A perfectly tender, flavorful, and seasonal salad that will convince you the words "kale" and "addictive" go together like Barack and Michelle. Originally published January 2018. Last updated November 2022.
My easy massaged kale salad is one of the most popular recipes here on the site and in real life. Friends and family request it at every fall and winter gathering and so many members of the Dash of Jazz community have made this recipe part of their routines, too. The five star reviews don't lie. Want an easy yet unforgettable recipe that's actually good for you? Let's get into the details!
If you like easy side dish recipes, check these out, too!
Table of Contents
- Why Should I Massage Kale for Salad?
- Massaged Kale Salad Ingredients
- Salad Dressing
- Recipe Tips & Tools
- For People with PCOS
- How to Serve
- More Salads
- The Salad Recipe
What's the Point of Massaging Kale?
Before ever trying this method, I wondered why do I need to massage kale salad? And the answer is twofold. Raw kale is very fibrous with a tough texture that can take a while to chew through, especially the stems. The benefits of massaging kale (and then marinating) are that it breaks down the cell walls, which softens it for easier chewing, digestion, and nutrient absorption. The texture and appearance of massaged kale will mimic steamed or blanched greens and people sometimes ask if the kale is cooked. That's how tender it becomes!
What kind of kale to use? Curly kale is the best kale for massaging as it's sturdy and fibrous. Other varieties like Tuscan kale are too soft.
What You'll Need for this Recipe
My favorite recipe for fall parties is inexpensive to make with very few ingredients. Here's what to add to your grocery list.
- Blue Cheese Crumbles
- Kale
- Dried Cranberries
- Pears
- Pecans
What else can I add to this salad? My massaged kale salad with cranberries, pecans, pears, and blue cheese is just perfect as is but feel free to add one of my favorite kale salad toppings, pumpkin seeds. If you're looking for a variation on this salad recipe for Thanksgiving, try my kale salad with orange maple vinaigrette.
Making the Dressing
Salad dressing for massaging just needs to be acidic and most recipes will call for citrus but this is a massaged kale salad with no lemon. My apple cider vinegar dressing consists of just a few ingredients that perfectly complement this salad. Just combine everything and pour it over the kale.
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Olive Oil
- Honey
- Garlic
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Sea Salt
- Black Pepper
Tips for Making an Addictive Kale Salad
Can I make kale salad in advance? Massaged kale gets better with time so this is definitely a salad you can make ahead of time. When prepping massaged kale salad for a party, I make it up to two days ahead of time but at least a few hours in advance while I get ready. You really only need about an hour but the longer you let the dressing work its magic, the softer and more palatable the kale will be.
How to massage kale? Grab a sharp knife and cutting board to chop the kale into bite-sized pieces. You'll also need a large flat bowl big enough to hold all the raw kale, though it will shrink down after being massaged. Add kale to the bowl and cover in dressing. Use your hands to toss the kale pieces in dressing until evenly coated then squeeze and press the kale leaves. This helps with infusing flavor into kale. Then, just let the leaves marinate to tender perfection.
Can I leave the stems on? Yes! For the best results, I recommend cutting off the large ends of the stems when preparing greens for chopped kale salad. The rest of the stems and leaves will get tender enough during the process. You can also use pre-prepped kale from the grocery store.
How to store it? First of all, in the refrigerator. You can store this salad uncovered but I prefer to use an airtight container so that its flavors don't leech onto other items in the fridge or vice versa. It will keep for about 10 days this way.
Is this PCOS friendly?
Absolutely. Between the salad and the dressing, this is a balanced salad recipe for women with PCOS. Add an ample serving to your plate at Friendsgiving or Thanksgiving dinner to ensure you get hormone healthy nutrients along with your holiday indulgence!
Apple Cider Vinegar has been shown to help improve insulin sensitivity and related ovulatory issues like irregular cycles, heavy bleeding, and infertility.
Cranberries are high in antioxidants/phytonutrients and fiber to support gut health, which is key to addressing a common PCOS root cause.
Kale is high in fiber and vitamin B, which many PCOS patients are deficient in. Vitamin B deficiency is tied to a number of our symptoms, including insulin resistance. It's also rich in calcium, which supports follicle development, making this a great follicular phase recipe. Leafy greens are generally regarded as PCOS superfoods!
Olive Oil is a PCOS-friendly fat partially because it's antioxidant rich, which helps fight inflammation.
Pecans and Blue Cheese provide protein, vitamin D, calcium, and anti-inflammatory omega 3 fatty acids.
What to Serve with Massaged Kale
This is not only a simple salad to serve at parties but also a great meal prep option. I like to serve it with soup or add protein and quinoa to make a meal salad. Here are a few ideas in regular rotation!
More Top Salad Recipes
I make damn good salads if I do say so myself and follow a few principles each time. Here are more you'll love.
