This massaged kale salad features tender Tuscan kale, tangy dried cranberries, toasted sunflower seeds, creamy feta, and a bright homemade dressing. A handful of quinoa makes it hearty enough for a meal, but it also works beautifully as a side dish or potluck salad.
Kale me maybe
It hardly seems fair that we live in a world where kale gets more frequent massages than I do, but here we are. Kale is naturally quite tough, but taking a few moments to massage the dressing into the leaves transforms them into tender, delicate, salad-worthy greens.
The best part? Unlike salads made with more fragile lettuces (looking at you, Pear Gorgonzola Salad), a massaged kale salad only gets better with time. The leaves continue to soften, the flavors meld together, and you end up with a sturdy, make-ahead fridge salad that's ready whenever you are.
Keeping a batch of this kale salad with cranberries and feta in the fridge is one of my go-to strategies for staying on track with healthy lunches and dinners—especially on those weeks when life is determined to test my scheduling skills. And let’s be honest… isn’t that most weeks?
Let's make a massaged kale salad together!
Alright my friend, you'll find specific quantities and detailed instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. But for now, join me for a bit of a scroll and we'll walk through it step-by-step.
Step 1: de-stem the kale
With one hand, hold a leaf of kale by the sturdy, thick end of its stalk. With your other hand, pull the base of the leaf away from the stalk, pulling towards the tip.
Repeat with all of the kale.
Step 2: plump your cranberries
Since we're making kale salad with cranberries, we'll start by combining our dried cranberries with apple cider vinegar. Set them aside while you're preparing the rest of the ingredients so the cranberries can plump up and infuse the vinegar with cranberry flavor.
Later, you'll drain the cranberries, reserving the infused vinegar for the dressing.
While you're at it, this is a good time to toast your sunflower seeds to bring out their nutty flavor.
Step 3: massage your kale
Place your ribboned kale in a large bowl, and pour a couple of tablespoons of the dressing over top. Use your (clean!) hands to massage the dressing into the kale for about 30 seconds, until the leaves relax under your fingers.
Add the green onion, dill, toasted sunflower seeds, and plumped cranberries to the bowl, along with the remaining dressing. Give the salad a good toss, then scatter with crumbled feta
Step 4: serve!
👩🏻🍳 A note from Katie: When I originally posted this recipe, I called for cooked and cooled quinoa to be mixed in, and if I'm making a refrigerator salad, that's how I make it. Other times, I'll nestle the quinoa into the salad bowl alongside the kale so people can choose whether they want to add it, and how much.
Massaged Kale Salad with Cranberries + Feta
Ingredients
Soak the cranberries:
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries go for unsweetened if you can find them
- 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Make the salad:
- 8 ounces Tuscan kale de-stemmed and sliced into ribbons
- ½ cup sunflower seeds toasted
- 2-3 medium green onions finely sliced
- 2 Tablespoons fresh dill minced
- 4 ounces feta crumbled
- 1 ½ cups quinoa from ½ cup uncooked quinoa
For the dressing:
- 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ Tablespoons apple cider vinegar reserved from the soaked cranberries
- 2 teaspoon smooth Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon grainy Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the dried cranberries with 3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar. Set aside so the cranberries can plump up while you're preparing the rest of the salad.⅓ cup dried cranberries, 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- In a small pan over medium heat, toast the sunflower seeds. Toss frequently until they're lightly golden and fragrant.½ cup sunflower seeds
- Prepare the kale: Give it a good rinse, then pat dry and de-stem the leaves. You can cut the thick stems out with a sharp knife, or hold the base of the stem in one hand and pull the leaf from it with the other. Stack the de-stemmed leaves on top of one another, and using a very sharp knife, slice them into very thin ribbons. Place into a large bowl.8 ounces Tuscan kale
- Drain the cranberries, reserving the liquid to use in the dressing.
- In a small bowl whisk together 1 ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar (drained from the cranberries), olive oil, grainy mustard, smooth Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 ½ Tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoon smooth Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon grainy Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon honey, salt and pepper to taste
- Place the kale ribbons in a large bowl. Add a little bit of dressing and use your fingers to massage it into the kale until tender, approximately 30 seconds.
