If you think you don’t like Kale… or you want the nutritional benefits of Kale but haven’t found a favorite recipe, give this delicious loaded Kale salad a try! It’s packed with delicious flavor and tons of beneficial nutrients!
Kale has a reputation for being one of those “should eat” foods… but not always a “want to eat” one. If you’ve ever pushed a bowl of plain kale salad across the table only to be met with hesitation (or flat-out refusal), you’re not alone.
The good news? This loaded kale salad changes everything!
It’s packed with flavor and texture… and there are so many ways to mix up my recipe that you’re bound to find an option your family likes. Who knows, they might even request it!
Beyond taste, kale is a powerhouse when it comes to nutrition. It’s rich in vitamins A, C, and K, loaded with antioxidants, and full of fiber to help keep everyone feeling satisfied longer. For busy families trying to get more nutrient-dense foods on the table without a battle, kale is a simple win, especially when it’s prepared in a way that softens its texture and enhances its flavor.
Another reason to love this salad? It works with your schedule, not against it. Kale holds up beautifully in the fridge, meaning you can make this salad ahead of time without worrying about it getting soggy. In fact, it often tastes even better after it sits for a few hours, making it perfect for meal prep, busy weeknights, or bringing along to gatherings when you need something both wholesome and crowd-pleasing.
If you want to like kale but just can’t find a recipe you love, try my Loaded Kale Salad!
Ingredients for Loaded Kale Salad
FOR THE SALAD:
- 6 c. chopped kale leaves (cut off thick ribs and wash thoroughly)
- 1/2 c. cooked quinoa
- 2 small/medium sweet potatoes (peeled, cubed, and roasted)
- 1 apple; diced (you can leave the peels on)
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1/2 c. Craisins or dried cherries
- 1/2 c. golden or black raisins
- 1/2 c. feta cheese; crumbled
- 1/4 c. sunflower seeds
- 1/4 c. walnuts or pecans, chopped
FOR THE DRESSING:
- 1/4 c. olive oil (not pictured)
- 1/4 c. red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- 2 T. Dijon mustard
- 2 T. honey
- salt and pepper to taste
Ingredient Substitutions
Kale — it’s sort of the foundation for this recipe, but feel free to substitute spinach, spring mix, or even Romain lettuce if that’s all you have in the house.
Quinoa — my family loves quinoa, and since it’s a great source of protein, fiber, magnesium, and all 9 amino acids, we eat it regularly. I cook it in my rice cooker and keep a container in the fridge (or freezer) so I can simply toss some in a salad or casserole at any time.
If you don’t love Quinoa, you can omit it or substitute other cooked grains like barley, amaranth, or even rice.
Sweet Potatoes — this is another one of my family’s favorite starches, so I usually have roasted, cubed sweet potatoes in the fridge. If you don’t love sweet potatoes, or just don’t want to take the time to roast them, leave them out for now. However, you should try it sometime — they taste amazing in the recipe and really keep you full!
Read more about how to quickly and easily roast almost any vegetable.
Apples — I love adding apples to any salad, so this is an easy addition for me. Again, feel free to omit it. You could also do diced pears, chopped strawberries, or whatever fruit sounds good to you.
Green Onions — I like green onions as they are milder in flavor, but you could also use red onions, yellow onions, or white onions.
Dried Fruit — I love dried fruit in salads, so I use a bunch in this recipe. They add a lot of flavor, but aren’t necessary. Pick one, try a bunch, or omit entirely.
Feta Cheese — I believe Feta is an excellent choice for this salad as it adds some tang, but other varieties of cheese should work well too.
Nuts and Seeds — My kids sometimes don’t like the nuts, but I love the extra crunch, so we almost always do sunflower seeds, and then I sometimes just add nuts to my own portion. Feel free to try another type of nut or seed, or omit if you don’t have any in the house.
Dressing — a store-bought vinegrette would work well for this salad, but homemade is pretty easy. The dressing recipe is good for a variety of salads, so I often keep a jar of it on hand throughout the week. (Note: the dressing does not need to be refrigerated).
You can mix up the vinegars, try different oils and mustards, and use sugar instead of honey if that’s what you have.
How to Keep Your Salad Greens Fresh:
If you want’d like to keep your lettuce, spinach, kale, and other salad greens fresher longer, simply layer them in a container with sheets of paper towel or thin cotton lint-free towels.
