Must Make Chopped Kale Salad With Quinoa

September 20, 2019 by Amy Estes 1 Comment

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This amazing Chopped Kale Salad is mixed with fluffy quinoa, brussel sprouts, crisp apples, tart cranberries, shaved red onion, and walnuts all tossed in a tangy, slightly sweet dijon mustard vinaigrette dressing. Vegan, gluten-free, and a perfect make-ahead salad for lunch or dinner!

Round glass bowl on a marble surface filled with chopped kale salad, quinoa, onion and apple mixed in a yellow dressing.

This simple and tasty Chopped Kale Salad recipe is fast and easy to make and packs all of those wonderful fall flavors into one healthy, incredibly delicious salad!

Since my Easy Kale Salad With Lemon Dressing has been such a hit, I felt that you needed more simple but amazing salad recipes. This NEW chopped kale salad has a perfect combination of vibrant veggies, plant-based protein and the most amazingly flavorful dressing ever.

It is probably one the best kale salad recipes I have made that I just want to make all the time. It’s that good! All of those beautiful colors are so vibrant which let’s you know this is going to be healthy and so delicious. Plus it is totally gluten free, vegan and vegetarian.

Large bowl filled with simple kale salad with quinoa, Brussel sprouts, sliced purple onion, pomegranate seeds, cranberries, chopped apple and walnuts

What is the best way to massage kale for salad

Preparing kale for salad is pretty easy but does require a bit of effort. It is pretty minimal though and definitely something you can have your little chefs help you with in the kitchen (aka…the kids).

Once your kale is rinsed and ready to go, you want to place it into the bowl you will be serving the chopped kale salad in and massage for a bit with your hands to break it down. This will make it much easier to eat and digest. TRUST!

You can check out MORE TIPS for prepping kale in this How To Store Kale post.

Ingredients you will need

Kale – You can use any type of kale, just make sure it is fresh. I used dark, flat leaf kale.
Brussel sprouts – fresh, shaved Brussel Sprouts
Quinoa – any type, cooked and cooled
Pomegranate seeds – to give this salad some tang
Walnuts
Dried cranberries – I used sugar free
Purple onion – sliced thin
Apple – any type of apples will work, I use gala apples
Pumpkin seeds – dry roasted
Dijon Mustard
Maple syrup – real maple syrup or honey
Olive oil
Vinegar
Lemon – fresh lemon juice
Salt & pepper

Bunch of kale, sliced pomegranate, bowls of walnuts, dried cranberries, quinoa, sliced Brussel sprouts. vinegar and olive oil around it with a whole apple and bowl of pumpkin seeds and sliced red onion in front of it.

That’s it! Simple ingredients that you can really get almost all year round.

How to make the BEST chopped kale salad

Add all of the dressing ingredients to a mason jar and shake it up to emulsify into a creamy, tangy, slightly sweet dressing.
Arrange all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl.

Glass mason jar filled with yellow dressing with a spoon in it on a marble surface

Round mixing bowl with quinoa, onion, apple, kale, nuts and Brussel sprouts separated in the bowl

3. Pour the dressing on the kale salad, toss it all up and your salad is done and ready to eat!

Pouring yellow dressing over a kale and quinoa salad with pomegranate seeds and sliced red onion on it.

Chopped kale salad with chopped apple, red onion, quinoa, dried cranberries, seeds in a bowl with yellow dressing poured over it

Crunchy, tangy, sweet and satisfying all at the same time. What more could you want in a salad? A great salad to serve for the holidays too!

autumn kale salad with apple, sliced red onion, quinoa, nuts and seeds in a glass salad bowl with white and gold spoons in it on a marble countertop with a jar of dressing next to it.

Recipe Tips and Variations

To store this chopped kale salad, make the salad and dressing separately. Store the salad in an airtight container and the dressing can be sored in a mason jar, put both in the fridge. When ready to eat, pour the dressing onto the salad and toss.
You can any type of kale in this salad. Just make sure to rinse and massage the kale first.
For extra protein add some chickpeas or grilled chicken.
Add some sliced pears to contrast the sliced apple

More kale salad recipes

Simple Kale and Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
Crispy Chickpea Kale Caesar Salad
Kale and Brussel Sprout Salad with Lemon Shallot Vinaigrette
The BEST Kale Salad Dressing

Round white plate with chopped kale, apple, onion pumpkin seeds and Brussel sprouts on it drizzled with mustard dressing with a silver fork on the plate.

Did you make this chopped kale salad recipe? If you did, then please leave a rating and comment below. You can also tag me on Instagram @pinchmegoodfood so I can see your creation.