good pin 🙂 Sorry......... I'm snowed in again......
Stacie @ SimplySouthernStacie says
I am loving kale salads right now! It just pairs so well with sweet dressings.
JulieWunder says
It does! The sweet counteracts the bitter. yum!
Heather @Fit n Cookies says
Hmm I didn't know if you massaged kale it takes away some of the bitterness. That's interesting! Glad your ice skating rink has defrosted a bit 🙂 Hopefully that's the end of winter for you guys!
JulieWunder says
More snow 🙁 I was way too optimistic and kind of ignored a scientific forecast in my wishes for spring:-(
Jenny says
You know I'm making this salad today. Yum! And kale is definitely a staple at our house. I put it in everything from pancakes to soups; I actually don't make kale salads very often, but this one is happening! Is it spring yet? Please? Although, the snow this morning is actually really pretty. After this, can it be spring? 🙂
JulieWunder says
I really love it! It gets tender and just a little sweet with the honey 🙂 I hope you enjoy it.
I feel like a jinxed us with the snow. It looks like more for tomorrow now....
Susie @ SuzLyfe says
This sounds delicious! I'm a big fan of steamed kale, especially with a little lemon juice in the steaming water!
JulieWunder says
Me too! Lemon is one of my favorite flavors!
Jessie says
I've never though to add the dressing first & let it sit in the fridge to soak up so it's not so rough to eat. Thanks for the tip, Julie!
JulieWunder says
It makes a big difference for me. That and the massaging makes it so tender and yummy.
Blane Sherer says
I'm looking at the snow falling and building up in the parking lot at 0515 AM. Yeah, I have always had truoble with the bitterness of kale. I'll give this a try.
JulieWunder says
So much for my spring wishes! This kale is gooood!