Simple Massaged Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing

Simple Massaged Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing is ready to eat in under 5 minutes.  This kale salad is simple, yet full of flavor from the freshly grated Parmesan, lemon, garlic and extra virgin olive oil.  Serve this easy salad recipe as a side to your favorite meal, or enjoy it as is for a healthy lunch.

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Simple Massaged Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing

Kale has grown on me.

When I first tried it a few years back, I wasn’t sold on it.  Sometimes kale salads are too tough for my liking.  After some work on different salads using kale, I have realized that massaged kale salads are my favorite way to eat a kale salad. The leaves are softer from the massage you give them and the flavors really pop. Especially the lemon, which is one of my favorite salad flavors.

This Simple Massaged Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing is a great base that you can add your favorite salad toppings into.  Try things like avocado, grilled chicken, nuts, dried fruits, tofu or your other favorites.

Still not sold on kale salads?

Let me tell you how easy it is to make.

Start by removing the ribs from the kale and trimming it of any big thick stems {if you have a Trader Joe’s near you, they sell already trimmed kale, which is a nice shortcut} and put it into a large mixing bowl.

Add the remaining ingredients in the bowl and massage the kale salad with your hands for 3 to 4 minutes, until the kale reduces down to half the size you started with.  And there you have it…a beautiful, flavorful kale salad.

Sometimes when I make this salad, I feel like I am getting a little bit of therapy by massaging the kale. You get your hands nice and “dirty” with olive oil, lemon and Parmesan.

Your hands smell amazing after you are done and I am telling you, it’s possible you will feel like you had a nice little therapy session.  On one of those extra stressful days try it out because you can’t beat free, delicious therapy.

I love using this massaged kale salad as a side for my dinners or as a main dish at lunch. If you make this for lunch try adding things like grilled chicken or salmon, beans like chickpeas, pine nuts or almonds, dried fruit or fresh fruit. The options are endless with this salad.

This simple massaged kale salad works as a great base for so many ingredients!

A couple of things that will help your salad be spectacular:

Julia // A Cedar Spoon

Yields 6-8

Simple Massaged Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing

Simple Massaged Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing is ready in under 5 minutes. This kale salad is simple yet full of flavor from the freshly grated parmesan, lemon, garlic and extra virgin olive oil. Serve this as a side to your favorite meal or as lunch.

10 minPrep Time

10 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

• 10 oz raw kale {this equals about 1 bunch of kale but keep in mind that the size of the bunches of kale can vary} ribs removed and discarded
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice {1 large lemon gives me about this much}
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup parmesan, freshly grated
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt {or more to taste}
• Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl put the kale, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic cloves, parmesan and salt. Using clean hands start massaging the kale salad and continue to do this for about 3-4 minutes {you want the kale to reduce down to about half of what you started with}. Taste the salad and add pepper and continue to massage for another few seconds. Taste again and adjust seasoning accordingly.
2. Serve alongside your favorite meal or as lunch.
3. Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days {I find it better the first few days}.

Recipe Type: Salad

Notes

If you have a Trader Joes near you, you can buy a 10oz bag of kale that has already been trimmed and the ribs removed.

I like to add additional ingredients to this salad sometimes like grilled chicken or salmon, nuts, fresh or dried fruit or beans.

7.6.4

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Looking for more healthy salad recipes? Head over to my Salad Pinterest board.

Check out these other kale recipes on A Cedar Spoon:

Avocado Kale and Spinach Salad

One Pot Kale Broccoli Chickpea Orecchiette Pasta

Tropical Kale Quinoa Salad

If you like kale check out these other kale recipes from my fellow food bloggers:

The Best Shredded Kale Salad // Oh She Glows

Roasted Cauliflower Kale Salad // Love and Lemons

Kale Salad with Brussels Sprouts and Toasted Almonds // Marin Mama Cooks