An easy kale salad recipe made with massaged raw kale, strawberries, pecans, blue cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette. Serve it for lunch, as a side with dinner, or take it to a family potluck – no matter which way you serve it, it’s amazing.
Kale is one of my favorite things.
Seriously, I have a kale salad recipe for every occasion – like my kale salad with blueberries, walnuts and feta that I like to take to gatherings in any season, my kale Caesar salad that I like to serve with dinner, my sweet kale salad (which is a spot-on amazing Costco copycat), my hearty roasted vegetable kale salad that has the most wonderful Earthy flavor and color, and one that I just call my best kale salad.
But I think I have another contender for the “top spot” in green salads….
I wanted another fresh salad with bright color and rich flavor, so I created this delicious kale salad recipe with strawberries, pecans, and blue cheese.
I really love the crunch of the kale, the sweetness of the strawberries, the sharpness of the blue cheese, and the nutty buttery pecans.
Serve it for a vegetarian lunch, as a side salad with dinner, or take it to a family potluck – no matter which way you serve it, it’s amazing.
Kale Salad Recipe Ingredients
- Kale (stems removed and saved for smoothies)
- Strawberries
- Pecans
- Blue cheese (crumbled or diced)
- Balsamic Vinaigrette (this is my favorite homemade dressing!)
A note about salad ingredients:
One of the best aspects of this salad is how flexible it is!!
- Out of strawberries? Use blueberries, mandarin oranges, dried cranberries, or apples.
- Sub goat cheese or feta cheese for the blue cheese.
- Add toasted almonds, pine-nuts, or walnuts instead of pecans.
- Include some red onion for a little kick!
- Make it more than a side dish by adding shredded chicken or roasted chickpeas.
How to Make Kale Salad with Strawberries, Pecans, Blue Cheese
Step 1. Prepare the salad dressing by combining balsamic vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, and maple syrup in a jar and shaking well or whisk in a small bowl. (Full dressing recipe here.)
Step 2. Place the kale into a large bowl and drizzle the dressing over the kale. Using your hands, massage the dressing into the kale for 1-2 minutes.
Step 3. Top with the strawberries, pecans, and cheese and toss gently to combine.
Step 4. Serve immediately, or as desired.
Kale Salad Recipe Notes
- Make this a massaged kale salad. Honestly, it’s really simple and it’s a must in my opinion because massaging the dressing into the leaves is key to the kale not tasting bitter. You can do this ahead of time, or right when you make the salad. Just be sure to use your hands to massage because tossing the kale leaves with the dressing won’t do the trick.
- Leftovers are great! Thanks to the heartiness of the kale, your salad won’t be soggy the next day. It may even be more flavorful since the ingredient had extra time to meld together!
- Add seasonal variety. If berries are not in season, use another fruit that is!
FAQs for Kale Salad Recipes
Can you eat kale like a salad?
Most definitely! And it’s very healthy to do so, I might add! This recipe is amazing, and I have many more kale salad recipes on my blog for you to enjoy.
How do you get the bitterness out of kale salad?
See my notes in the recipe about massaging the kale with the dressing. This is the secret key to fully enjoying curly kale in salad without bitterness, only wonderful crunch and flavor.
What goes well with kale salad?
The recipes on my blog for blackened salmon, roasted chicken, or Instant Pot shrimp would be amazing with this salad.
Should kale be cooked for salad?
No, kale does not need to be cooked for salad. Similar to lettuce salads, kale just needs to be rinsed well, chopped, and preferably massaged with dressing to bring out the flavor of kale without the bitterness.
More Salad Recipes
- Southwestern Chicken Salad
- Italian Pasta Salad
- Kale Salad with Blueberries, Feta, Walnuts
- White Bean Soup with Kale
- Roasted Veggie Salad with Kale
- Greek Quinoa Salad
30 Minute Dinners Sample Meal Plan
Sign up to get instant access to my 30 Minute Dinners Sample Meal Plan, complete with recipes and step-by-step instructions!Kale Salad Recipe with Strawberries, Pecans, Blue Cheese
An easy kale salad recipe made with massaged raw kale, strawberries, pecans, blue cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette. Serve it for lunch, as a side with dinner, or take it to a family potluck – no matter which way you serve it, it’s amazing.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Soup and Salad
- Method: Chop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- Balsamic Vinaigrette (this is my favorite kale salad dressing!) (see recipe below)
- 1 lb. kale chopped into bite-sized pieces
- I cup fresh strawberries, chopped
- 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
- 2–4 Tbsp blue cheese, crumbled
Balsamic vinaigrette dressing
- 4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1–2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
Instructions
- Prepare the salad dressing by combining the ingredients in a jar and shaking well.
- Place the kale into a large bowl and pour the dressing over the kale.
- Using your hands, massage the dressing into the kale for 1-2 minutes.
- Top with the strawberries, pecans, blue cheese and toss gently to combine.
- Serve immediately, or as desired.
Notes
- Make this a massaged kale salad. Honestly, it’s really simple – massaging the dressing into the leaves is key to the kale not tasting bitter. You can do this ahead of time, or when you make the whole salad. Just be sure to use your hands to massage because tossing the kale with the dressing won’t do the trick.
- Leftovers are great! Thanks to the heartiness of the kale, your salad won’t be soggy the next day.
- Add seasonal variety. If berries are not in season, use another fruit that is!
Leave a Comment