15 Too-Good-For-Words Kale Salad Recipes That You Must Try Now!

Kale lovers, are you trying to decide how to liven up a salad to serve for your next meal? We’ve rounded up 15 of our best kale salad recipes that will make any meal better!

Kale is a crunchy, dry variety of leaf cabbage that grows in popularity every year as we realize their nutritional value.

Along with being good for you, kale is one of the most flavorful leafy greens out there, and you can choose from so many kale salad ideas.

Classic salads with kale switch up your usual meals for something more innovative and exciting like #14. 

If you’re on the hunt for the best kale salad recipe, you may find it on our list. 

From the classic and comforting caesar salad to unique and tasty Thai twists on the vegetable just like the delicious Thai Cashew Kale Salad recipe, this list has a kale salad recipe for every palette. 

Did you get this far and realize you have no idea what kale is? FYI.

1. Caprese Kale Salad

Caprese salad is ideal for a weeknight dinner or a Sunday lunch because it only takes a handful of ingredients and comes together in a snap. 

Many Caprese salads forgo any substantial leafy green. 

It utilizes basil, but adding a few handfuls of kale to a Caprese helps round out the dish and add a new flavor.

For a light Italian salad, you can make it in a pinch using this Caprese kale salad recipe, and you’ll wow yourself as well as guests.

2. Greek Kale Salad

For a unique twist on the colorful Greek salad, swap out the romaine for kale and experience a new combination of flavors.

Greek salad is a classic salad bursting with color and flavors sweet and salty. 

But the real star of this show is the creamy tahini dressing that douses the salad in a warm, comforting flavor that highlights the vegetables in the salad. 

If you haven’t hopped on the tahini train yet, this is your chance!

3. Lemon Garlic Kale Salad

Lemon and garlic are a typical culinary pairing, and when matched with the crunchy kale leaves, create a crisp, refreshing salad. 

This recipe is one of the best kale salads to make because you can serve it as a main meal with grilled chicken or sauteed shrimp, but it also works as a light side salad to a larger meal.

The recipe includes pine nuts for a nice crunch and nutty, toasted flavor that rounds out the salad perfectly. 

Keep your kale fresh for as long as possible with these tips.

4. Apple, Cranberry, Walnut Kale Salad

This one stands out from the crowd as far as kale salad ideas go. 

The salty crunch of the pecans, the freshness of the green kale, the subtle sourness of the apple, and the sweet chewiness of the cranberries meld together into a show-stopping array of flavors. 

The recipe will make you keep all these ingredients on hand to have this salad whenever you please. 

This recipe also utilizes crumbled tempeh which adds a heavier flavor and texture to the dish if you’re feeling extra hungry.

5. Winter Pomegranate Kale Salad

Many people think winter is no time for salads, but those people would be wrong. 

And you can prove them wrong with this delicious Winter Pomegranate Kale Salad that offers comforting flavors along with the bursting flavor of pomegranate seeds. 

Toasted pecans add winter flavors, while the pomegranates bring the color of a summer salad. 

Feel free to add pears or apples for an extra crunch and sweet flavor.

6. Carrot Ginger Kale Salad

The Carrot Ginger Kale Salad is one of the easiest to make on our list.

It can be thrown together in about ten minutes and has an array of Asian-inspired flavors from soy sauce to lime to ginger, but is beautifully offsets by the sweetness of the carrots and maple syrup.

If you want a salad that tastes just as bright and colorful as it looks, this kale salad idea is an enticing combination of flavors.

7. Kale & Quinoa Salad

Aside from the dressing, this recipe only uses two ingredients: kale and quinoa. 

So if you’re running low on produce and other ingredients, this salad takes little effort and few ingredients.

Kale and quinoa come together in many dishes because the large, crunchy leaves work as a vessels for the small grains. 

This recipe uses a dijon and honey vinaigrette that is light and tasty. 

Don’t be afraid to mix and match these kale salad ideas with different dressings and see what works for you.

8. Kale Breakfast Salad

Are you eyeing the fresh, green kale in your fridge, but it’s only 9 am? 

The answer to your cravings is this Kale Breakfast Salad that is simple to make and dazzleing to eat. 

The recipe calls for bacon, breakfast sausage links, and boiled eggs, but just like any breakfast dish, you can make it your own.

