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Kale may just be one of the easiest greens to grow in the garden. And since kale is so versatile, it can be sautéed (so delicious), pureed in smoothies, and even served as the base of a delicious salad, like this berry kale salad with strawberry vinaigrette.

Using kale in salads

The dark leafy kale greens are a nutritional powerhouse, and go well beyond other lighter salad greens like romaine and iceberg. Paired with strawberries and blueberries, this berry kale salad is a fantastic side dish for just about any meal and is particularly delicious in the spring and summer when the berries are fresh.

While kale is a super popular green to grow in the garden, many people don’t automatically think about using it for salads. Sautéing kale or using it in some kind of baked dish seems to be the most common use. But as with all vegetables, some of the nutrients are lost in the cooking process, so kale becomes an even more powerful food when eaten raw.

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You can use any variety of kale in this salad recipe, such as dinosaur (lacinato), curly kale, red kale, or Chinese kale. The choice is all in your preference, or what you have growing in your garden at the time. I used curly kale, since that’s what we had on hand.

Berry Kale Salad Ingredient List

• 6-7 cups washed kale, chopped
• 2-3 cups various berries, washed and sliced (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
• 1 English cucumber, sliced
• 3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/2-3/4 cup sliced almonds or chopped pecans

for the strawberry vinaigrette dressing:

• 4-5 fresh or frozen strawberries
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup good quality olive oil
• 1-2 tsp chopped thyme
• 1-2 tsp honey
• salt and pepper to taste

Assembling the kale salad

1. Begin by washing the kale, berries, and cucumber. Then lay out kale on a clean kitchen cloth, or use a salad spinner (I like this one) to dry off the kale leaves.
2. Then chop kale leaves into bite sized pieces and place on a clean platter or serving plate.

3. Next, chop the cucumber and place it on top of the kale, followed by the washed and dried berries. Any combination of strawberries, blueberries, blackberried, and raspberries will work for this berry kale salad.

4. Then top with crumbled feta cheese and chopped pecans or almonds.

5. Finally, make the strawberry vinaigrette dressing to top your berry kale salad. Use a blender or a smoothie maker (for easier clean up). I personally love our Ninja Smoothie Blender for smaller jobs like this, but we also have a Ninja full sized blender that works just as well. For the dressing, place all ingredients in the blender cup and blend for 10-20 seconds, or until the strawberries are pureed. Store in a glass jar until ready to use.

6. To serve, top the salad with the strawberry vinaigrette dressing and serve immediately.

Kale Berry Salad Substitutions

• Consider adding dried cranberries in place of some of the fresh berries for a different flavor.
• Use blueberries in place of strawberries in the vinaigrette for a fresh taste and color on the salad.
• Add chopped bacon for a savory kick to your salad.
• For extra protein, pair this salad with your favorite grilled meat or fish.

FAQ’s

• How to store Kale Berry Salad? Store the salad undressed in the refrigerator until ready to serve. For leftover salad with or without dressing, store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Due to the tougher texture of kale, the leaves hold up well with dressing on them. In fact, some people prefer the dressed salad after it’s been in the fridge for a day or two.
• Can this salad be made ahead? Absolutely! Simply prepare the salad and dressing and store both in the fridge until ready to serve. This can be done a day or two in advance.

Other Kale and Berry Recipes:

• Havarti and Kale Quiche
• Easy Sauteed Kale
• Sugar Cookie Crusted Strawberry Cobbler
• Fresh Strawberry and Spinach Salad