You’ll be amazed how much longer your greens stay fresh.
I explain the entire process in this blog post!
How to Make a Loaded Kale Salad
FOR THE SALAD:
1. Wash, dry, and chop kale (removing thick stems), and place into a large bowl.
2. Cook quinoa according to package directions, let cool for a bit, and add to kale.
3. Peel, dice, and roast sweet potato (375º for 30 minutes). Cool and add to kale.
4. Add apple, onion, dried fruit, sunflower seeds, nuts, and any other mix-ins you’d like.
5. Add dressing and mix well (see below).
.FOR THE DRESSING: (I usually make a double or triple batch)
1. In a jar or container with a tight-fitting lid, combine all dressing ingredients (I often use a rinsed-out Dijon mustard bottle.)
2. Shake the bottle to combine dressing ingredients.
3. Pour half the dressing over the kale mixtures, stirring to make sure everything is coated well.
4. Refrigerate until ready to eat.
5. Pour remaining dressing over salad (if desired) when ready to eat.
6. Store any leftovers in an air-tight food storage container.
Loaded Kale Salad
If you want to like kale but just can't find a recipe you love, I highly encourage you to try my loaded kale salad!!
It's a perfect mix of sweet and salty, crunchy and chewy... and it's SO colorful!
Of course, it tastes great too!
Ingredients
FOR THE SALAD:
- 6 c. chopped kale leaves (cut off thick ribs and wash thoroughly)
- 1/2 c. cooked quinoa
- 2 small/medium sweet potatoes (cubed and roasted)
- 1 apple; diced
- 2 green onions; sliced
- 1/2 c. Craisins or dried cherries
- 1/2 c. golden or black raisins
- 1/2 c. feta cheese; crumbled
- 1/4 c. sunflower seeds
- 1/4 c. walnuts or pecans, chopped
FOR THE DRESSING:
- 1/4 c. olive oil (not pictured)
- 1/4 c. red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- 2 T. dijon mustard
- 2 T. honey
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
FOR THE SALAD:
- Wash, dry, and chop kale (removing thick stems), and place into a large bowl.
- Cook quinoa according to package directions, let cool for a bit, and add to kale.
- Peel, dice, and roast sweet potato (375º for 30 minutes). Cool and add to kale.
- Add apple, onion, dried fruit, sunflower seeds, nuts, and any other mix-ins you'd like.
- Add dressing (see below) and mix well.
FOR THE DRESSING:
- Combine all ingredients for the dressing into a container with a tight-fitting lid (I just save a Dijon mustard container)
- Shake the bottle to combine dressing ingredients
- Pour half the dressing over the salad and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to eat.
- Pour remaining dressing over salad (if desired) when ready to eat.
- Store any leftovers in an air-tight food storage container.
Notes
I almost always have containers of cooked quinoa and roasted sweet potatoes in the fridge -- so this salad takes mere minutes to throw together.
If you don't always have these foods ready to go, the recipe will take you a bit longer... but it's worth it!
Also, I usually make a double or triple batch of the dressing and store in an extra dijon mustard bottle. Then, whenever I whip up another batch of this salad, I have the dressing ready to go.
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1.5 cupsAmount Per Serving Calories 262Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 3mgSodium 308mgCarbohydrates 48gFiber 8gSugar 13gProtein 8g
Nutritional information is approximate and does not account for additional ingredients or added toppings.
Can Kale Really Taste Good?
Yes, I promise — this recipe actually tastes delicious!
By adding the dressing and letting it “marinate” the kale in the fridge for a bit, the leaves soften, and the flavors are enhanced.
This salad also tastes fantastic as leftovers (which I love), and it’s great for lunches on the go as you’ve got fruit, veggies, starches, grains, and more, all in one bowl!
I hope you love it as much as we do!
Do you have a kale recipe you actually enjoy?
Check out all my delicious salad recipes here.
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Lori says
Andrea, what would you sub for feta? Thank you!
Andrea says
HI Lori,
Do you not like the taste of feta? Or you just don’t have it in the house?
A good substitute is goats cheese — but assuming you might not have that in the house either 🙂
You can easily just sub whatever you do have in the house if that’s easiest.
Carissa says
Would roasted butternut squash be a good substitute for the roasted sweet potato? My family prefers that over sweet potatoes.
