Best Lemon Kale Salad Dressing – Easy Recipe

Kale Salad Dressing is simple, light, and fresh and is the very best way to dress up that kale and take it from good to great! This dressing is packed with tangy flavors like vinegar and lemon with a hint of sweetness and a nice kick from the Dijon mustard. It stores great and will surely become your new go-to dressing!

This easy homemade salad dressing is much healthier than any store-bought dressing that contains weird ingredients and definitely does not taste as fresh.  

You are going to be obsessed with this kale salad dressing drizzled on top of any kale salad. Plus, it has a 5-star rating and tastes fancy with bright, sweet and savory flavors that everyone will love!

Alternatively, this salad dressing is made with simple ingredients like fresh lemon juice, vinegar, and olive oil and can easily be paired with any kind of raw kale like curly kale or dinosaur kale.

Just tear the kale into small pieces and discard the kale stems. Place the bite-sized pieces into a large bowl, drizzle the kale with a little oil, massage it, and add this dressing. Add in some crumbled goat cheese, crisp apple, and sunflower seeds and it will be the most amazing tasty salad you will ever have! 

This dressing is so versatile that it actually goes great on any fresh salad or leafy green salad really.

But since kale is a nutritional powerhouse in the realm of hearty greens, this lemon dressing pairs perfectly with it. Top it with some cooked chicken breast and you have an amazing complete main dish the whole family will love. Well, not my kids because they don’t eat anything green except broccoli, maybe one day!

WHY THIS IS THE BEST DRESSING for kale salads

• Best flavor: It has the perfect balance of tangy + sweet flavors that adds so much vibrance to any delicious kale salad. 
• Quick: You can make it in minutes.
• Simple ingredients: It is made from pantry ingredients that you likely always have on hand or can get at any grocery store. 
• Fresh and light: Creamy, fresh, light, and holds up well on any crunchy greens. 
• Versatile: This recipe as written is vegan and gluten-free.

Ingredients you will need

• Extra-virgin olive oil: A healthy fat that helps emulsify the dressing. 
• Apple cider vinegar: Provides a tangy flavor. You can also use red wine vinegar. 
• Maple syrup: Adds sweetness and depth of flavor. 
• Dijon mustard: Brings a bold and tangy flavor to the dressing. 
• Lemon: Provides a fresh citrus flavor. 
• Salt and pepper: Enhances flavor and adds depth to the dressing.

How to make kale salad dressing

You can make this healthy salad dressing in minutes and keep it all week for quick and easy salads for lunch or dinner that your whole family will love. 

1. Mix up the dressing. Add all dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk well. The easiest way is to add all ingredients to a mason jar, secure the lid and shake well to emulsify (which means get it super creamy). Or you can blend it up in a small food processor. 
2. Store or serve. Once you mix up this salad dressing you can either store it or pour it onto your favorite kale salad right away.

You cannot go wrong with this amazing homemade healthy salad dressing. It is packed with flavor, is super easy to make, and stores great for easy salad assembly all week long.

TIPS FOR MAKING EASY LEMON SALAD DRESSING

1. Use good quality ingredients. I like to use good quality extra-virgin olive oil as well as good vinegar like apple cider vinegar (with the mother – good bacteria, enzymes, and strands of proteins). Gluten-free Dijon mustard and fresh organic lemons all make this amazing kale salad dressing shine. 
2. Mix up the ingredients really well. Mix up this dressing in a bowl with a whisk or in a mason jar fitted with a lid. A mason jar is a great option for taking this dressing on the go or storing it for later use. 
3. Use it within a few days. Although this dressing stores great, you really want to use any remaining dressing the next day or at least within 3 days of making it or it can get gloppy and clumpy. Store it in an airtight container (like a mason jar) and make sure to shake it up well before using it too.

RECIPE VARIATIONS

• Use orange juice in place of the lemon for an orangey twist on this kale salad dressing. I do not recommend using lime juice but go ahead and try it if that is what you have and see what you think! You may like it.
• Mix up the vinegar by adding a splash of balsamic vinegar. 
• Skip the Dijon mustard and add a little extra squeeze of lemon 
• Add a little garlic for a more savory flavor to this dressing. 
• To make this dressing Whole30-friendly and paleo simply leave out the maple syrup and it will still be crazy good. If you need a little sweetness, you can blend it up in a blender with some chopped dates or use a little fruit juice (about 1 tablespoon) in place of the maple syrup.

How to use this kale salad dressing

• Wash and dry kale leaves thoroughly using a salad spinner or clean paper towel,  then remove the fibrous stems, chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces using a chef’s knife, and place kale into a medium-sized bowl. 
• Massage the kale leaves with a bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt for a few minutes to soften and tenderize them.
• Add other ingredients such as chopped vegetables (e.g. carrots, cucumber, peppers), fruits (e.g. apples, berries, oranges), nuts or seeds, and cheese or protein (e.g. chicken, salmon, tofu).
• Make this dressing.
• Drizzle the kale salad dressing over the salad and toss everything together until well-coated.
• Let the salad sit for a few minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together, and enjoy!

More healthy salad dressings to try

• 5 Minute Creamy Avocado Ranch Dressing
• Healthy Caesar salad Dressing
• Simple Homemade Cilantro Lime Dressing
• Creamy Green Goddess Dressing
• Robust Italian Dressing
• Homemade Strawberry Vinaigrette

Other Easy Salad Recipes

• Kale Brussel Sprout Salad
• Chopped Kale Salad
• Crispy Chickpea Kale Caesar Salad
• Simple Kale and Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
• Kale Quinoa Salad

Did you try this recipe? If you did, then please leave a rating and comment below. I would love to hear from you!

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