Kale salads and sides are a great way to pack your meals with nutrients and flavor. These recipes are all about fresh, healthy ingredients that bring out the best in kale while keeping things simple and easy. Whether you're looking for a light salad or a hearty side dish, these options are the perfect balance of taste and nutrition, making it easy to enjoy kale in all its forms.
Kale Salad With Cranberries
This kale salad with cranberries, lemon, and crunchy nuts brings together great flavors and textures. Ready in just 5 minutes, it makes an excellent addition to any meal, showcasing kale’s nutrient-rich qualities and versatility as a side dish or salad.
Get the Recipe: Kale Salad With Cranberries
Kale Harvest Salad
A quick and easy kale salad with carrots and dates, this recipe comes together in just 15 minutes. Perfect for weeknight meals or a fresh addition to your fall table, it highlights kale’s ability to provide a nutritious base for vibrant salads and sides.
Get the Recipe: Kale Harvest Salad
Garlic Kale Salad with Lemon
Inspired by Il Corvo in Seattle, this garlic kale salad features pecorino cheese, toasted pepitas, and a green garlic confit dressing. Kale’s robust flavor shines through in this dish, making it a nutrient-packed salad that serves as a flavorful side to any meal.
Get the Recipe: Garlic Kale Salad with Lemon
Baby Kale Chicken Cherry Salad
Baby kale chicken cherry salad combines sweet summer fruit with shredded chicken for a light, refreshing meal. The crispness of baby kale adds the perfect texture to this nutrient-dense salad, making it a great choice for a side dish or light meal.
Get the Recipe: Baby Kale Chicken Cherry Salad
Sweet Potato Kale Salad
Featuring prunes, pomegranate, and feta, this kale salad is paired with a tangy pomegranate vinaigrette. Kale’s hearty texture forms the base for this vibrant salad, offering a flavorful side that complements any meal with its nutrient-packed ingredients.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Kale Salad
Kale Quinoa Salad
Kale quinoa salad brings together fresh, nutrient-packed ingredients into a wholesome meal. Kale’s earthy flavor and sturdy texture anchor this vibrant, nutrient-rich dish, making it a great choice for a hearty salad or side.
Get the Recipe: Kale Quinoa Salad
Sweet Potato Kale Bites
Sweet potato kale bites are small muffins filled with sweet potatoes, kale, and black beans. These make-ahead bites are perfect as a side or snack, combining the nutrient-rich qualities of kale with the hearty texture of sweet potatoes and beans.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Kale Bites
Kale Apple Salad
Kale apple salad with poppy seed dressing offers a light, fresh, and easy-to-make option. The massaged kale pairs perfectly with crisp apples, creating a balance of textures and flavors in this vibrant salad that makes a perfect side dish.
Get the Recipe: Kale Apple Salad
Spicy Kale & Potato Curry
Spicy kale and potato curry, also known as Aloo Kale, brings together warm spices and the rich flavors of kale. Kale’s sturdy leaves stand up well to the bold seasoning, making it a flavorful and nutrient-packed side dish or meal.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Kale & Potato Curry
Bay Scallop Baby Kale Corn Salad
A bay scallop and corn salad with baby kale is paired with a cherry dijon dressing and savory tart cherry granola. Kale provides a fresh, vibrant foundation for this flavorful summer salad, offering a nutrient-packed option as a side dish.
Get the Recipe: Bay Scallop Baby Kale Corn Salad
Winter Chopped Kale Salad
This winter chopped kale salad features pears, dates, gorgonzola, and a cranberry vinaigrette. Kale’s hearty base supports these seasonal ingredients, making it an ideal salad or side for the colder months, packed with both nutrients and flavor.
Get the Recipe: Winter Chopped Kale Salad
Chickpea Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing
Chickpea kale salad with tahini dressing is a nourishing and refreshing option. Kale’s hearty texture pairs beautifully with creamy tahini dressing, making it a balanced and nutrient-rich salad that works great as a side or light meal.
Get the Recipe: Chickpea Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing
Twice Baked Kale and Pecorino Acorn Squash
Twice-baked acorn squash is filled with Tuscan kale, freekeh, and pecorino romano. Kale enhances this autumn-inspired dish, adding a nutrient-packed and flavorful twist to this protein-rich side dish.
Get the Recipe: Twice Baked Kale and Pecorino Acorn Squash
Skillet Braised Kale with Garlic
Skillet braised kale with garlic is a bold, flavorful side that highlights the natural taste of kale. With just a few ingredients, this dish is easy to prepare and deeply satisfying, making it a great addition to any meal.
Get the Recipe: Skillet Braised Kale with Garlic
Mexican Elote Street Corn Kale Salad
Inspired by Mexican elote, this street corn kale salad features a yogurt lime dressing and vibrant toppings. Kale’s robust leaves make the perfect base for this colorful and nutrient-dense salad, offering a delicious side that pairs well with any main course.
Get the Recipe: Mexican Elote Street Corn Kale Salad
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