This healthy kale strawberry salad is simple but packed with healthful ingredients to be a nutritional powerhouse. A great way to jazz up your salads this berry season! Plus, it’s vegetarian, gluten-free, packed with Vitamins, and can be made vegan and nut-free, if preferred!
Berry season here, and so is the sunshine (occasionally), which means it’s the perfect time to try some new, healthy, summer salads. This strawberry salad is simple, containing just 6 elements, and yet packed with flavor.
This salad is sure to win over even the kale dislikes (but can also be swapped into a strawberry spinach salad, if preferred). It blends the flavor of sweet, savory, and tangy perfectly to hit all the taste buds and keep you coming back time and time again. Plus, there are tons of ways to customize this strawberry salad recipe to your tastes!
For such a simple salad, this strawberry kale dish packs a heck of a lot of health benefits in too!
The Health Benefits
Though this salad may be simple, the nutrients and healthful benefits that it packs are mighty.
Kale: The inclusion of kale means that this salad is jam-packed with Vitamins K, A, and C. In fact, a single cup of kale contains over 100% of the daily recommended amounts for all three.
Plus, kale also contains tons of antioxidants that are beneficial to reducing oxidative stress in the body, inflammation, and lowering blood pressure and harmful LDL cholesterol levels. Check out my Kale Chips, for another delicious way to eat this ingredient.
Strawberries: Packed with vitamins (particularly Vit C), fiber, and high levels of antioxidants, strawberries are a great addition to any salad. They also have anti-cancerous properties too!
Almonds: Helping to bring proteins and healthy fats to the salad, almonds contain several vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. This includes containing antioxidants, and working to lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and help keep you full for longer.
The dressing: Though simple (with just 3 main dressing ingredients; ACV, olive oil, and strawberries), this strawberry dressing contains apple cider vinegar, another boost to this meal. ACV has health claims including containing antioxidant and microbial effects, helping detox, and even lowering blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
There are several ingredients that you can sub/ swap out for just as nutritional options. Read the recipe notes section for suggestions and options.
The Method
What Is Needed
- Strawberries
- Kale
- Dried apricots (optional)
- Bocconcini – small mozzarella cheese balls
- Glazed almonds – roasted and glazed with maple
- Strawberry salad dressing
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1. Prepare the Maple Glazed Almonds
Combine raw almonds and maple syrup and mix well (1 tbsp maple per 1/2 cup almonds). Spread over a lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and then roast for 10-15 minutes at 350f/180C.
Leave to cool before using. You can also make these in advance and keep them stored in the fridge (for between 1-2 weeks), for extra ‘crunch’ levels.
Step 2. Prepare the salad
Depending on what type of kale you’ve bought, you may need to de-rib it and chop. The ‘rib’ is the thick stem running down the leaf and can be very chewy and hard to digest. For curly kale you can chop roughly, otherwise, you can ‘ribbon’ the pieces.
Then, massage the kale with the salad dressing for around 30-40 seconds. This will help to tenderize the kale leaves for a softer texture and mellow flavor.
Finally, combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl and optionally drizzle with a little more dressing. It’s ready to serve!
Optionally, if you’re making this recipe for an event/to impress then decorate with some edible flowers/ flower petals.
How To Store
This salad is best eaten immediately. The massaged kale will become softer as it sits and isn’t nice after some time sitting.
If you’re wanting to prepare the salad in advance then you can mix the kale and dressing without massaging the leaves. and the acidity within the dressing will help to break down/tenderize the leaves slowly.
Top Tip: the acids in the dressing will naturally break down the kale leaves, when left to sit, without the need to massage. So, if you want to make the salad a couple of days in advance, then you can simply add the dressing on the day, and allow it to sit for a while before serving.
Recipe Add-ins & Variations
For a vegan version: You can omit the mozzarella entirely, or swap for vegan mozzarella or cheese of your choice.
For a nut-free version: You could swap the almonds out for your favorite seed instead such as pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds.
- Feel free to swap out the kale for spinach (baby spinach or more mature varieties), arugula, rocket, and other leafy greens.
- You can swap the almonds for other nuts such as walnuts, pecans, pistachios, etc.
- If you prefer a stronger cheese, then you could use goats cheese or blue cheese instead.
- Swap out the dried apricots for other dried fruits such as cranberries, figs, or even dates.
- You could also swap out the strawberry vinaigrette for a raspberry dressing or blackberry dressing.
- There are several add-ins you could include too; such as blueberries, sliced avocado, cucumber, red onion, mangetout/sugar snap peas, etc. Try not to over complicate the salad though.
- For less sugar content, you can use raw or salted/roasted nuts without candying them.
- You could, optionally, add in some chopped herbs too. Mint goes well with the strawberry.
- You can make this recipe even heartier with the addition of cooked grains (like quinoa) or even proteins like tofu.
Related Recipes
If you’re in the mood for more Summer salads, then here are some options that you might like.
- Classic Caprese Salad (Tomato Mozzarella Salad)
- Simple quinoa salad with walnuts and avocado
- Tropical Mango Salad
- Simple Traditional Lebanese Fattoush Salad
- Thai Inspired Salad in a Jar Recipe
- Raspberry Salad
- Blackberry Salad
- Grilled Peach Burrata Salad with Tomatoes (Peach Caprese Salad)
If you have any questions, leave a comment below Also, I love seeing your recreations so feel free to tag me on Instagram@AlphaFoodie.
Healthy Kale Strawberry Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups strawberries
- 2 cups kale
- 1 cup Bocconcini small mozzarella balls
- ¾ cup dried apricots
- ½ cup glazed almonds
- ½ cup strawberry salad dressing
Instructions
Step 1. Prepare the Maple Glazed Almonds
- Combine raw almonds and maple syrup and mix well (1 tbsp maple per 1/2 cup almonds). Spread over a lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and then roast for 10-15 minutes at 350f/180C.
- Leave to cool before using. You can also make these in advance and keep them stored in the fridge (for between 1-2 weeks), for extra 'crunch' levels.
Step 2. Prepare the salad
- Depending on what type of kale you’ve bought, you may need to de-rib it and chop. The ‘rib’ is the thick stem running down the leaf and can be very chewy and hard to digest. For curly kale you can chop roughly, otherwise, you can ‘ribbon’ the pieces.
- Then, massage the kale with the salad dressing for around 30-40 seconds. This will help to tenderize the kale leaves for a softer texture and mellow flavor.
- Finally, combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl and optionally drizzle with a little more dressing. It’s ready to serve!
How To Store
- This salad is best eaten immediately. The massaged kale will become softer as it sits and isn't nice after some time sitting.If you're wanting to prepare the salad in advance then you can mix the kale and dressing without massaging the leaves. and the acidity within the dressing will help to break down/tenderize the leaves slowly.
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