• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Clean & Delicious logo

  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • Recipes
  • Video
  • Food For Thought
    • Intuitive Eating
    • Mental Health
    • Nutrition
    • Weight Loss
  • Shop
  • About
  • Contact
    • Work With Me

Home » Recipes » Lunch » Salad + Dressing » Simple Kale Salad

Jan 15, 2021

Simple Kale Salad

4.62 from 26 votes
By Dani Spies
Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links.

This simple kale salad is a combination of fresh, vibrant, greens massaged with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, salt and lemon juice. An easy, healthy side dish that pairs perfectly with chicken, fish and beef.

My Go-To Salad

I love to serve a green veggie with my meals, some of my favorite options include roasted broccoli, roasted asparagus and this super easy kale salad.

Leafy greens are the #1 food missing from the American Diet and they contain so many nutrient-dense vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that our bodies love! So finding easy ways (like this!) to work them onto your menu is key.

I always keep prepped greens on hand so I can make easy salads just like this one. In our house, this simple kale salad as an everyday option. Make it super easy for yourself by prepping the kale on the weekend and then store it in an airtight container in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve it – simply add olive oil, salt, garlic and lemon – massage and dig in!

Enjoy as-is, or kick it up a notch with favorite salad toppings.

Everyday Kale Salad Ingredients

This easy, vibrant kale salad is made with just 5 simple ingredients and packed with delicious flavors. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

  • Kale – the star of this nourishing salad!
  • Extra virgin olive oil – use the very best evoo you can find. The rich, fruity flavor really makes this salad and helps to tenderize the kale leaves.
  • Salt & garlic – both add tons of flavor.
  • Lemon juice – gives the salad a light, bright taste that pairs well with pretty much anything you want to serve with or add to the salad.

How To Prepare Kale For Salads

It’s easy to get kale ready for salads, but here are a few important steps to follow. However, you can skip this process if you buy a bag of prepared kale to save on prep time.

  • Wash the kale. I like to rinse the leaves under cold water but you can also soak them in a bowl of cold water.
  • Next, I pull the leaves up and away from the stem. Each leaf of kale has a hard stem that runs down the middle so you’ll want to pull out the stems. This is the easiest way to remove the stems! Be sure to watch the video below if you are a visual person, like me.
  • Roll and slice. Stack a few leaves on top of one and other, roll into a tight cigar and slice into thin ribbons.
  • Dry the leaves. Once the leaves are washed and cut, I like to run them through the salad spinner to ensure they are nice and dry.

Now your kale is ready to be made into a salad. If you’d like, you can store the prepped kale in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last up to five days this way and makes for easy weekday salads,

how to massage kale for salads

Kale is naturally a bit tough when it’s raw, especially curly kale. Massaging kale sounds weird, but it helps to make the kale leaves more tender and more enjoyable to eat.

Once the kale is prepped, transfer it to a large bowl. You’ll need a little oil and salt to tenderize and soften the kale. For this simple recipe, you can go ahead and add in the garlic and lemon juice too. I typically massage my kale with extra virgin olive oil because it has the best flavor (in my opinion).

Once the kale is coated in oil, work the leaves with your fingers by pinching and squeezing the kale for a couple of minutes or until the leaves are soft and pliable.

kale salad variations

This easy kale salad makes a great base salad for adding any ingredients that you happen to have on hand. Here are some tasty options:

  • Fruit – Mix in diced pear, apple, dried cranberries, or pomegranate seeds.
  • Protein – Top with sliced grilled chicken or salmon to make this salad a main course.
  • Nuts – Pecans, almonds, walnuts or pine nuts add delicious flavor and a nice crunch.
  • Cheese – Goat cheese, feta cheese, blue cheese or shaved parmesan are tasty additions.

Is Kale Salad Healthy?

YES! Kale is low in calories, low in carbohydrates and high in fiber. Plus, this powerhouse of a green contains antioxidants, calcium and Vitamins B, C and K. Kale also contains iron, potassium, phosphorous, folate and iron.

General rule of thumb… if something is leafy and green, it’s pretty safe to assume it has health benefits, lol!

Make this simple kale salad your new best friend and you’ll never forget to eat your greens again! you’ll never look at kale the same way again!