- Add the with sunflower seeds, cranberries, smoked feta, dill, green onions, and quinoa (if using). Pour the remaining dressing over the salad, and give everything a good toss.2-3 medium green onions, 2 Tablespoons fresh dill, 4 ounces feta, 1 ½ cups quinoa
- Let the salad stand for about 10 minutes before serving - a longer stint in the fridge is perfectly fine.
Notes
- Nutrition values are an estimate only
Nutrition
Barbara says
I needed something easy but amazing tasting for dinner and this salad was just it!!
Katie Trant says
Yay! So glad you enjoyed this one as much as we do 🙂
Nikhil Jaju says
This looks vegan!!
Katie Trant says
The cheese is not vegan.
Nikhil Jaju says
Ok, but if you used plant based cheese?
Kim says
I finally massaged my kale ???? I didn’t have all the goodies to add but I did make the dressing and give it a good rubdown and it truly did soften the kale quite a bit. Kids ate it and anything I can do to help them eat dark leafy greens I’ll do.
Katie Trant says
It's an unfair world we live in where kale gets more frequent massages than I do, but what are you gonna do?
Claire says
I thought this was tasty but I was a little disappointed in the end quantity it made. For 6 servings I thought I'd get more bang for my time. Next time I'll double the greens at least. I ended up using dried cherries, a combo of almonds and sunflower seeds, pumpkin seed oil, freekeh instead of quinoa and goat cheese instead of smoked feta. It was good that I was able to use up some of my dill, which has been growing like a weed. So, in retrospect I just used this as an inspiration, but I think it's really versatile for what you have and can access. I like the idea of a salad that will keep well for several days, so I'll probably be making some version again!
Katie Trant says
Hey Claire, thanks for the feedback! It may be more realistic to say that it serves 6 as a side and 4 as a main, so I'll adjust the recipe card accordingly. Still glad you enjoyed the flavours and found some inspiration in this!
Heather says
I’ve just planted a new crop of kale and it’s the one green that the dear didn’t eat from my winter garden. This salad is delicious, even for people who don’t care for kale.. it’s a great thing to take to a pot luck- no last minute fussing.
kellie@foodtoglow says
Even without the big up from you (and a big thank you, btw) I would be singing this recipe's praises. I mean, for goodness sake, smoked feta. YES PLEASE. I am away just now but trust me this is getting made asap upon return. Right now, I am sipping a gin and tonic and nibbling some cheese from one of Scotland's finest cheese shops (didn't spot any smoked feta but they specialise in British cheeses - Mellis's) and some rough and crumbly Scottish oatcakes made by a small company just down the road. The only thing that would make this better is if you personally delivered this very salad. True. Or if Ryan Gosling did 😉
themuffinmyth says
Kellie, let's make it happen. I'll bring the kale salad, you bring your chickpea pakoras, and the Gos can just bring himself 😉
dosirakbento says
Looks very healthy!
themuffinmyth says
It is very healthy, but also very delicious!
Chez @ Chez Moi says
I have never heard of smoked feta but I can just imagine the flavour. I bet it absolutely makes this salad
themuffinmyth says
It's the first time I've used it, but I've found it in a few shops around the city, so it can't be all that rare. It's totally my new favourite thing!
Sandra says
This salad sound delicious especially now that I am a kale salad convert! I am definitely going to see if I can find some smoked feta at the store. Very interesting!!!
themuffinmyth says
I hope you can find some! I still think of your kale salad with pickled pumpkin! Smoked feta is a real game changer, but I have a thing for any smoked cheese so I'm biased in that direction.
Deena Kakaya says
You know I rarely use kale in salad, as I worry it may become bitter. However, your pairing with salty, smoked feta is so perfectly in harmony with the kale. Your pic is lovely too x
themuffinmyth says
Thanks Deena. The smoked feta really is incredible. I hope you can get your hands on some!