Chopped Kale Salad

An easy recipe for chopped kale salad with a simple apple cider vinaigrette. This fresh side dish has a balance of salty and sweet with a nice crunch. Low sugar dried cranberries, feta and chopped walnuts round out this winning salad.

This is the salad that finally made me love raw kale! The way the smooth dressing softens the leaves, with that touch of acidity from the vinegar, and how the walnuts, cranberries and feta make it stand out is perfection.

I made this side dish for the days when I have no time but want something colorful and fresh. It’s the ideal pairing with pretty much anything! I love serving it with a sandwich like my roast beef melt for a filling meal, it cuts the creaminess of my baked mac and cheese, and it’s lovely with my go-to grilled rosemary chicken!

Professional Tips

• Massage the kale. You want to do this for at least 30 seconds, until it turns a slightly darker green. Break down those fibers!
• Chop in advance. I typically chop my kale ahead and store it in a plastic baggie with a piece of paper towel in the fridge. No one has time for excessive chopping on a Tuesday.
• Slice your pepper and onions pretty thin. You could also use a mandolin!

Salad Ingredients

• Kale: Curly kale is preferred for this recipe. You can use other types of kale too– lacinato kale, red kale, tuscan kale, or dinosaur kale would all work for this salad! If you aren’t able to find kale, try using Swiss chard, arugula, collard greens, spinach, or mustard greens.
• Onion: Onion adds a savory, lightly sweet flavor to this salad. I recommend using a yellow onion or sweet onion for this recipe.
• Peppers: This recipe calls for chopped pepper! I like to use bell pepper for its crunch and mild sweetness. You could even go with a mix of yellow, red bell pepper, and green peppers.
• Cranberries: I recommend lower sugar cranberries, or even the apple juice sweetened kind, for this salad. 
• Feta: Crumbled feta adds a savory, tangy flavor, but if you need to find a replacement, goat cheese is a good choice.
• Walnuts: Finely chop your walnuts to get the best texture balance. Sliced almonds, pepitas, or sunflower seeds will also work in a pinch.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: I use raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar but you can use whatever you have on hand. You can use another vinegar but it will alter the taste.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil goes through the least amount of processing of the olive oils, so it keeps some of its nutritional values! It has a gentle taste which I love in my dressings.
• Kosher Salt
• Honey: Choose a local honey to get all the allergy-fighting benefits! Honey adds just a little bit of extra sweetness.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Substitutions & Variations

• Add more onions and peppers. My current pregnancy craving is this salad with pickled banana peppers and beets. I just can’t get enough! The briny addition of the banana peppers is like a kale twist on a Greek salad.
• Make it a full-fledged lunch with protein. This chopped kale salad is the base to a million combinations for different salads that are a filling and package lunch. Try adding a combination of lemon roasted chicken, chickpeas (seasoned or not), cooked or pickled beets, shredded carrot, black olives, leftover roasted cauliflower, broccoli, quinoa pilaf, or anything else you find in your fridge! Sometimes I even add a teaspoon of dijon mustard or some baked salmon.
• Try different cheeses and fruits. Goat and parmesan are both winners. Try dried tart cherries or raisins!
• Swap in a creamy dressing. I’m thinking Greek yogurt mixed with lemon juice and some garlic or tahini plus a dash of maple syrup. But that’s just me!

How to Make Chopped Kale Salad

Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below!

Step 1: Gather and measure ingredients for the salad. Rinse, drain kale. Remove kale stems.

You should have about 5–6 packed cups of chopped kale after removing the stems.

Step 2. Finely slice the kale and then go back through and chop again.

Step 3: Thinly slice peppers and onions. You could also use a mandolin. Place in a large mixing bowl with peppers and onions. 

Step 4: Add the ingredients for the dressing to the large bowl. I don’t bother mixing it in a small bowl first. Just drizzle over the vegetables and then massage it in with your hands. 

It is a little messy but the quick massage softens the kale leaves and works the dressing in. It’s magic. 

Step 5: I usually season with about half the salt, then taste and season again. 

Depending on how large a bunch of kale you actually had, you might want a bit more than ½ teaspoon of salt.

Step 6: Add the feta, cranberries and chopped walnuts. Toss with tongs or salad forks. Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve later. 

Frequently Asked Questions