This is a simple, easy kale salad recipe that is tangy, crunchy, and full of incredible lemon flavor. Easy to make-ahead and ready in less than 10 minutes!
This easy kale salad recipe with lemon dressing has become such a staple in our family. I make it for almost every family gathering (at the request of my family) as well as those times when we are in a dinner salad rut.
Kale salad is a wonderful side dish that goes perfectly with anything like chicken, shrimp, casseroles, quiche, or even chickpea flour crust pizza.
This recipe is something you can hand off to the kids to make while you tend to the other meal preparations.
Even people that claim they do not like kale, absolutely LOVE this easy kale salad! It has that heartiness from the dark, leafy kale, crunchiness from the pistachios, sweetness from the raisins, and a beautiful pucker from the tangy, bold lemon dressing.
A dressing that is not really made for anyone that doesn’t like lemon. Check out my recipe variations below for my non-lemon lover option which I have tested on my beloved non-lemon lover husband. Haha!
What is kale?
Kale is a cruciferous vegetable similar to broccoli or Brussel sprouts. Mostly in season in the winter but luckily it’s available year-round.
There are two popular types of kale you will find at most grocery stores.
- Curly kale – A type of kale that is probably the most common that has a woody stem and large curly leaves.
- Tuscan kale-Is a less common but still popular type of kale that is darker green in color, shreds very well, and is the type of kale that I used in this recipe, although you could also use curly kale.
Why is kale good for you?
Kale is considered a superfood since it can boost a range of health problems due to the abundance of nutrients it contains like:
- Vitamins B6, K, and C
- Iron
- Calcium
- Potassium
- Antioxidants
- Plant-based protein
All of which help lower blood pressure, fight heart disease and aid in digestion. The list goes on! Plus kale is insanely delicious and easy to add to any meal. Read more about the health benefits of kale here.
How to use kale
Kale is extremely versatile and can bring a fresh and healthy element to so many types of dishes.
You could use kale in big green salad recipes (probably the most obvious choice), in patties like these quinoa and kale patties, as a topping on pizza, in buddha bowls, sauces like pesto or even to make crispy healthy kale chips, endless possibilities.
Check out this recipe for “How To Cook Kale” from Delish.com. It comes out perfect every time, and it’s super EASY! One of my faves!
How to prepare kale for salad
One of the most important things to mention when it comes to prepping raw kale is that you must wash it first and then massage it.
Wash the kale:
- You will want to remove the kale leaves from the stem first, by curving your hand like a cat paw and running it down each stem of kale.
- Then rinse it well in a strainer while running it underwater.
- Finally, I like to run it through the salad spinner to release any extra moisture, which allows the kale to remain firm and crisp.
How to massage the kale for salad
- After you wash it place it into a bowl, add a drizzle of olive oil or lemon juice, and a pinch of salt.
- Use your fingers to massage it for a few minutes. It will turn beautiful and dark green and delicious right before your eyes. It’s magic!
This will get it sweet and tender, and make it easier to work with and digest. Massaging your kale helps to break down the fibers, and it gets so dark and merely gorgeous in my opinion.
Ingredients Needed For This Easy Kale Salad
How to make a kale salad
First, as I mentioned, make sure you wash and massage the kale. I like to chop the kale thin into strips so it’s easier to work with and eat. Then place it into a bowl and combine it with the rest of the salad ingredients.
- Pistachios
- Golden raisins or dried cranberries
- Lemon zest
- Shredded parmesan cheese
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- Add salad ingredients to a mixing bowl
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- Pour on lemon dressing
Whip up the lemon dressing by putting all of the dressing ingredients (apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, lemon juice, salt and pepper, olive oil) into a mason jar and shake, shake, shake until it all emulsifies and becomes a sweet, creamy dressing.
Pour the lemon dressing onto the salad and toss to coat everything.
It is so incredibly tasty. The tangy lemon dressing brings this salad to a whole new level.
Literally the perfect kale salad dressing ever!
Easy Kale Salad Recipe Variations
- You can use any kind of kale for this recipe – I like to use dark lacinato kale or curly kale.
- Golden raisins or dried cranberries work perfectly in this salad.
- Dairy-free? Replace the parmesan cheese with vegan Parmesan, and you have a delicious vegan version of this Easy Kale Salad.
- Want to make this fully vegetarian? Swap the parmesan cheese with soft crumbled goat cheese.
- Add some protein. You can add crispy roasted chickpeas, grilled chicken, or even shrimp to this salad and it would be delicious!
- Add in some quinoa, cooked rice or even roasted potatoes to bump up the volume and add in some good carbs.
- Not a fan of lemon? Swap the lemon zest and juice with the zest and juice of an orange.
What to serve with this Easy Kale Salad
Did you make this recipe? If so, then please leave a rating and comment below.
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Easy Kale Salad With Lemon Dressing
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 10 1x
Description
This is a simple, easy kale salad recipe that is tangy, crunchy, and full of incredible lemon flavor. Easy to make-ahead and ready in less than 10 minutes!
