Cranberry Walnut Kale Salad
Cranberry Walnut Kale Salad, a healthy but holiday festive salad that will be the perfect healthy greens for any holiday gathering!
This Cranberry Walnut Kale Salad is soooo easy. And so good! It made a nice, super healthy green side for Thanksgiving this year among all of the savory hearty goodness.
Ingredients Needed
I often double the recipe, especially to serve a crowd – or to have plenty of leftovers. 🙂
- Fresh Kale – We prefer Curly Kale, which is the one you’re most likely to find in your grocery store, but your local farmers market may have some other varieties like Tuscan Kale which would also be delicious.
- Dried Cranberries – It’s a Thanksgiving cranberry dish without having to cook or prep any cranberries!
- Raw Walnuts – The buttery crunch of the walnuts is perfect for this salad. But you could also add another nut like almonds or even hazelnuts.
- Olive oil, Lemon Juice, Honey, and salt – For the super easy, light, vinaigrette.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Did I mention how easy this salad is? Easy like toss it all in a bowl and mix, kind-of easy. And let’s be honest, we can all use a super easy dish for Thanksgiving, right?
Step 1: Prep the kale rinsing it and cleaning it from the stems by tearing or cutting it into bite sized pieces.
Step 2: Prep the vinaigrette by juicing a lemon, adding some olive oil, salt, and a really good honey.
We love this local honey!
Step 3: A key piece to the success of this salad is to massage the kale with about 3/4 of the vinaigrette. In order to cut the bitterness of raw kale, you need to “massage” it with at the very least some oil and salt. Or in this case, the honey vinaigrette you just made!
Step 4: Give the walnuts and quick toast in a pan (optional) and then Add the dried cranberries and walnuts.
Toasting the walnuts brings out their nutty flavor and makes them even crunchier!
Step 5: Mix and done!!
A fast and easy but flavorful Cranberry Walnut Kale Salad. Eating some of this salad made me feel much less guilty about all of the amazing cornbread stuffing I may or may not of had multiple servings of throughout the course of our 8 hour Thanksgiving meal(s).
Other Kale Favorites
Enjoy! As always, if you make this recipe or any of my others, I love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below, email me, or you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
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Cranberry Walnut Kale Salad
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of kale
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup raw walnuts, toasted or any other nuts
- 2 teaspoons local raw honey
- 3 tablespoons good olive oil
- juice of one lemon approximately 1 tablespoon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- To toast walnuts: Heat small skillet over medium heat and add walnuts (do not add oil!). Toast for 4-5 minutes, stirring for even browning and watch closely so they don't burn. Walnuts will be slightly golden and fragrant.
- Clean the kale from the stems and then rip or cut into small bite sized pieces into a large bowl.
- Juice the lemon and then whisk in olive oil, salt, and honey.
- Pour about 3/4 of the dressing onto kale and with hands mix well and massage into kale until slightly wilted. Taste and then add more dressing to taste.
- Add cranberries and walnuts and mix.
- Drizzle with a little more dressing to taste, give a final mix and enjoy!
Hi – love this salad! You don’t happen to have the nutritional information so you?
Hi Sharon!! That’s so great to hear- thanks for sharing! Yes, the nutritional information is down below the recipe at the bottom of the recipe card 😀
Yum!! I love your addition of walnuts. What a great buttery crunch to add to the bitter kale and sweet tart cranberries! Thanks for making my recipe; I’m glad you liked it 🙂
Easy and delish. I love kale and I’m not embarrassed to say it out loud. Looks great, Tracy
As you shouldn’t be! Kale is the best! 🙂
This salad looks prefect for the holidays. I always enjoy your creative and healthy recipe and I’ve nominated you for the Liebster Award 🙂
For more information check out http://mealswithmel.com/2014/12/01/the-liebster-award/
Thanks, Mel! 😀
YUMMMMYYYYY! I made a similar ISH salad for Thanksgiving! (Mixed greens, sugared walnuts, dried blueberries and cranberries, and FETA!)- the hubs ate it right up. This looks delightful, I need to try Kale, I still haven’t!
What the whaaaa? You HAVE to try kale! Especially when you get your dehydrator from Santa! 😉