This simple and delicious lemon kale salad is a summer staple. The dressing is zesty with a vegan “cheesy” flavor, and can be enjoyed in so many ways!
The best kale salad
Say hello to your new favorite kale salad! This simple salad is going to be the only way you want to eat kale, and made with less than 10 ingredients!
The kale is dressed in a little oil, lemon juice, nutritional yeast and garlic. It’s topped with chickpeas and roasted pumpkin seeds for an added crunch and boost of fiber.
Let’s all agree to leave boring salads back in 2020, shall we? I know kale is a hit or miss with some people, but if prepared correctly it can be the perfect salad to meal prep.
The kale gets massaged with olive oil and lemon juice to break down the fiber, making it easier to chew and digest. Since kale is pretty rough to start, this salad stays good in the fridge for up to 3 days without getting soggy.
You can serve it as is for a simple meal, or serve it with a grilled piece of chicken, fish, or some tofu!
The best way to prepare kale
Make sure to remove any stems in your kale before tossing it into the bowl. Even the bags of the trimmed and washed kale usually contain some rough stems.
When preparing the kale salad, it’s best to toss the kale in the oil first so that it has time to soften. You really want to massage the dressing in using your hands to help break down the kale fiber.
I’ve made this salad up to 3 days in advance. Since the kale is chewier than most other greens, it’s the perfect salad to meal prep.
Customize your salad
This salad is a good base for pretty much any mix-in you like! A few add-ons that would pair well are:
- sun-dried tomatoes
- shredded parmesan instead of nutritional yeast for a non-vegan version
- slivered almonds
- kalamata olives
- pearled couscous or quinoa
This lemon kale salad is so easy to make, full of flavor, and a nutritious side dish to incorporate into your week!
More salad recipes you may like:
Arugula Beet Salad
Lemon Parmesan Salad
Thai Salad with Peanut Sauce
The Best Lemon Kale Salad
Ingredients
- 6 cups trimmed and washed kale
- 1 cup chickpeas
- 1/3 cup roasted pumpkin seeds, or nuts of choice. I like using a salad topper with mixed flavored seeds
- 3 tbsp avocado or olive oil
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast, plus more to top
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Serve with
- BBQ Spiced Salmon
- Lemon Pepper Tofu
- Spinach & Feta Salmon Burgers with Crispy Potatoes
- Vegan Creamy Pasta Sauce
Directions
- In a large bowl, massage the kale with the olive oil and lemon juice for 30-40 seconds until tender.
- Add in the nutritional yeast, garlic, salt and pepper and toss together.
- Mix in the chickpeas and seeds and enjoy! I like to top mine off with an extra sprinkle of nutritional yeast.
- Serve as is, or with your favorite protein
Wow so simple and so unexpectedly delicious! I had this with a side of corn, and it was so satisfying. Will be making this often!
Thank you, Jessica!
I’ve been loving this salad recently. It’s so simple and fresh, and it definitely brightens up a winter day. The recipe is great as written, but I’ve also added pearled couscous a few times, which you suggested as an addition, and that was awesome as well.
so happy to hear you enjoyed it! I love adding pearled couscous or even orzo to this