Ingredients
For the Kale Salad
- 2 Bunches dark leafy kale (thinly sliced)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- 1/2 cup pistachios
- 1/2 cup golden raisins or dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- Zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
For the Lemon Dressing
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about the juice of 2 lemons)
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add the sliced kale to a medium-size mixing bowl or salad bowl, drizzle on a little olive oil and sprinkle of salt and pepper and lightly massage it for 1 minute to help break it down a little.
- Add the 1/2 cup chopped pistachios, 1/2 cup golden raisins, 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, and the zest of 1 lemon to the kale and lightly toss everything together.
- Make the dressing: Add the juice from the 2 lemons, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey, 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper to a mason jar with a lid and shake it well until it emulsifies. You can also add all dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until it emulsifies (get’s nice and creamy).
- Pour the dressing on the kale salad and toss well.
- Serve cold and ENJOY!
Notes
- If you are making this ahead, store the salad and the dressing separately in the fridge in an airtight container and when you are ready to eat it, add your dressing to the mixture and enjoy!
- To make this a vegan salad sub the parmesan cheese with vegan parmesan.
- You can use any kind of kale for this recipe – I like to use dark lacinato kale or curly kale.
- Golden raisins or dried canrberries work perfectly in this salad.
- Dairy-free? Replace the parmesan cheese with vegan Parmesan, and you have a delicious vegan version of this Easy Kale Salad.
- Want to make this fully vegetarian? Swap the parmesan cheese with soft crumbled goat cheese.
- Add some protein. You can add crispy roasted chickpeas, grilled chicken or even shrimp to this salad and it would be delicious!
- Not a fan of lemon? Swap the lemon zest and juice with the zest and juice of an orange.
- Category: Healthy Salads
- Method: Assembly
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Update: This recipe was updated with more recipe variations and photos, including an option for those that are too keen on the lemon flavor.
Great salad! I also made it this last time by adding 2 tablespoons of tahini to the dressing and a little red pepper flakes. So yummy!
Awesome! Glad you liked it. Great idea to add your own spin on it. I will definitely try your version. It sounds delicious!
I would never trust any kale recipe which doesn’t have a step to “knead” the kale. It’s the only way to make the kale soft and edible.
Hi Sheldon! I totally agree! I always massage my kale and I note that in all of my other salad recipes except with Lacinto kale I have found that if you thinly slice it there is no need to massage it since it is thinner than curly kale. I will add a note in the recipe. Thank you for your comment!!
If I cant find Lacinto kale would it change things too much using the regular kale?
Hi Patti, yes you can use regular kale. You will just want to thinly slice it and massage it with your fingers for a few minutes to break it down before adding the rest of the ingredients. I have made it that way before and it was just as good.
Thanks for the recipe, we loved it!
Hi Daniella, that is so great! So glad you liked it!
If making it ahead for lunches, will it keep for a week as long as you dont combine the dressing with the kale?
Hi Misty! Yes, I as long as you keep the dressing separate from the salad it should last up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. I make it a lot and store it for the week and it works out great!
Amy’s father-in-law hates kale but he loves this salad. A win in this house!!
Really yummy salad. I too massaged it pretty well and it was tender. I also made it vegan with vegan parm. Thanks so much I will definitely make it again.
Hi Paulette! That sounds so good! Glad you liked it.
I made this tonight and it was so good! I used Craisins instead of the raisins because that’s what I had on hand. Will be making this again. Thanks!!
Awesome! So glad you like it!
Delicious! Made this yesterday and devoured an entire bowl. Offered it to my 7 year old son when he got home from school and he devoured his too! He literally yelled out, “this is the best salad everrrrr!” Lol! Thank you for an awesome recipe! I know all my vegan/veggie friends and family will love this too! Having another bowl with dinner tonight.
Yay! I am so glad you and your son liked it. My kids love it too!
Hi I was wondering how many weight watchers points this would be . Thanks
Hi Maxine, I am not an expert on weight watchers but my mom is. It looks like this would be around 6 to 7 ww points per serving. If you leave out the maple syrup it would be about 5 points per serving. This is based on the current calculator and not the older ww calculators. Hope that helps!!!!
My Dr told me that eating more kale would be a good idea for me to do. This is the first recipe I tried and glad I did. The only change is that I substituted the raisins for pine nuts. What a great recipe, thank you for sharing.
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This salad is amazing!! Thank you so much for sharing this!! It is so delicious and easy to make!! My husband loves it too!! Definitely it will be a added to our weekly menu! Can’t wait to try your other recipes!! Keep sharing please!! Thanks!!
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Thank you so much! Glad you liked it!!!
I don’t know how much two bunches of kale is.ounces or cups would have been helpful
Hi Connie, it’s about 6 cups of kale chopped.
I really enjoyed this salad! It’s rare that I have all the ingredients for a recipe so I figured it was meant for me to try it. I made it vegan by using a vegan shredded cheese. Also, the comment about kneading the kale first was actually really helpful for the type of kale I had. Thank you!
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Hi Shelly, I am so glad you enjoyed it!
Delightful! Even my husband raised about it! I substituted walnuts. Any chance you can add the oz. and/or cups of kale? It is growing profusely in my yard…but I still think I didn’t use enough.
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Hi Laura, so happy you and your husband liked it! It’s about 4-6 cups of chopped kale, about 1 bunch. So jealous you have it growing in your yard!