A bright and citrusy Crunchy Kale Salad with lemon juice, olive oil, and parmesan cheese. This is the perfect salad for a picnic, BBQ, or a side dish and it only takes 4 ingredients!
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Why I Love This Recipe
This Crunchy Kale Salad is easy to make and so delicious similar to my Cranberry Walnut Feta Salad. If you are unsure of kale, this is a great recipe to break you in.
This salad's fresh lemon and olive oil soften the kale and brighten up this hearty vegetable. This salad is the perfect side dish for a summer BBQ, picnic, or dinner just like my Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad and my Strawberry Shrub Vinaigrette Salad Dressing.
Key Ingredients for This Recipe
- Fresh Kale - Make sure the kale is as fresh as possible, you can't use frozen for this salad. Rinse the kale and scrub the back of the leaves, that's where any dirt may get stuck.
- Lemon - Use a fresh lemon for the zest and the juice. Do not use bottled lemon juice, there is added critic acid in bottled lemon juice changing the flavor.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Use good extra virgin olive oil for this salad. You don't have to spend a fortune but don't use the cheapest stuff you can find. Since it's not being cooked, you will notice the difference.
- Shredded Parmesan Cheese - As with olive oil, use good parmesan cheese too. Freshly grated is best, or find the grated cheese in the deli section if you can.
*See the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and quantities.
What are the Benefits of Eating Kale?
I'm sure you have heard that kale is good for you. Raw kale has vitamin A (from beta-carotene), vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin B6, calcium, copper, potassium, magnesium, iron, and more. Kale contains very little fat, and that fat is an omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid.
How Many Calories Are in 1 Cup of Kale?
Kale is low in calories, only 33 calories/cup, and high in protein and fiber. Given its low-calorie content, kale is said to be among the most nutrient-dense foods in existence. Whew, I guess kale is worth eating!!
How to Make This Kale Salad
Step 1: Rinse the kale thoroughly and Dry the kale with a salad spinner or some paper towels. Remove the leaves from the stem and discard the stems.
Step 2: Chop the kale into smaller bite-sized pieces and add to a large mixing bowl. Zest and juice the lemon and add the juice and zest to the bowl.
Step 3: Add the olive oil and parmesan cheese and mix everything using tongs or salad forks.
Step 4: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for at least an hour.
Expert Tips for This Recipe
- Ensure you remove the leaves before chopping the kale because the thick main stems are the most bitter part.
- Chop the kale into nice bite-sized pieces to make it easy to eat for everyone.
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese and high-quality olive oil will give you the best flavor results.
- This salad needs to chill for a minimum of an hour but 3-4 hours is even better. This will give the flavors a chance to set in and for the kale to soften from the lemon juice and olive oil.
Recipe FAQs
You can make this kale salad a day before an event or party and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it.
This salad will last 1-2 days tightly covered in the fridge. The salad will continue to soften as it sits so anything more will make it mushy.
This salad can be a meal in itself, or you can add grilled chicken, steak, or tofu and some fresh vegetables and you will have a delicious and easy meal.
If you make this Crunchy Kale Salad don't forget to leave a comment below. You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook and show me your creation! You can also follow me on Pinterest and sign up for my email list so you never miss a recipe!
Crunchy Kale Salad Recipe
Equipment
- tongs or salad servers
- micorplane or zester
- citrus juicer
- sharp knife
Ingredients
- 1 large bunch of kale, rinsed and chopped (usually 1 lb or 8 cups chopped)
- 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Rinse the kale really well and remove the leaves from the stems. The stems are the most bitter part of kale. Use a salad spinner or paper towels to dry the leaves as best you can. Chop the kale leaves into small pieces. The smaller pieces help the salad be less tough and easier to eat.
- Zest the lemon and then juice it. You will use all of the zest and all of the juice. Add the kale, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, and parmesan cheese to a large mixing bowl.
- Toss everything together until the kale is coated and everything is combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour, 3-4 hours is best.
Notes
- Ensure you remove the leaves before chopping the kale because the thick main stems are the most bitter part.
- Chop the kale into nice bite-sized pieces to make it easy to eat for everyone.
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese and high-quality olive oil will give you the best flavor results.
- This salad needs to chill for a minimum of an hour but 3-4 hours is even better. This will give the flavors a chance to set in and for the kale to soften from the lemon juice and olive oil
- This salad will last 2-3 days covered in the fridge. You can also make this salad a day ahead of an event or party.
Nutrition
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Gill says
I was convinced that kale was NOT for human consumption. Then I tried this salad, now I eat kale. It is so good.
Emily says
Gill, you just made me laugh out loud! Thanks for trying the recipe, I'm glad I could convert you 😁
Elizabeth says
Great recipe! So delicious!
Kristina Tipps says
Loved it!
Emily says
So glad to hear it!
Kim says
What a delicious and easy salad. So refreshing on a hot day.
Emily says
Yup, a perfect salad for summertime, BBQs, picnics, etc. Enjoy!
Alexandra says
Kale salads are my favourite - and this is delicious.
Emily says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Leslie says
Love this crunchy Kale Salad recipe!
Emily says
Thanks, Leslie, it's one of my favorites!
Sue says
Parmesan and kale - what a great combination! I will make this salad all summer long!
Emily says
It's a great combo, you will def love it when it's hot outside!
Jess says
This is such a cool and refreshing salad for summer! The cool crisp of the kale with the added flavor from the parmesan and lemon is perfect!
Emily says
Thanks, Jess, it will quickly become a favorite for summer for sure!
Katherine says
Oh wow, cheesy yumminess on healthy kale! I love this.
Emily says
I have the same feelings about this salad. The perfect balance of healthy and of course, cheese!
Jacqueline says
I love adding parmigiano to salads like this. This kale salad looks so good. Simple but fresh and flavourful. Pinning for later!
Emily says
Thanks, Jacqueline! I hope you get a chance to make this one.
Andrea says
This looks and sounds so healthy and yummy!
Emily says
ISn't it great when you get healthy and yummy?!?😁
Lindsay says
This salad is amazing because it's SO simple yet amazingly flavorful. I make up a big salad in the beginning of the week and have some with lunch daily. Love it!
Emily says
I totally agree, Lindsay! And what a great idea to have it all week for lunch!