Mixed Berry Kale Salad
With blueberries, raspberries and strawberries, this mixed berry kale salad is tossed with balsamic vinaigrette, sunflower seeds and goat cheese.
When I picked up my fruit and veggie box last week, there was a beautiful bunch of kale. I was excited to see those deep green leaves. But it hit me that I hadn’t made my go-to summer kale salad yet.
And it’s already July, so I felt like I had to make up for lost time!
Yes, I know there can be something cliché about a raw kale salad, but I love those hearty, borderline tough greens that somehow always manage to stay crisp and retain their bite.
They are a mainstay in my fall and winter salad rotation, but I also have a version for June, July and August.
With berry season in full swing, I often make a mixed berry kale salad especially because everything from strawberries to blueberries is such a deal at the supermarket right now.
This is the time of the year when I find myself eating an entire pint of blackberries right when I get home from my weekly shopping trip. This happens while I’m unloading, organizing and putting away the groceries.
I have to admit that it kind of feels a bit decadent when I spend the majority of the months avoiding out-of-season berries because of cost and they don’t taste that great.
What I enjoy so much about this triple berry kale salad is the combination of bitter greens with the sweetness of the strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.
I also include sunflower seeds, crumbled goat cheese and garlicky mustard balsamic vinaigrette for elements that are salty and savory.
The Ingredients
This is what you need for this berry kale salad:
- Kale: Easy-to-find curly green kale has leaves that are almost frilly at the edges. Just tear the leaves from the tough ribs and chop them for the salad.
- Mixed berries: I include blueberries, raspberries and strawberries, which I hull and cut into quarters.
- Scallions: These are always my choice for fresh light onion flavor.
- Sunflower seeds: To bring some salty crunch, I sprinkle in sunflower seeds.
- Goat cheese: All these berries pair so nicely with crumbled goat cheese in salads. This seems like the obvious choice, but if you have feta, you can use that instead.
- Balsamic vinaigrette: With minced garlic and Dijon mustard, this version has more going on than the usual balsamic vinaigrette.
How To Make A Mixed Berry Kale Salad
Before I even get to the lettuce, I start with the kale salad dressing. In a small bowl, I whisk together balsamic vinegar, garlic, mustard, salt, pepper and olive oil.
Then I put the chopped kale and sliced scallions in a big bowl and pour in the vinaigrette. This gives me the chance to massage it into the kale. That just involves using your hands to coat the leaves in the dressing, while giving the kale a light squeeze as you toss it around the bowl.
Next, I fold in the blueberries, raspberries and strawberries along with parsley, sunflower seeds and goat cheese.
As you can tell, this is a very simple salad recipe.
Serving A Kale Salad
This salad is worthy of being considered a main dish salad, but keep it in mind for a side salad, too. You can just serve less if you are planning to pair it with something else.
If you do want to add a protein, I recommend shredded rotisserie chicken or sliced grilled chicken.
Can You Make This Salad In Advance?
Even though kale is the kind of salad green that doesn’t get soggy, wait before you massage the vinaigrette into the leaves.
You can have all the ingredients measured, cut and ready ahead of time, including the dressing. Then the only thing you have to do is assemble the salad, which takes few minutes.
Try One Of These Other Berry Salads
Blackberry Salad With Basil Pesto Vinaigrette
Strawberry Cucumber Pasta Salad
Blueberry Corn Salad
Pistachio Goat Cheese Strawberry Salad
Mixed Berry Kale Salad
Ingredients
- For vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- For salad
- 1 bunch curly kale, ribs removed, leaves chopped
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1/2 cup raspberries
- 1/2 cup quartered strawberries
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
Instructions
- For the vinaigrette, combine the balsamic vinegar, garlic, mustard, salt and pepper in a small bowl and whisk in the olive oil.
- For the salad, place the chopped kale and the scallions in a large bowl. Drizzle in half the vinaigrette and massage the dressing into the kale coating all the greens. Add more vinaigrette as needed.
- Stir in the blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, scallions, parsley, sunflower seeds and goat cheese, tossing to combine all the ingredients.
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