Spring Mix with Champagne Dressing
Winter Salad with Blood Orange Vinaigrette
I hope you'll join the wave and get hooked on my creation very soon. And sharing is caring so be sure to pin this tender kale salad recipe for later and follow me over on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
The Best Massaged Kale Salad Recipe
📖 Recipe
Massaged Kale Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Ingredients
For the Apple Cider Dressing
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1 cup raw honey
- 1 ½ teaspoons crushed red pepper
- sea salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
For the Kale Salad
- 2 bunches kale about 12 ounces
- 2 pears
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
- 2 cups pecan halves
- 5 ounces crumbled blue cheese
Instructions
- To prepare the apple cider vinaigrette, mince or grate garlic cloves. Add it along with apple cider vinegar, olive oil, honey, crushed red pepper, sea salt, and black pepper to a sealable container. Seal and shake until dressing is uniform.
- Chop kale into bite-sized pieces and remove large ends of stems. Add to a large bowl and pour prepared dressing over top.
- Use hands to toss and squeeze kale to ensure it is well coated with dressing then cover and let sit for at least one hour. Meanwhile, chop pears into one-inch pieces.
- Mix in chopped pears, dried cranberries, pecans, and crumbled blue cheese before serving.
- Refrigerate any uneaten salad in an airtight container for up to 10 days.
Nutrition
Portia Gorman says
I just started getting into kale salads- I avoided them before because I thought they'd be bitter but to my surprise everyone in our family LOVES them and I can't wait to put your spin on the kale salad sis . I always love your recipes thank you.
renia Butler says
This Kale recipe was not only easy but oh-so-delicious. Worth the 5 stars for sure!
Katrina Adams says
This kale salad was delicious and the perfect side dish!!
Jazz says
Thanks, Renia and thanks for stopping by!
Shani says
Wow, I’m definitely one of the people who have been afraid of kale! I have to try this recipe it looks amazing!
Courtney says
Hi Jazz!!
Made this today and it was SO good!!!! Does the salad dressing need to be refrigerated after it’s made if we want to make more to save some?
Jazz says
Hey, Courtney! So glad you love the salad. Yes, I recommend refrigerating the extra dressing. Because of the honey, you might need to let it come closer to room temperature before the next time you using as it might get too thick. Hope this helps.
Nzingah says
Jazz you hit it out of the park with this one. I never liked kale until now. I will be making this weekly! Thanks so much!!
Jazz says
I’m so glad you enjoyed this salad! I’m eating it for lunch all week!
Aliisfun says
Made This for my Meal Prep lunch for this week and it's AMAZING 🙂 so tasty! Any suggestions for how to add some protein into this salad? I'm obsessed with it now
Jazz says
Hi--so glad you're enjoying the salad! For additional protein, I would add something like this orange maple chicken breast, chopped hard-boiled egg, or maybe some walnuts.
Rachel says
I NEEEEEED this salad in my life!! <3
PS. I've gone from bookmarking your recipes to finally just subscribing 🙂 Your blog is bomb.com
Jazz says
Thanks so much, Rachel! I hope you love this salad. 🙂
Gabriella says
wow, this looks and sounds soo good! Thanks for sharing. The dressing sounds amazing too!
Jazz says
Thanks, Gabriella! The dressing is what really makes this salad.
Dodie says
One of my favorite kale salad recipes is this one. And I add other things in the salad if I don’t have fruit. Tomato and avocado is great in here (minus the cranberries). Or I’ve used apple instead of pear. Last night, I had a few sweet peppers left over from another recipe so those went in, too, with a bit of celery. And can we talk about that dressing?!? WOW! I use it on all salads, any kind. This is my go-to salad recipe.
Jazz says
So glad to hear that, Dodie! This is a definitely a versatile salad.
Anna says
I love it! So far I've only used kale in green smoothies but thanks to your post, I'm going to try it in a salad! It sounds like a very delicious recipe. I pinned your post for later. Thank you 🙂
Mariah says
This is such a pretty dish to serve! Super simple too!
Mariah
http://www.likehoneyblog.com
livewellplaytogether says
This looks delicious and so healthy! Great for parties!
Kris says
Looks delicious! Perfect way to get the healthy eating goals underway and not feel like you’re depriving yourself. Great post 🙂
Jazz says
Thanks for reading, Kris! It definitely doesn't feel like you're depriving yourself. 🙂
Tammy says
What other cheese could you use as we don't like blue cheese.
Jazz says
Hi, Tammy. You could try feta instead or leave the cheese out altogether, if you prefer!
Kris says
Hello,
Thank you for this recipe? Could you clarify what you mean by a “ bunch” of kale? Approximately what weight?
Thank you.
Jazz says
Hi Kris! A bunch typically sold at American grocery stores will weigh about six ounces and contain roughly 10 stems of kale. I'll update the recipe card to reflect that.
Arie says
I’m making this!!! Very doable, simple, and yummy!!!
Carolyn says
Wow, this looks insanely delicious! I will have to try this one. Thank you for sharing. Happy New Year!
Kaylyn Johnson says
This looks so yummy. I’ve never tried kale, so this would be a fun recipe to try! Thanks for sharing!
Jazz says
Thanks, Kaylyn! This is a great way to get into kale.