More healthy salad recipes to try

  • Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Grapes
  • Beet Salad with Arugula and Walnuts
  • Brussels Sprouts with Apple and Bacon
  • Festive Kale Salad

If you make this delicious kale salad, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how it turned out. Your feedback is so helpful for me and our Clean & Delicious community (thank you!).

simple_kale_salad
Print Recipe
4.62 from 26 votes

Simple Kale Salad

This easy kale salad is an easy way to work rich, leafy greens into your everyday diet! Enjoy it as-is or add some of your favorite salad toppings. Enjoy!
Course: salad, sides
Cuisine: American
Author: Dani Spies
Prep Time10 mins
Total Time10 mins
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 87kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch kale
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/8th teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 clove crushed garlic
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions

  • Rinse kale under cold water. Remove stems, roll leaves, and slice into thin ribbons.
  • Place kale ribbons into a salad spinner to remove any excess water. This is important if you want your dressing to adhere to the kale leaves.
  • Transfer the kale to a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil, then add salt, garlic and lemon juice.
  • Gently massage all the ingredients into the kale using your hands. If the kale is very tender, you can simply toss with tongs (no massage required!).
  • Enjoy as-is or add your favorite salad toppings.

Notes

Save your kale stems! Chop them into little bits and saute with some olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper until tender.  They are delicious tossed into scrambled eggs or with your favorite whole grains.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 87kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 180mg | Potassium: 235mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 6494IU | Vitamin C: 62mg | Calcium: 168mg | Iron: 1mg

Dairy Free, Diet, Gluten Free, Kitchen Basics, Low Carb + Keto, Lunch, Meal Prep, Nut Free, Paleo, Recipes, Salad + Dressing, Vegan, Vegetarian, Video, Whole 30

About Dani Spies

Dani Spies is the founder and host of Clean & Delicious; a weekly cooking show on YouTube and a healthy eating blog that celebrates real, whole foods! She takes a holistic approach to health and wellness and is loved for her approachable, down to earth style both in and out of the kitchen.

Learn MoreWork With Me

Reader Interactions

Yum! I love this recipe.

    Leave a review Cancel reply

    If you loved this recipe please leave a comment and star rating below. Questions are also welcome. Cheers!

    Recipe Rating




    Comments

  1. Rosamar says

    July 10, 2022 at 1:14 pm

    5 stars
    Easy, fast, healthy and delicious. I added slices of red and orange peppers for color on top. Light summer treat. Thank you

    Reply
    • Dani Spies says

      July 11, 2022 at 9:11 am

      I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for taking the time to let me know!

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I’m Dani.

I’m a Health, Wellness & Weight Loss Coach, Mom of two, and the Founder of Clean & Delicious®. I’ll show you how to make healthy eating CRAZY-easy and insanely DELICIOUS!

Learn more

Stay Connected

Never Miss a Recipe

Sign up for free recipes straight to your inbox.

Reader Faves

shrimp and green beans on small plate with fork

Roasted Shrimp and Green Beans

meatloaf muffins on plate

Turkey Meatloaf Muffins

Brussels Sprouts + Grapes

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Grapes | Healthy Holiday Side Dish

Turkey Stuffed Zucchini Boats - Clean & Delicious®

Turkey Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Roasted Rosemary Chicken

Baked Chicken And Potatoes

apple-protein-muffins

Apple Protein Muffins

Seasonal Picks

spinach frittata in cast iron pan

Spinach Frittata

warm blueberry crisp with vanilla ice-cream

Blueberry Crisp Recipe

open-faced fish taco on white plate

Easy Fish Tacos

healthy foods

10 Healthy Fridge Staples

blueberry oatmeal muffin cup

Baked Blueberry Lemon Oatmeal Muffin Cups

steamed beets in a white bowl

Simply Steamed Beets

My Ebooks

photo of salad and ice cream ebook

Search

As Featured On

Footer

Never miss a recipe!

Subscribe to get new recipes + tips via email plus my BONUS smoothie making guide!

  • Recipes
  • Food For Thought
  • Shop
  • About
  • Work With Me

© 2023 Clean & Delicious. Privacy Policy

Jump on the Interest List for My New Course:

The Don’t Diet