Kale Avocado Salad

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.

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.

1. 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. 
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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. 

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

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Kale Avocado Salad Recipe

5 from 3 votes

By: Aysegul Sanford

Yields4 servings

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Total Time15 minutes mins

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 

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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.

Additional Info

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

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