I am all about a healthy green salad. But there are times when I want to celebrate an ingredient – and that ingredient today is kale, which probably explains why I have so many kale recipes on my website. A few of the reader favorites are my Quinoa Kale Salad, Brussel sprouts kale salad, Kale and Apple Slaw, and this Kale Zucchini recipe.
But I think this kale and avocado salad recipe is at the top of my list. Packed with dark leafy greens, healthy fats, and fresh lemon juice, it hits the spot every time. Trust me when I say, this salad will turn any kale-hater into a kale lover!
Why Should You Try This Recipe?
Kale salad with avocado lemon dressing is a cinch to make. I know you will love it because:
- Healthy salad and dietary friendly: This salad is wholesome, nutritious, gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian and low-carb.
- Massaged kale is easier to eat and store: Once you learn how to massage kale, you’ll never go back to eating it raw (unless you prefer to!). It’s much easier to eat and lasts for days. Plus, avocado massaged kale tastes much better than its versions massaged with oil.
- Easy to customize: This kale avocado lemon salad recipe is easy to make your own with a few simple ingredient swaps.
Ingredients
The kale avocado lemon salad ingredients come in two parts – the dressing and the salad.
- For the dressing, you will need a ripe avocado, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- For the salad, gather together one bunch of kale and pine nuts.
Ingredient Substitutions and Notes
- Dressing: Replace the mashed avocado dressing – take good use of your food processor with avocado salad dressing (this version makes a deliciously creamy kale avocado salad) or lighten it up with a simple lemon salad dressing.
- Citrus Juice or Vinegar: Experiment with acidic citrus juices (i.e. lime juice) or use apple cider vinegar instead.
- Garlic: Use ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder instead of fresh garlic.
- Kale: I used curly kale that was easy to find at my local grocery store. Red kale or Tuscan kale (also known as dinosaur kale) would work, too.
- Nuts: Toasty pine nuts add a subtle crunch, but you can use sliced almonds or chopped walnuts. Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or hemp seeds would be a great nut-free alternative.
How to Massage Kale with Avocado Lemon Dressing
Clean hands are your best tool for this avocado-massaged kale salad recipe. Grab your biggest salad bowl and immerse yourself in plenty of greens.
- Mash the avocado: Place avocado, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Using the back of a fork, mash the avocado and mix it with the rest of the ingredients.
- Massage kale: Place kale in a large bowl and using clean hands, massage the kale with the avocado lemon dressing until leaves are covered with the dressing and softened. Give it a taste for seasoning and add if necessary. Set aside to rest.
- Toast nuts: Place your choice of nuts in an empty skillet and toast over medium heat, stirring frequently, until lightly browned. This happens really quickly so be sure to keep a close eye on them.
- Finish and serve: Sprinkle the kale and avocado salad with the now-toasted nuts (while they are still warm). Give it a big toss and serve immediately.
How to Store
This avocado and lemon salad will keep well in the fridge. After a few days, the kale starts to lose some of its vibrancy and the avocado takes on a bitter taste.
- Make-Ahead: The avocado kale salad can be made 2 hours in advance and can be stored in the fridge until you are ready to serve it.
- Storage: Thanks to the sturdy leaves of curly kale, this salad keeps well for upto three days as long as it is kept in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Meal Prep: Make a batch, divide it in meal prep containers, and serve it for the next 3 days.
How to Serve
This bruised kale salad recipe can be served in a number of ways. Some of my favorites include:
- Top it off with veggies: Finish it with fresh vegetables like sliced red onion, diced bell peppers, tomatoes or carrots or make it a heartier salad with baked asparagus, Air Fryer Asparagus, Roasted Portobello Mushrooms, or Roasted Shiitake Mushrooms.
- Toss with whole grains: Add a scoop of my instant pot black rice, instant pot wild rice, bulgur wheat or – my favorite – quinoa.
- Add some lean protein: Make it a complete meal with baked bone-in chicken breasts or keep it vegan by tossing in some white beans.
- As a side dish to the main meal: Serve it alongside spaghetti bolognese or chicken fricassee.
- Jazzed up with extra toppings: Give it an extra special touch with some freshly grated parmesan cheese, homemade croutons, or a sprinkling of nutritional yeast.
Expert Tips
- Remove the thick stems from kale. Simply hold the end of the kale leaf in one hand, then using your other hand, run your fingers in the opposite direction along the stem, removing the leaves as you go.
- Cut the leaves into thin ribbons. Smaller pieces are easier to massage and eat than larger ones. Plus, they hold more of that creamy avocado dressing.
- Use your hands. Clean hands work the best when destemming kale and massaging the leaves. A knife and tongs just don’t give you the same results.
- Massage kale for at least 2 minutes. Raw kale leaves will start to break down and darken in color after about 2 minutes, but you can massage the leaves for as long as 3-4 minutes.
- Lessen the time of the massaging process if looking to make ahead. The kale will get mushy in the fridge after a couple of days if massaged for too long. Stick to the 2-3 minute mark if planning to make ahead.
