Kale Superfood Salad

Treat your taste buds to a meal that's delicious and healthy with this Kale Superfood Salad. Made with quinoa, chickpeas, pomegranates, almonds, and more, this dish hits major food groups and tastes great too!

A quick and easy loaded salad recipe

If there's one thing I believe to be true about salads, it's that they should never be boring! With so many ingredient options and toppings to choose from, salads can serve as absolute flavor bombs. This Kale Superfood Salad is just that!

Made with loads of flavorful ingredients, it packs in great taste while also serving as a nutrient-dense powerhouse. From the quinoa and chickpeas to the pomegranates and almonds, this salad is loaded with protein, fiber, magnesium, calcium, potassium, B vitamins, and more.

To make things even better, it's wildly quick and easy to prepare!

Ingredients in this kale superfood salad

This dish is made in two parts: the salad and the dressing. The salad is filled with a superfood base consisting of ingredients like quinoa, carrots, chickpeas, almonds, and feta. The dressing has a honey and lemon juice base and is created with olive oil, dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and garlic. Below is everything you'll need:

Salad

• Kale: First up for this salad is 12oz of chopped kale.
• Olive oil: Use 2tbsp of olive oil to massage and break down the kale.
• Salt: ½ teaspoon of salt is used alongside the olive oil to break the kale down as well as add flavor.
• Quinoa: Bulk up this salad by adding 1 cup of cooked quinoa.
• Carrots: Then, throw in some veggies by including 1 cup of shredded and finely chopped carrots.
• Chickpeas: 1 15oz can of drained and rinsed chickpeas adds protein and density to the dish.
• Almonds: Add some crunch with 1 cup of sliced almonds.
• Pomegranate seeds: 1 cup of pomegranate seeds adds more flavor to the dish.
• Raisins: Next, 1 cup of golden raisins add antioxidants, calcium, and potassium to the salad.
• Feta: Salads always taste better with a bit of cheese. For this one, use 6oz of feta.
• Dill: Last but not least, finish off this dish with ⅓ cup of fresh, chopped dill.

Dressing

• Olive oil: The dressing begins with ½ cup of olive oil.
• Honey: Add ¼ cup of honey for sweetness.
• Lemon juice: Next, the juice of 1 lemon adds a nice tang to the recipe.
• Dijon mustard: Throw in 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard for good measure.
• Spices: Then, finish up the dressing by including 1 teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.

Tools used to make this superfood salad with kale

A handful of tools will be useful in preparing this superfood salad. Below is a complete list, along with the appropriate measuring cup sizes.

• Cutting board
• Cutting knife
• Large mixing bowl
• Stirring utensil
• Glass measuring cup
• Whisk
• Tongs

To measure ingredients, you will need the following sized measuring cups: ½ tsp, 1 tsp, 1 tbsp, ¼ cup, ⅓ cup, and 1 cup.

How to make this easy packed superfood salad

Ready to get started? This dish should take less than 10 minutes of prep time. It yields 12 servings, making it great for a crowd.

First, add the kale, olive oil, and salt to a large bowl. Massage everything together until the kale is slightly broken down. The longer you massage it, the less chewy it becomes.

Then, add the cooked quinoa, chopped carrots, chickpeas, almonds, pomegranate seeds, raisins, feta, and dill to the bowl.

Grab a glass measuring cup and whisk together all of the dressing ingredients until well combined.

Pour the dressing on top of the salad mixture and toss to combine.

What to add to your kale superfood salad recipe

There are a bunch of different ingredients that you can add to this dish to make it your own. From avocado slices and blueberries to sunflower seeds and walnuts, here are some ideas!

• Avocado
• Sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
• Chopped broccoli
• Fresh blueberries or strawberries
• Goat cheese
• Green onions
• Walnuts
• Cashews
• Black beans

Can you eat kale raw in a salad?

You sure can! Kale is a delicious salad base and tastes wonderful alongside the quinoa, carrots, chickpeas, almonds, pomegranate seeds, and raisins in this recipe. After massaging the kale a bit, it has the perfect crunchy salad texture.

Is raw kale hard on your stomach?

Yes and no. While kale is an incredibly nutritious food, some have a slightly harder time digesting it if it's not massaged first. The great thing about massaging the leaves down is that not only does it make the kale nice and crunchy, but it also makes it easier to digest. Doing so helps break down the leaf fibers, making the kale easier for the stomach to process.

How do you prepare raw kale for eating?

The best way to prepare raw kale for eating is to massage it a bit with olive oil and salt. That's exactly what we do in this recipe! Then, once paired with the rest of the ingredients and the delicious honey, lemon, and mustard vinaigrette, the kale takes on a wonderful flavor that you're going to love.

If you liked this recipe, you'll want to try these!

In the market for some similar and equally delicious recipes? Try one of these healthy salad ideas.

• Spinach Quinoa Salad with Feta Cheese
• Cashew Crunch Salad with Sesame Dressing
• Fall Harvest Salad

Recipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa