Home » Salads » Garlicky Massaged Kale Salad with Chipotle Dressing
Published: April 11, 2013Updated: March 14, 2022Author: Jenn Laughlin
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Garlicky Massaged Kale Salad tossed with tomatoes, cucumber and a smoky chipotle dressing. This tasty 10 minute salad is one of our favorites!
Whole Food’s Vegan Garlic Massaged Kale Salad… It’s a bit heavenly.
It’s also really hard to get off your mind once you get it in your head that you HAVE to have it!
Luckily we can make our own tasty kale salads at home and that’s just what I’ve been doing lately. Stay tuned for some AMAZING kale recipes especially kale salads!
This sassy salad is also vegan, gluten-free, ridiculously healthy and fan-freaking-tastic. The buttery olive oil, zesty garlic and smoky chipotle keep me coming back for more!
but… how do you massage kale?
It’s easy! First chop your kale. Teeny bites of kale mean you’ll get lots of kale, veggies, and dressing to fit on each forkful!
Add the kale to a large bowl and drizzle kale with a tsp or two of your favorite healthy oil and a pinch of salt. You can also add a squeeze of lemon juice if you’d like!
Massage the kale with your fingers until kale darkens in color and takes on a velvety texture. This little rubdown turns the curly kale leaves into a tender and silky salad green!
Kale Salad Serving Suggestions
This zesty kale salad is flavorful enough to enjoy on it’s own and absolutely amazing paired with pretty much anything you can dream up!It makes a fabulous side dish for veggie burgers, paninis,pizza, and even compliments a good old fashioned cheesy veggie quesadilla!
Garlicky Massaged Kale Salad with Chipotle Dressing
This salad is flipping delicious! This recipe makes enough for 4 side salads or two larger salads. Or if you’re really hungry you can plow through the enire bowl in a sitting. I won’t tell.
One of the best parts of this salad is that you can make it ahead of time (dressing and all!) and it will keep in the fridge for around 4-5 days.
It’s a perfect addition to on-the-go lunches or just to help cut down on mealtime prep at home.
Garlicky Massaged Kale Salad with Chipotle Dressing
Garlicky Massaged Kale Salad tossed with tomatoes, cucumber and a smoky chipotle dressing. This tasty 10 minute salad is one of our favorites!
5 from 22 votes
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Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Massaged Kale Salad
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Jenn Laughlin – Peas and Crayons
Ingredients
- 4 cups chopped curly kale
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1-2 cups chopped veggies (I used cucumber + cherry tomatoes)
- 2-3 TBSP chipotle extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- additional salt, pepper and garlic powder, to taste
Instructions
It’s a salad. It’s easy. Make it.
Simply whisk together your dressing ingredients and, using your digits, massage it into chopped/torn kale leaves.
I add the dressing in increments, pouring a little over the bowl of kale and massaging it into the leaves. Yes you’re getting intimate with something you’re eventually going to be eating. Yes it’s awesome.
Add in your chopped veggies and dig in immediately or pop it in the refrigerator for later.
It’ll keep for around 4-5 days and, because kale is a rather sturdy green, can be enjoyed all week long without getting soggy. Pretty awesome, eh? If you wind up with extra dressing [I had a little!] save it to drizzle over leftovers!
Notes
Feel free to top it with a sprinkle of your favorite healthy salad toppers! Right now I’m loving toasted sesame seeds and shelled hemp seeds.
Nutrition Facts below are estimated using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed and enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 105kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 245mg, Potassium: 386mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 6717IU, Vitamin C: 84mg, Calcium: 111mg, Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?I want to see! Tag @peasandcrayons on Instagram and Facebook!
You can find infused olive oils like the smoky chipotle one I use in this recipe in a number of different locations. Larger grocery stores like Publix, Harris Teeter, Whole Foods and Fresh Market all have a bevvy of infused oils to choose from. Olive oil bars and specialty shopswill also carry them, as well as many online retailers. International stores are a great place to look too!
No chipotle oil? You can infuse your own extra olive oil by adding herbs and spices. Simply add a chipotle seasoning blend, add a little crushed red pepper, and even some smoked paprika and whisk together to infuse the flavor. The longer it sits the more the flavor should intensity and you can add/adjust based on personal preference. Hope this helps!
Looking for More Tasty Kale Recipes?
Check out my round-up of 10 Tasty Ways to Eat More Kale or snag a few favorites from the list below:
- Kale Taco Salad with Crispy Roasted Chickpeas
- NEW! Chopped Kale Salad
- Lemon Parmesan Kale Salad – READER FAVORITE!
- Kale Apple Salad with Bacon and Cheddar
- Lemon Orzo with Parmesan, Kale, and Cherry Tomatoes
- Broccoli Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing
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About The Author:
Jenn Laughlin
Hi! I’m Jenn and I’m here to help you eat your veggies! It'll be fun, painless, and pretty darn delicious as I teach you to plan your meals around fresh, seasonal produce with a little help from healthy freezer and pantry staples.
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