Name: The Best Kale Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 bunch lacinato kale, ribs discarded and leaves cut into thin strips; 1 teaspoon olive oil; 2 pinches salt; 0.25 cup olive oil; 1 lemon, juiced; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon maple syrup, or more to taste; 0.25 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 pinch garlic powder, or to taste; 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste; salt and ground black pepper to taste; 2 carrots, grated; 0.5 cup frozen roasted corn (such as Trader Joe's®), thawed; 0.25 cup crushed tortilla chips; 0.25 cup dry-roasted almonds, coarsely chopped; 2 tablespoons grated smoked white cheese (such as Beecher's® Smoked Flagship); 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

The Best Kale Salad

5.0

(24)

18 Reviews

7 Photos

This kale salad with tender kale leaves, roasted corn, hard-boiled eggs, and smoked cheese is hearty and delicious. The homemade lemon dressing is rich and tangy. When I bring this salad to a party, everyone always asks for the recipe.

Submitted by Alli Shircliff

Updated on December 5, 2024

Prep Time:

20 mins

Additional Time:

10 mins

Total Time:

30 mins

Servings:

Jump to Nutrition Facts

This healthy kale salad recipe is as delicious as it is nutritious.

Kale Salad Ingredients

These are the ingredients you’ll need to make this top-rated kale salad recipe:

For the salad: Lacinato kale, olive oil, salt, carrots, frozen roasted corn, crushed tortilla chips, dry-roasted almonds, smoked white cheese, and hard-boiled eggs.
For the dressing: olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and black pepper.

How to Make Kale Salad

You’ll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here’s a brief overview of what you can expect when you make this kale salad at home:

Soften the kale with salt and olive oil.
Make the lemon vinaigrette.
Layer the remaining ingredients (besides the eggs) over the kale.
Toss the kale salad with the vinaigrette and stir in the chopped eggs.

What to Serve With Kale Salad

This homemade kale salad is the perfect accompaniment to all kinds of crowd-pleasing main dishes. Explore our collection of 50 Best Dinner Recipes of All Time for delicious inspiration.

You can also make it a meal on its own — try pairing it with chicken, shrimp, steak, or roasted chickpeas for a filling meal.

How to Store Kale Salad

Since kale will wilt relatively quickly, it’s best to enjoy this kale salad with lemon vinaigrette the day you make it. If you have leftovers, though, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams

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Ingredients

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Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings

1 bunch lacinato kale, ribs discarded and leaves cut into thin strips
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 pinches salt

Lemon Dressing:

¼ cup olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon maple syrup, or more to taste
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1 pinch garlic powder, or to taste
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Salad:

2 carrots, grated
½ cup frozen roasted corn (such as Trader Joe's), thawed
¼ cup crushed tortilla chips
¼ cup dry-roasted almonds, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons grated smoked white cheese (such as Beecher's Smoked Flagship)
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

Directions

Place kale in a large serving bowl; add 1 teaspoon olive oil and 2 pinches salt. Gently massage oil and salt into kale. Set aside to allow kale to soften, about 10 minutes.
To make the dressing: Combine 1/4 cup olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper for vinaigrette in a plastic or glass container with a lid. Cover the container and vigorously shake until dressing is light yellow and evenly combined.
Layer carrots, roasted corn, tortilla chips, almonds, and smoked cheese on top of kale.
Drizzle vinaigrette over salad; mix with tongs until evenly distributed. Gently stir chopped eggs into salad.

Cook’s Note

Depending on the size of the lemons, the maple syrup may need to be increased if the dressing is too tangy.

I always taste-test the dressing before adding it to the salad. So I recommend tasting and adjusting the maple syrup, salt, pepper, and/or Dijon mustard.

33 home cooks made it!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

338	Calories
24g	Fat
24g	Carbs
11g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 338
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 24g	31%
Saturated Fat 4g	20%
Cholesterol 110mg	37%
Sodium 378mg	16%
Total Carbohydrate 24g	9%
Dietary Fiber 5g	17%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 11g	22%
Vitamin C 138mg	153%
Calcium 229mg	18%
Iron 3mg	17%
Potassium 755mg	16%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.