Kale Avocado Salad

This Kale Avocado Salad is a delicious side salad that you can serve with almost any meal. Nutrient dense kale, crunchy almonds, creamy avocado and sweet raspberries are tossed in a bright and tangy citrus dressing!

We’ve been eating more salads than ever lately, and I’m always looking for ways to make them more interesting. We often make our favorite basic green salad recipe and this Arugula Salad, and this kale avocado salad is a delicious way to change up the flavors and textures in your side salad.

The ingredients in this salad are simple, yet they pack a lot of flavor! Avocado is one of my favorite salad ingredients because it adds a creamy texture and lots of flavor. The raspberries add a burst of sweetness, and the almonds bring a delicious crunch.

The dressing may be the very best part of this kale and avocado salad. It’s a honey lemon dressing, made with just 3 ingredients, plus salt and pepper. You can have the dressing mixed up in no time and you just might want to drizzle it on all of your salads! It’s the perfect balance of sweet and tangy, and it complements the other flavors in the salad so well.

Serving a salad with lunch or dinner is an easy way to add more fresh produce to your diet. You’ll love that this simple kale salad hardly takes any time to prepare. If you wash and prep your kale ahead of time, it takes just minutes to make this salad. Here’s how to store kale to make it last for over a week in your refrigerator.

What type of kale is best for salad?

Common green curly kale is my favorite for salads, and it is what I used to make this kale avocado salad. Green curly kale has tough leaves that are curly at the edges, and a tough stem. You can soften the leaves by massaging them or letting them marinate in dressing for a few hours.

Lacinato kale is also a good choice for salads. Lacinato kale, sometimes called dinosaur kale, has darker, softer leaves. It is often added to soups.

How to Make Kale Avocado Salad

Citrus Dressing

First make the honey lemon dressing. I like to make the dressing in a mason jar (just shake to mix and you can put it in the refrigerator to store extra dressing) or in a small bowl using a mini whisk.

Shake or whisk together the dressing ingredients: olive oil, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper. Set the dressing aside while you prepare the rest of the salad. You can make the dressing ahead and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Salad Ingredients

If you haven’t prepped your kale ahead of time (see how I wash and store kale), do it now. Remove the kale leaves from the tough stems and then chop, wash and dry the kale.

Put the kale in a large bowl and drizzle on the dressing. Toss to combine. You can do this step 1-4 hours ahead, if you are using green curly kale. The kale will soften as it marinates in the dressing. Lacinato kale doesn’t hold up as well in dressing, so I recommend dressing it right before using.

Right before serving the salad, add the avocado, raspberries and almonds.

Kale Avocado Salad Recipe Variations

• Use other fresh berries, such as blueberries, strawberries or blackberries.
• Try walnuts or pecans instead of almonds.
• Add some goat cheese or feta cheese for extra flavor and creaminess.
• Add chickpeas or quinoa for protein.

More Kale Salad Recipes:

• Massaged Kale Salad
• Kale Quinoa Salad
• Butternut Squash Salad with Kale
• Lemon Parmesan Kale Salad

Kale Avocado Salad with Citrus Dressing

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Total Time: 10 minutes mins

Author: Kristine Roseblatt

This Kale Avocado Salad is a delicious side salad that you can serve with almost any meal. Nutrient dense kale, crunchy almonds, creamy avocado and sweet raspberries are tossed in a bright and tangy honey lemon dressing!

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Ingredients

For the Dressing:

• ▢ ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ ¼ cup lemon juice
• ▢ 2 tablespoons honey
• ▢ pinch of salt, to taste
• ▢ black pepper, to taste

For the Salad:

• ▢ 8 cups chopped kale, large stems removed (see my easy method for prepping kale)
• ▢ 1 large avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced
• ▢ ¼ cup sliced almonds
• ▢ 6 ounces fresh raspberries

Instructions

 

• In a small bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients. (Or place in a mason jar with a lid and shake to combine.)
• Place chopped kale in a large bowl and toss with the dressing. Add the avocado, almonds and raspberries. Serve.

Notes

• If you don’t enjoy the texture of fresh kale, you can soften it up by massaging the kale with your hands. Or, toss the kale with the dressing and let it rest for 1-4 hours in the refrigerator. It will soften over time. Be sure to add the avocado, berries and almonds right before serving.
• The honey lemon dressing can be stored for up to 5 days in the refrigerator, in an airtight container. Shake or whisk to recombine before using.

Serving: 1/4 recipe, Calories: 374kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 56mg, Potassium: 1045mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 13474IU, Vitamin C: 183mg, Calcium: 241mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is an estimate.

Cuisine: American

Course: Salad

Author: Kristine Roseblatt

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