This easy Massaged Kale Salad with Cranberries is made with sweet Tuscan kale. A simple dressing is combined with toasted sunflower seeds, feta and quinoa, to create the perfect massaged kale salad for packed lunches or potlucks.

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Lately I've been in the habit of making a big kale salad at the start of the week.

Unlike salads made with more tender greens, like my Pear Gorgonzola Salad, kale salads tend to only improve with a bit of time. Their leaves get more tender, the dressing melds with the other ingredients, and you've got a sturdy fridge salad that's ready for you to grab and go whenever you need.

I find that keeping a massaged kale salad on hand is one easy way to ensure I eat a healthy lunch or dinner when my days get particularly busy - and let's be real, when are they not?

How to massage kale

It hardly seems fair that we live in a word 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.

How do you massage kale? Simply rub the dressing into the leaves with your fingers.

You'll both see and feel the leaves becoming more tender as you go. 30-ish seconds is all it takes, and once you've tried massaging your kale you'll never look back. Can't stop, won't stop!

What's in this recipe?

So much good stuff, my friends! To make this delicious massaged kale salad you're going to need some:

Kale! --> I prefer to use Tuscan kale, also known as lacinato kale, calvo nero, or dinosaur kale. But if you can't find it, curly kale is fine too.
Cranberries --> We're using dried cranberries that we'll plump up by soaking in vinegar.
Quinoa --> This is totes optional, but really takes this massaged kale salad from a side dish to a meal.
Feta --> Don't mind if I do!
Dill --> Some fresh dill weed getting up in your business.
Green onion --> Moooooooore flavour!
Sunflower seeds --> Toasted, please and thank you.
Vinegar/olive oil/honey/Dijon/salt/pepper --> For a simple and delish kale salad dressing.

How to make this recipe

Step 1: Since we're making kale salad with cranberries, we're going to 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 flavour.

Step 2: Next we're going to toast our sunflower seeds in a dry (no oil) frying pan over medium heat. Give them a toss every few minutes until you start to smell their nutty aroma and can see they're slightly browned. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Step 3: Now we're going to prepare our kale.

How to de-stem kale

Great question! Here's what to do:

With one hand, hold a leave 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.

Then you're going to stack your kale leaves into a pile, and using a sharp knife (I have this one), slice them into thick ribbons. My friend Ceri from Natural Kitchen Adventures has a great video demonstrating how to de-stem and chiffonade kale.

Step 4: Drain the cranberries, reserving the infused vinegar for the dressing. In a small bowl combine the vinegar with olive oil, both smooth and grainy Dijon mustard, a bit of honey, and some salt and pepper. Give it a good whisk to combine.

Step 5: 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.

Step 6: Add the green onion, dill, toasted sunflower seeds, and plumbed cranberries to the bowl, along with the remaining dressing. Give the salad a good toss, then scatter with crumbled feta.

Note! 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.

How long will kale salad last in the fridge?

If stored in the fridge in an air-tight container, this kale salad with cranberries will be perfectly fine for 3-5 days, though I expect you'll make good work of it before then.

Can I pack this salad for lunch?

You can and you should! You can pack it either with the quinoa tossed through the salad, or tucked alongside in your lunch box.

Related: 20 Vegetarian Lunch Ideas.

Can I make this salad vegan?

You sure can! To make a vegan kale salad swap the honey in the dressing for another liquid sweetener. You can either leave the feta out, or replace it with tofu feta or try this recipe for sunflower feta.

Hey Nutrition Lady, is kale healthy?

Yes my friends, it sure is. When you make a delicious massaged kale salad with cranberries you're not only getting a tasty meal, but a big serving of a nutrition powerhouse!

Kale is extraordinarily rich in micronutrients, dietary fiber, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients, and cancer fighting glucosinolates. Kale is a good source of vitamin C, beta-carotene, manganese, and contains nearly twice the vitamin K (essential for blood clotting and also an important anti-inflammatory agent) than any other cruciferous vegetable (broccoli, cabbage, etc). Recent research has shown that cabbages (including kale) are now seen as more effective than tomatoes at preventing most forms of prostate cancer.

The dietary fiber in kale is known to reduce blood cholesterol levels. Iron, magnesium, vitamin E, folate, and phosphorous are among the complement of vital minerals found in kale.

kale salad with cranberries in a wooden salad bowl with quinoa to the side

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