If you prefer your eggs sunny-side up, don’t be afraid to go your own way because it’s hard to go wrong with a breakfast salad. 

If you prefer Canadian bacon or sausage patties to what the recipe uses, go for it!

9. Kale Caesar Salad

Almost everyone has had, and probably enjoyed, a caesar salad in their lifetime. 

Swapping out the romaine or iceberg lettuce for the crunchy, flavorful kale kicks the traditional salad up a notch for a new twist on the well-known salad.

If you love caesar salads but are tired of the same old thing all the time, this kale caesar salad recipe is a great dish to switch things up.

10. BLT Kale Salad

Everyone loves an old-fashioned BLT, one of the simplest sandwiches you can whip together. 

For a fun twist on the sandwich, you can make this BLT Kale Salad, which, of course, uses kale as its ‘L’. 

The saltiness of the bacon works well with the bitter but tasty flavor of kale. 

The kale salad has a honey vinaigrette that adds the perfect sweetness to the dish without overpowering it. 

11. Chicken Parmesan Kale Salad

Looking for a hearty kale salad you can have as your dinner? 

This Chicken Parmesan Kale Salad uses a hefty amount of diced chicken and fresh parmesan cheese. 

If you want to complete the flavor of classic chicken parmesan, you can add some diced tomatoes for the acidity and color it will bring to the dish. 

Also, you can have this salad as a side for an Italian pasta dish or other heavy meals.

12. Waldorf Kale Salad

This recipe is no ordinary Waldorf salad because of the kale (or spinach or arugula) and the creamy texture you wouldn’t expect. 

The dressing uses Greek yogurt and mayonnaise to add a creamy texture that will have you savoring every bite.

The use of apples, cranberries, and grapes delivers a sweet flavor that is well-balanced with the creaminess of the dressing. 

You can add almost any fruit you want, too, like strawberries or mandarin oranges.

13. Thai Cashew Kale Salad

If you feel like your kale salads, have been monotonous, and you’re getting bored, switch up your flavors with this Summer Thai Kale Salad with cashews. 

The recipe calls for a boatload of fresh, colorful vegetables that turn your bowl into a rainbow of yummy food. 

The cashews add a distinct crunch and nutty flavor, balancing the Thai-flavored dressing that utilizes common Thai ingredients like lemongrass, fish sauce, coconut, and ginger. 

The dressing is bursting with flavor, so we recommend making some extra because you make this salad again.

14. Butternut Squash Kale Salad

The Butternut Squash Kale Salad is one of the most flavorful kale salads on this list.

It combines spices, including cumin, paprika, and chile pepper, for a zesty, subtle spice that you’ll love. 

The sweet apricot vinaigrette offers the ideal amount of relief from the chipotle peppers without dulling their taste too much or competing with the salad’s flavor profile.

There are many butternut squash kale salad recipes online, but this one is unique in its use of spices and sweetness that arrive at an innovative flavor profile.

15. Kale & Blueberry Spring Salad

If the warm weather arrives and you’re looking for something refreshing and flavorful, look no further than this Spring Kale Salad with blueberries. 

The recipe features fresh, juicy blueberries, sugar snap peas, pecans, and creamy, crumbly feta cheese for a well-balanced salad that checks on the boxes on your list.

Kale has a peppery, bitter taste that highlights the sweetness in the blueberries and nuts. 

Top it with a simple mustard and honey dressing for a quick kale salad idea that will leave you wanting more.

The bottom line

Kale is an excellent substitute for any leafy green in a salad, so next time you’re at the grocery store, consider choosing a bushel of kale over your typical head of iceberg lettuce. 

The crunchy bite will allow you to pair it with different levels of sweet and salty ingredients for a wide range of flavor combinations that all taste scrumptious. 

Whether you love a spicy Asian salad, a sweet, creamy summer salad, or a hearty protein-packed salad as your dinner, kale can offer you all of this. 

Don’t make another boring salad again, and don’t waste your beautiful kale by letting it wilt in the fridge. If you have so much kale you need to freeze it, here are some tips.

It’s always good to massage your kale with a bit of oil. If only we were all so lucky.

Try out one of these kale salad ideas the next time you hanker for some leafy greens, and you’ll never go back to boring old romaine.

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