Blueberry Kale Salad (a make-ahead recipe)
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You guyyyyys!! I’m so excited about this kale salad recipe! It’s a make-ahead GREEN salad. Whaaaat?! Yes!! Think: work lunch. Every other green salad I know of doesn’t last more than a couple of hours after adding the dressing but this one is just as crazy amazing the next day. No mow soggy greens y’all! I know I’m using obnoxious amounts of exclamation points, but inside I’m “!!!!”
My sister’s Mom-in-law got this recipe from her sister and when my sister tried her sisters salad and then brought it home to her own sister (me) to try it, I called and got the recipe too. Now I can pass it on to my sisters (and you ofcourse!). I love the stories behind recipes! I know I’m talking fast but I’m soo excited!!! Pin it now and make it for your next party.
Ingredients for Kale Salad:
1 bunch kale, rinsed, tough stems removed and chopped
3-4 carrots, grated or julienned (here’s the julienne-er we use)
1 cup craisins
1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tbsp extra virgin Olive oil
1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 – 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries added before serving
How to Strip Kale:
To remove the tough stems from kale, hold the base of the stem with one hand, pinch at the base of the leaf with the other hand and pull it up the stem to remove the leaves. Stack leaves and chop into small bite size pieces as you would with romaine lettuce. Spin it dry as you would any lettuce (we’ve gone through many salad spinners and this is the best).
How to Make Kale Salad:
1. Stir together the dressing: 1/4 cup cider vinegar, 2 Tbsp oil, 1/2 Tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine chopped kale, grated carrots and 1 cup craisins. Add dressing and toss the salad together until leaves are evenly coated with dressing. Cover and refrigerate at least 3-4 hours or overnight.
3. Toss in thinly sliced red onion and blueberries before serving.
Kale Salad with Blueberries (make-ahead recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 bunch kale, rinsed, tough stems removed and chopped
- 3-4 carrots, grated or julienned (here's the julienne-er we use)
- 1 cup craisins, dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin Olive oil
- 1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 - 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries added before serving
Instructions
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Stir together the dressing: 1/4 cup cider vinegar, 2 Tbsp oil, 1/2 Tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper.
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In a large mixing bowl, combine chopped kale, grated carrots and 1 cup craisins. Add dressing and toss the salad together until leaves are evenly coated with dressing. Cover and refrigerate at least 3-4 hours or overnight.
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Toss in thinly sliced red onion and blueberries before serving.
Recipe Notes
Quick Kale Tip: To remove the tough stems from kale, hold the base of the stem with one hand, pinch at the base of the leaf with the other hand and pull it up the stem to remove the leaves. Stack leaves and chop into small bite size pieces as you would with romaine lettuce. Spin it dry as you would any lettuce.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Lip-smacking good! You’ll get plenty of recipe requests for this salad and it’s all thanks to my sister’s Mother-in-law’s sister :).
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
I am prepping this tonight, I’m going to serve this salad tomorrow.
I’m just wondering if I can substitute white onion for red onion?
Hi Joan! Yes, you can but red onions have a milder, sweeter flavor and are considered more suitable for eating raw which makes them a great choice for salads.
Hi, this looks awesome. I have a bag of mixed kale and spinach. Do you think that’ll work with this recipe
Hi Pam! I haven’t tried that mix, but I bet it would work! I hope you love it!
Making this for a friend tonight after looking in my fridge and googling kale and blueberry salad! Sounds so yummy! Thanks for sharing.
You’re Welcome, Kelly! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
I have made this three times and I have had co-workers thinking I’m a chef…Shhhh
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
I came across this recipe when I was searching for new kale salad recipes. After reading some of the other reviews, I wasn’t sure how it would turn it, but I loved it! Will make it again. Thanks!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Loved loved loved it! Thank you so much!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review 🙂
I switched the oil and vinegar ratios to fit the typical salad dressings of 3 parts oil one part vinegar since this looks the opposite to help keep that vinegar strength down a bit. Thanks for this recipe!
You’re so welcome!
I did everything by the recipe and this salad did not taste good. Nobody, including my husband (who likes unusual foods), liked it. It was way too sweet and the flavors just didn’t go together. Looked pretty though!
