Healthy Kale Salad Recipes

Salad dressing made from sweet and mellow white balsamic vinegar balances out the assertive greens and Brussels sprouts in this healthy winter salad. If you have one handy, a small mandoline makes it easy to slice the Brussels and apple. To make it a dinner salad, top with shrimp or chicken.

This herb-loaded green goddess-inspired dressing gets a color boost from creamy avocado. Make a double batch of this healthy salad dressing to keep on hand for salads throughout the week.

A bright lemon, garlic and tarragon vinaigrette coats this salad topped with grilled steak. Since the grill is already fired up, we throw on some bread for homemade croutons.

Fruit, whole grains and greens for breakfast? Yes! Start your day off right with this breakfast salad recipe and you'll knock out half of your daily veggie quota with the first meal of the day.

In this kale and strawberry salad, apple-cider vinegar and mustard flavor the dressing while fresh strawberries offer a touch of sweetness. Creamy herbed goat cheese completes this healthy salad that's perfect for lunch or dinner.

This festive holiday salad recipe features plenty of oven-roasted broccoli and cauliflower combined with massaged kale. Why massage the kale? It helps tenderize the leaves and infuses the sweet-tangy flavor of the dressing directly into the heart of this healthy winter salad.

For a nutrient-packed twist, this healthier Caesar salad features spinach and kale in addition to romaine. But it's the Parmesan crisps that make this salad dinner party-worthy. Serve it the next time you entertain at home.  

Breakfast salad? Oh yes! Start your day off right with this healthy breakfast recipe. A bowl of good-for-you greens, such as baby kale, will knock out half of your daily veggie quota with the first meal of the day.

The lightly sweet, creamy homemade poppy seed dressing takes this crunchy salad to the next level for a mouthwatering vegetable side dish or light lunch. Top with cooked chicken for a heartier meal.

This seasonal twist on a traditional Cobb salad swaps in kale for lettuce and spiced butternut squash for chicken but keeps the essential avocado, blue cheese, bacon and egg.

This easy holiday salad gets its flavor from a sweet citrus dressing that's infused into the kale by massaging the greens and the dressing together with your hands. We like a mix of kale for this recipe, but any type of kale will work.

To top this zesty raw kale salad recipe, we toss diced tofu and chickpeas with a flavorful Moroccan-inspired spice mixture before roasting. The hot oven turns the outside of the tofu crisp and the inside pleasantly chewy.

This quick, healthy dinner salad recipe is ready in 40 minutes thanks to preshredded carrots and coleslaw mix. If you have leftover quinoa, skip Step 1 and use 2 cups in the salad. If you want a bigger flavor kick in the dressing, up the wasabi powder to 1 tablespoon.

The kids participating in the California Farm to School Network who inspired this salad knew that they could make kale more tender and appealing to fellow students by massaging it first to break down tough cells in the plant. You probably won't find crumbled Cheddar at your market, but all you have to do is buy the cheese as a brick and then slice before breaking it into little chunks.

Kale for breakfast? Oh yeah! Start your day off right with a breakfast salad recipe full of good-for-you greens and you'll knock out half of your daily veggie quota with the first meal of the day.

This autumnal kale-quinoa salad is a delicious mixture of texture and flavor. Celery and walnuts add crunch while dried cranberries and apple add a sweet-tart note. We use blue cheese in this salad, but feta, Parmesan, goat cheese or manchego would be just as tasty.

Kale isgreat in salads, but some people find the leaves a bit tough. Spend just a few minutes massaging the kale in a bit of lemon juice and salt, and you--and your guests-- will enjoy a softer texture and a more gentle flavor.

Prepare a week's worth of lunches in about 10 minutes using a handful of ingredients from your local specialty grocery store. To save time, we're using a bag of frozen grilled and marinated vegetables, then adding big flavor with marinated goat cheese. If you want to bump up the protein, leftover chicken breast or salmon pair perfectly with this hearty salad.

Massaging the kale is well worth the effort because the process quickly softens the leaves for a tender bite. We've used green curly kale here, but red kale would also give this salad a lovely appearance. For an extra burst of citrus flavor, garnish each serving with additional lemon zest.

Think of this as a tabbouleh salad with staying power, thanks to the addition of protein-rich white beans. It also gains more complexity with freekeh in place of bulgur. Made from young green wheat that's been roasted and cracked, this whole grain has a toasty, nutty flavor. You can substitute regular bulgur if you'd like.

Massaging kale, curly endive and Brussels sprouts then tossing with a warm dressing wilts them slightly for a more tender bite.

This plant-based main-dish salad packs a powerful punch of greens, nutrients and flavor. Add healthy protein with convenient baked tofu slices, which have a firm texture that is well suited to salads and sandwiches. Sprinkle on a little crunch with slivered almonds, and just a hint of tropical sweetness with unsweetened coconut. The vinaigrette rounds out the dish with tangy-sweet kick.

Hearty greens and vegetables like kale and Brussels sprouts make an excellent base for prep-ahead salads. They don't wilt after a day in the crisper, and they stand up to any number of toppings. Bonus: They're loaded with nutrients, vitamins and minerals you won't get from your basic iceberg wedge. The sweetness of dried cranberries balances the slight bitterness of the greens and scallions. Use this recipe as a starting point for healthy grab-&-go power lunch salads.

Baked tofu adds meatiness and protein this healthy packable lunch salad. A topping of toasted almonds and Parmesan adds a layer of nuttiness, and honey-mustard vinaigrette gives everything a sweet-tangy finish.