Go Back
–+ servings
Wooden bowl holding a massaged kale blueberry salad with feta, pecans, pumpkin seeds, apple, and a homemade vinaigrette.
Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Kale Blueberry Salad

This massaged kale blueberry salad is packed with candied pecans, feta cheese, apples, and an easy homemade dressing. Delicious and healthy!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Total Time18 minutes
Course: Salad, Side
Cuisine: American
Keyword: kale blueberry salad, massaged kale salad
Servings: 6
Calories: 272kcal
Author: Monica Lensink

Ingredients

Salad:

  • 2/3 cup pecans
  • 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 5-6 cups curly kale
  • 1 cup blueberries rinsed
  • 1 medium apple ideally Granny Smith or another tart variety, chopped
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Dressing:

Instructions

  • Place the pecans in a nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Sprinkle the sugar on top and cook for about 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sugar melts into a light caramel coating over the pecans. Watch closely and turn down the heat if needed; the sugar should not burn. Transfer pecans to a plate or piece of parchment paper to cool, breaking apart any that stick together, and sprinkle very lightly with sea salt.
  • Make the dressing by combining olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, a pinch of sea salt, and 6-8 cranks of fresh-ground black pepper in a small jar or liquid measuring cup. Whisk or shake vigorously into a smooth dressing.
  • Place kale in a large bowl, removing any thick stem pieces. Pour dressing on top, then use your hands to lightly massage the dressing into the kale.
  • Add blueberries, chopped apple, pumpkin seeds, feta, and cooled pecans to the bowl with the kale. Toss well, serve, and enjoy.

Notes

  • You can purchase candied pecans and skip the step of caramelizing them in the skillet. Our favorites are from Trader Joe’s; they’re sold right alongside raw and salted nuts and dried fruit for snacking.
  • Amounts for the kale, pecans, blueberries, and pumpkin seeds are just guidelines. Eyeball everything and adjust to your taste.
  • This salad keeps well, even with the dressing on, but if you know you plan to wait a bit to serve it, hold off on adding the pecans and pumpkin seeds until right before, so they stay maximally crunchy.

Nutrition

Calories: 272kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 112mg | Potassium: 322mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 5641IU | Vitamin C: 56mg | Calcium: 186mg | Iron: 2mg