Andrea says
Yes, definitely! We love butternut squash too!
I will say that the squash might not hold up as well as the sweet potatoes (being mixed up with the other toppings) but that would be the only downside.
Sharon says
Made this tonight, following the recipe exactly, and it was great. I don’t like Kale, but this was delicious. Thanks.
Andrea says
oh good — so glad to hear this Sharon!
Olga says
My favorite way to eat kale is in Zuppa Toscana soup. For salads– i never tried one yet that i loved, same as with Brussels sprouts. I will try this recipe soon!
Andrea says
give it a try!!! and here’s a good Brussels spouts salad you could try too 🙂
Casey says
I made this today and it was amazing! I had to substitute a few things (dried blueberries and goat cheese), but it was so tasty and filling. Thanks for the recipe!
Andrea says
oh good –glad you liked it! I just had it for lunch 15 minutes ago 🙂
And yes, you can sub in so many different things, depending on what you have in the house!
Debbie says
Wow! I really will have to try this. I love roasted veggies but for some reason salad or making a salad isn’t my favorite thing.
Andrea says
the roasted sweet potatoes REALLY give great flavor to this salad!
Susanne says
This looks very similar to one I concocted. I LOVE the sweet potato/feta cheese combo and use it often in salads! I also make a very good kale salad with a simple lemon garlic vinaigrette with almonds and craisins.
Andrea says
yes, the sweet potato + feta is fantastic!!
Rachel says
My favorite kale recipe (and I’m not a fan of greens lol) is thinly sliced plums with a dressing made up of equal parts of honey, olive oil and vinagrette. I was amazed at how good it was. I think I tried with canned peaches also – but plums are the best. Also i think it makes a difference in the kind of kale you buy?? I’m just guessing – I know I have had some I liked better than others.
Andrea says
well this is very interesting — I’ve never ever thought to combine kale with plums!
And yes, I’m sure there are many different types of kale. I’m not exactly sure what type I buy (it’s from Aldi) — but we like it!
Becky says
The perfect kale recipe—so many other ingredients I will hardly taste the kale!
Andrea says
haha — yes exactly! That’s why I call it the “loaded” kale salad!
Lisa says
This looks so delicious, so happy you posted it! Heading out now to get the ingredients. What did you serve this with in the picture above? Thank you!
Andrea says
the food pictured is stromboli — but we serve it with pasta, fish, soup and sandwiches, etc. it goes with everything!
Christine says
My first Blue Apron meal contained kale to be marinated and it was delicious. Before then I only had two other ways I knew to use it.
Priyanka says
This is a fantastic recipe for my weekly meal prep!
Andrea says
hope you love it!
Maria says
Wow -this looks fantastic! Will definitely make it. Thanks for sharing.
Andrea says
you’re welcome — it really IS delicious!
Annesia Bixler says
A tip someone gave me a while ago that was a game changer was to put the salad dressing on the chopped kale and massage it with your hands. Like your trying to squash it. It breaks down the leaves, makes in less bitter and easier to eat. Then you add your toppings. I bet that what happens when it sits. Even after the massage it still lasts for ever and gets better.
Andrea says
yes, I’ve read this too — or even just to massage the leaves with a little olive oil. And yes, that’s why I decided to try putting the dressing on early — it’s SO yummy!
Jody says
Looks delicious!! Putting this on our meal plan for next week
Andrea says
oh good, hope you like it!!
Chris says
Do you have any tips for cooking quinoa? I have eaten it as a sample at a grocery store and it was good but when I made it, it was disgusting.
Andrea says
Chris, try rinsing it first and then cooking it in chicken broth.
I actually use my rice cooker to cook it so I don’t have to “monitor the pot”!
Chris says
Thank you!
calliope says
Kale entered greek grocery stores about 1-2 years ago and I never bought it because I didn’t know how to prepare it. I’d also heard stories of friends saying it tastes awful in salads so it never actually made it in my cart. But I think I will try your recipe as they hardly fail me! Last week I made your truffles (with some digestive cookies I wanted to get rid of) and the chicken with pesto recipe is in weekly rotation during summer since I got tons of fresh basil in my garden.
Thanks Andrea!
Andrea says
yay, glad you found a use for your stale cookies — I have 2 tins of truffles in the freezer right now. YUM!!
Hope you love the salad.