Hi Tanya, I am always happy to help troubleshoot. With this one, it is important to keep the proportions the same for the dressing and also to let the salad rest and soften per the instructions since kale is stiff and the flavors mellow out with time. Too much dressing to kale can also be overpowering so be sure to keep those proportions the same as well.
I made this salad and nobody liked it! From the first bite, my hubby declined it! The apple cider vingear is still too strong of a taste. Everything went to waste =(.
Hi Olga, I’m sorry to hear that! I have found that it will be too strong in flavor if you try to eat it right away. It’s definitely best if you let it rest for 3-4 hours or even overnight before enjoying. The dressing softens the kale leaves and becomes a little more muted in flavor with the vinegar. I hope that helps!
If i make it for a crowd and make 3 bunches of kale, should I triple the amount of dressing too? Hope to hear from you soon. Thanks!
Hi Cher, if everything is the same, I would triple the dressing also to be on the safe side.
Hi! Can i use fresh lemon juice instead of cider vinegar? Thanks!
Hi Cher, I think that would work fine 🙂 I used a similar dressing with lemon juice instead in my other kale salad recipe.
Yum, so soo good! And healthy too;)
Right!! It is very good! Thank you for sharing Lina! 🙂
The apple cider vinegar is making me pause on this recipe. Is it too strong of flavor in it?
It mellows out with the rest of the ingredients and as it sits and marinates.
Natasha, I make similar salad with the following ingredients:kate, fresh cucumber, tomatoes, walnuts, dried cranberries, grated parmesan. For dressing I use fresh lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. This is my to go salad and I am in love with it.
Wow that sounds yummy! Do you massage the kale or let it sit for awhile with dressing before serving it?
Hi Natasha!
This is like a dream recipe for us Mainers. You know, we’re in blueberry heaven around here. Come summer, I’m up to my elbows in the things. And that’s not to mention the kale. I had a harvest in the garden last year that gave me a huge bowl every single night for months. Oh, the money I saved. I’m going to stash this recipe away for some time in July. By then, I’ll passing kale out to the neighbors and I’ll make one huge salad from the instructions on this page.
Thanks so much!
Jay
Thank you Jay! I hope you love it. I would love to be in blueberry heaven :). We never really get much blueberries in Idaho. I hope you love this salad. It’s quite a treat 🙂
Whew! What an exotic salad! It’s so flavorful! I wasn’t sure what to expect because the combination is so…unexpected haha. Not sure what word to use there. I was intrigued by the healthy ingredients though, and I’m happy I tried it! Thank you again, Natasha and family!
Awesome! I’m so happy you discovered it and loved it 🙂
Can you use vegetable oil instead, just realized I’m out of olive oil?
It would work but next time try it with the extra virgin olive oil. It really adds more flavor to the salad. I tested this with an extra light olive oil (pretty much flavorless just like vegetable oil) and I tested it with extra virgin and I liked the Extra virgin more, but it will work with that substitute.
Thank you for great recipe Natasha! I made it and it was delicious, it’s definitely a keeper.
You are welcome Luba, I’m glad you liked it 😁.
This is a great idea. Making salads ahead of time is a huge pain since you need to pack the dressing (among other things) separately. Kale is useful for some things, ha.
Yes!! I was so excited when I realized it would be great for work or school lunches! Kale is awesome 🙂
Going to make it tomorrow for our family gathering. Thanks for the recipe, Natasha! Looks delicious!
You’re so welcome! I hope you all LOVE it! 🙂
Thank you so much for this recipe, Natasha! I looove salads and this one makes me very hungry. I am pinning it to my healthy recipes folder!
That’s awesome! Thank you so much for pinning and I hope you absolutely LOVE the salad! 🙂
This salad looks so fresh and tasty! I am pinning it for later!
Hi Tania! Thank you so much for pinning. I really appreciate it! 🙂
The make-ahead factor totally sold me. I take salads to work but I hate making them in the morning because I leave so early and I am pretty zomby-esque until about 9 am. Anyway, I’ve been bringing salads with no dressing to avoid sogginess and let’s face it…it’s a big sacrifice. I am trying this next Monday. Woot!
How absolutely perfect as a take to work salad! Brilliant!! I’m adding that into the post as an idea. Thanks Julia!!
This is a beauty, Natasha.
It’s my hubby’s bday this w/end and I’m putting your salad onto the table!
Oh I hope you both absolutely love it! Happy birthday to your hubby! 🙂