15 Delicious and Nutritious Kale Salads

Kale salads not only taste amazing but they also stay fresh for longer (if you want to store them in the fridge) and they are packed with nutrients. They serve as a kind of in-between meal that’s more satiating than a regular salad or snack, but not too filling either. Here are 15 kale salads you’re going to want to make over and over again!

1. Broccoli Kale Salad with Maple Mustard Dressing

Source: Broccoli Kale Salad with Maple Mustard Dressing

If you are someone who needs a little more volume than just a regular salad this Broccoli Kale Salad with Maple Mustard Dressing by Zuzana Fajkusova and Nikki Lefler combines nicely with wild rice, quinoa, or baked potatoes. Also, this is a perfect meal prep salad as it gets better with time – so it’s great to pack for work, a picnic, or your next camping adventure.

2. Watermelon Quinoa Kale Salad

Source: Watermelon Quinoa Kale Salad

Fresh salad popping with juicy watermelon, heirloom tomato, cucumber, quinoa, mint, and roasted sunflower seeds. This Watermelon Quinoa Kale Salad by Lauren Kirchmaier is the perfect light lunch!

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3. Apple-Chickpea Kale Salad

Source: Apple-Chickpea Kale Salad

This Apple-Chickpea Kale Salad by Caryn Carruthers is a delight of contrasting textures, temperatures, and flavors. Yes, this is a salad, but it isn’t your choke-down-your-raw-veggies kind of salad. It is the kind of salad that has warm and cold veggies, crunchy apples, meaty chickpeas, the slight tingle of a thinly sliced red onion, and more to keep you interested in what your next bite combination will be. A better name is required for a salad like this — come to think of it, it’s a smorgasbowl!

4. Superfood Kale Salad

Source: Superfood Kale Salad

This healthy Superfood Kale Salad by Medha Swaminathan combines many superfoods for a nutrient-packed dish! Herb-roasted tofu and sweet potato, kale, quinoa, and pecans add nutritional value to this salad.

5. West Coast Kale Salad

Source: West Coast Kale Salad

This West Coast Kale Salad by Zuzana Fajkusova and Nikki Lefler is not only super delicious and satisfying it also comes with many health benefits. Loaded with vitamins and minerals, eating this green beauty helps you fight cancer, heart disease, and autoimmune diseases, and even slows down aging. With all these good things, let’s make some salad for dinner tonight!

6. Kale Salad with Cherries and Almonds

Source: Kale Salad with Cherries and Almonds

The colors in this Kale Salad with Cherries and Almonds by Katie Koteen are fit for the holidays, but your best bet is to make it at the tail end of summer when kale and cherries are both in season. When each ingredient is at its peak of freshness, the entire meal just tastes so much better. Not to mention, shopping seasonally can save you a pretty penny at the supermarket. Be sure to use French lentils for this recipe, rather than ordinary ones. They hold their shape better when cooked and pack 9 grams of protein per serving!

Reprinted with permission from Frugal Vegan by Katie Koteen and Kate Kasbee, Page Street Publishing Co. 2017. Photo credit: Allie Lehman

7. Pumpkin Millet Kale Salad With Balsamic Reduction

Source: Pumpkin Millet Kale Salad With Balsamic Reduction

The perfect winter salad using seasonal produce. Roasted pumpkin and kale accompanied with nutty millet, this salad is so nourishing and full of amazing nutrition to keep your body at its best in the colder months. Topped with a drizzle of healthy homemade balsamic reduction, this Pumpkin Millet Kale Salad With Balsamic Reduction by Taryn Fitz-Gerald is the perfect winter meal.

8. Thai Kale Salad With Peanut Sauce

Source: Thai Kale Salad With Peanut Sauce

A big pan of roasted veggies served over cooked whole grains and topped with a Thai peanut sauce is a go-to meal that never gets old. However, in the heat of the summer, sometimes roasting veggies is the last thing you want to do. Those hot days have resulted in a slight modification: roasted veggies have been swapped out for FRESH veggies! Bonus – it just so happens that this also saves a ton of time. Not only is there no cooking involved, but many veggies can also be chopped in a food processor in seconds. Meaning a Thai kale salad in no time! Raw veggies are super healthy and can have more water-soluble vitamins in-tact (like vitamin C and B vitamins) than cooked ones. You will love this Thai Kale Salad With Peanut Sauce by Natalie Martin and Lexie Staten.

9. Roasted Sweet Potato, Black Bean and Kale Salad

Source: Roasted Sweet Potato, Black Bean and Kale Salad

This Roasted Sweet Potato, Black Bean and Kale Salad by Elsa Brobbey is the perfect warm and filling autumn salad that will be the perfect side or entree – it’s flavorful and healthful, and sure to impress any holiday guests!

10. Warm Broccolini and Shiitake Baby Kale Salad

Source: Warm Broccolini and Shiitake Baby Kale Salad

This Warm Broccolini and Shiitake Baby Kale Salad by Medha Swaminathan can very much become a base for your everyday meals. You can serve it both as entrée or a side, and it will create an ultimate indulgent experience with a spicy kick.

11. High Protein Roasted Cauliflower and Kale Salad With Curried Chickpeas

Source: High Protein Roasted Cauliflower and Kale Salad With Curried Chickpeas

This High Protein Roasted Cauliflower and Kale Salad With Curried Chickpeas by Ally McLaughlin comes right from the Food Monster kitchen! Our Recipe Coordinator whipped this delicious and hearty salad up in a jiffy. It’s a great salad to prepare in advance, and awesome for outdoor picnics.

12. Herb and Garlic Massaged Kale Salad

Source: Herb and Garlic Massaged Kale Salad

To enjoy ahead of time, massage the kale and add everything but the nutritional yeast/parmesan and nuts. When ready to serve, add the final touches and toss. This Herb and Garlic Massaged Kale Salad by Meredith Youngson is spectacular!

13. Kale Salad With Lentil Meatballs

Source: Kale Salad With Lentil Meatballs

The lentil meatballs in this recipe are deceptively easy to make; they’re dense, meaty, and a little bit spicy. If you’re not a fan of kale, then try massaging the leaves before serving — it will make them tender and less bitter. Topped with sliced red onion and fresh cherry tomatoes, this Kale Salad With Lentil Meatballs by Florian Nouh is both colorful and full of different flavors and textures. Serve with a drizzle of the leftover barbecue mustard sauce.

14. Roasted Beets and Kale Salad with Horseradish Crema and Hazelnuts

Source: Roasted Beets and Kale Salad with Horseradish Crema and Hazelnuts

This Roasted Beets and Kale Salad with Horseradish Crema and Hazelnuts by Viktoria Radichkova is sweet and earthy, with a spicy kick, and lots of toasted nuts and seeds. This fall salad packs a ton of flavor and a festive look, perfect for a special occasion.

15. Toasted Coconut Kale Salad With Tofu and Brown Rice

Source: Toasted Coconut Kale Salad With Tofu and Brown Rice

This Toasted Coconut Kale Salad With Tofu and Brown Rice by Molly Patrick has pretty much every flavor and texture you could ever want in a meal: leafy kale, creamy avocado, savory tofu, juicy tomatoes, crunchy toasted coconut, and tangy lime… So what are you waiting for? Make it for lunch right now!

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