Massaged Kale Salad with Cranberries + Feta

A massaged kale salad with cranberries and feta in a wooden salad bowl with quinoa on the side

Massaged Kale Salad with Cranberries + Feta

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.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Keyword Kale Salad, massaged kale salad

Prep Time 30

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 381kcal

Author Katie Trant

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

US Customary - Metric

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