- I do not recommend baby kale. A baby kale salad recipe will not give you the same results. Stick with sturdy, dark green, mature tender kale leaves.
- Toast the nuts. I know it is an extra step but don’t skip on toasting the nuts. Believe me, toasted pine nuts taste much better.
- A serving of this Kale Avocado Salad is 234 calories.
Other Salad Recipes You Might Also Enjoy:
If you are a fan of healthy green salads, you are at the right place. Below are a few recipes you might also like:
- Spring Mix Salad
- Butter Lettuce Salad
- Roasted Asparagus Salad
- Avocado Peach Salad
- Avocado Mango Salad
- Tabouli
If you try this Massaged Kale Avocado Salad recipe or any of our other salad recipes on Foolproof Living, please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. And if you took some pictures, be sure to share them on Instagram using #foolproofeats so I can share them on my stories.
Diet Key
This Recipe is:
Kale Avocado Salad Recipe
This Kale and Avocado Salad recipe is made by massaging kale with ripe avocados and flavoring it with tangy lemon. Sprinkled with a handful of toasted pine nuts, it is a nutritious green salad perfect for any day of the week.
Ingredients
For The Avocado Lemon Dressing
- 1 ripe avocado, plus more as garnish
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For The Salad
- 1 bunch kale, destemmed and chopped (5-6 cups of kale)
- ½ cup pine nuts, sliced almonds, or chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Place avocado, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and black pepper in a large salad bowl. Using the back of a fork mash the avocado and mix it with the rest of the ingredients.
- Add the chopped kale into the bowl and using clean hands massage the kale with the avocado lemon dressing until leaves are covered with the dressing and softened. Give it a taste for seasoning and add in if necessary. Set it aside to rest.
- Place your choice of nuts in an empty skillet and toast over medium heat, stirring frequently, until lightly browned. This happens really quickly so be sure to keep a close eye on it.
- Sprinkle the kale and avocado salad with the now-toasted nuts (while they are still warm). Give it a big toss. Taste for seasoning and add more if necessary.
- Serve.
Notes
- Cut the leaves into thin ribbons. Smaller pieces are easier to massage and eat than larger ones. Plus, they hold more of that creamy avocado dressing.
- Use your hands. Clean hands work the best when destemming kale and massaging the leaves. A knife and tongs just don’t give you the same results.
- Massage kale for at least 2 minutes. Raw kale leaves will start to break down and darken in color after about 2 minutes, but you can massage the leaves for as long as 3-4 minutes.
- Storage: Thanks to the sturdy leaves of curly kale, the leftovers of this kale salad keep well for up to three days as long as it is kept in an airtight container in the fridge.
Nutrition
Calories: 234kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 302mg | Potassium: 410mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1503IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Absolutely delicious! Love the way you smash the avocado into the oil and garlic and mix it into the kale- makes every bite well coated. I added chickpeas (drained and rinsed right from the can) divine! Thank you
Hello Rhonda,
I am thrilled to hear that you liked this kale and avocado recipe.
Thank you so much for coming back and taking the time to leave a review.
I have made this so many times, and it is always a hit! For those who aren’t vegan, a little crumble feta is a delicious addition!
Yes! Feta is a great addition. So happy to hear that you like this salad.
It is a favorite in our household as well.
Thanks for coming by and taking the time to leave a review.
Aysegul
Great recipe – Thanks for sharing.
You are welcome Sarala.
Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
Sure wish I would have found this recipe a week ago. My husband brought home 2 .5 lbs. of chopped kate from Cash and Carry, (washed, ready to use with most stems removed)…. Once I open the bag, the Kale sort expanded in quantity. I made Aarti’s Massaged Kale Salad which she adds lemon, salt and Olive Oil to Kale and massages Kale. You may be interested in her recipe for ideas. Yours uses avocado massaged in with the Kale. A different take and a “must try” for me. I subscribed to blog. (Beats me how I found you just now, one link leads to another)….. Thanks
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aarti-sequeira/massaged-kale-salad-recipe
Hi Allie.. This is a very old recipe, yet one that I make quite often. I have to check out Aarti’s version. Thank you for sharing.
Loving your recipes!!! Keep up the good work. You have found a definate follower in me!!
Hi Joyce,
Thank you so much for stopping by!
I hope you will get a chance to make some of them in your kitchen..
Happy new year! Cheers!
Ice
Yine enfes bir tarif !Ama bizde kale yok ,yerine pazı kullansak olur mu baaaaaayan!!!!!
Bir de lugata bakmaya üşendim hemp ne demek ?
Ha ha… Tesekkurler. Bence pazi, ispanak, yesil yaprakli ne varsa olur. Hemp, kenevir demekmis. Bende simdi ogrendim.. Pek lezzetli oluyor dene derim.. 🙂
Ya da ben yaparim sana gelince..
just found your blog and I’m so excited! Your recipes pretty much sum up my favorite things to eat (chickpeas, lemons in everything, kale, mushrooms, asparagus) and my favorite way to cook (lots of salads, not so many bowls and pots and pans). Can’t wait to try some out and see what else you’ll be sharing.
Thank you!