Kale Salad with Quinoa and Cranberries
This salad is delicious as a meatless main dish, or a great addition to any holiday table. I often massage the kale with oil when I use it raw in salads like this simple Massaged Raw Kale Salad and in this Breakfast BLT Salad. Or for an easy side dish idea for kale, try this braised kale recipe.
This kale salad recipe is from my friend Serena Wolf’s new cookbook, The Dude Diet Dinnertime (affiliate link) which gives hungry dudes and their families drool-worthy dinners. Her book is filled with 125 clean-ish recipes like Super Sloppy Josés, Turkey Reuben Patty Melts, Chicago Dog Baked Potatoes and Chicken Parm Quinoa Bake. For this salad, it’s easy to switch out ingredients in this salad if you prefer something else or don’t have one of the ingredients on hand. Don’t have dried cranberries? No problem! Swap them with whatever dried fruit you have in your pantry, like dried cherries, figs, or dates. For more fall salad ideas, try Spinach and Butternut Squash Salad with Gorgonzola or Leftover Turkey Harvest Cobb Salad. This kale salad has great texture and is super hearty thanks to the quinoa and almonds, which add protein. To make it even more filling, you could add grilled chicken or salmon. The dressing is a basic vinaigrette made more flavorful with the addition of garlic and shallots and a touch of sweetness from the maple. Because kale is so hearty, it also makes a great meal-prep salad option. It won’t wilt like mixed greens would. Simply transfer it to four bowls and refrigerate for up to five days.
Which kale is best for salads?
Lacinato kale is the best type of kale for salads. It’s also known as dinosaur kale and Tuscan kale. Lacinato is more tender than curly kale, which is typically better in cooked dishes like pastas or soups.
How do you soften raw kale?
Massaging raw kale with dressing softens it. Just pour the dressing on the kale and start rubbing it into the leaves until the kale gets darker in color and more tender. Massaging is the most important step in prepping raw kale for a salad. You definitely don’t want to skip it!
Variations
This recipe is meant to be a road map for creating your perfect kale salad, so play with your favorite nuts, dried fruits, cheeses, and whole grains. Some ideas for different mix-ins are walnuts, pecans, dried cherries, dried dates, white cheddar, goat cheese, farro, and couscous. You can also try curly kale, although it tastes slightly grassier than lacinato.
More Kale Salads You Will Love:
Kale Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes + Dried Cherries Chicken Kale Salad with Peanut Vinaigrette Harvest Kale Salad with Roasted Winter Squash Massaged Raw Kale Salad Breakfast BLT Salad
