Garlicky Massaged Kale Salad tossed with tomatoes, cucumber and a smoky chipotle dressing. This tasty 15 minute salad is one of our favorites!
Whole Food’s Vegan Garlic Massaged Kale Salad… It’s a bit heavenly.
It’s also really hard to get off your mind once you get it in your head that you HAVE to have it!
Luckily we can make our own tasty kale salads at home and that’s just what I’ve been doing lately. Stay tuned for some AMAZING kale recipes especially kale salads!
This sassy salad is also vegan, gluten-free, ridiculously healthy and fan-freaking-tastic. The buttery olive oil, zesty garlic and smoky chipotle keep me coming back for more!
but… how do you massage kale?
It’s easy! So easy, in fact, that even my 10 year old can do it! She was kind enough to hand model for me this time around.
First chop your kale. Teeny bites of kale mean you’ll get lots of kale, veggies, and dressing to fit on each forkful!
Add the kale to a large bowl and drizzle kale with a tsp or two of your favorite healthy oil (like avocado oil or olive oil) and a pinch of salt. You can also add a squeeze of lemon juice if you’d like!
Massage the kale with your fingers until kale darkens in color and takes on a velvety texture. This little rubdown turns the curly kale leaves into a tender and silky salad green!
Kale Salad Serving Suggestions
This zesty kale salad is flavorful enough to enjoy on it’s own and absolutely amazing paired with pretty much anything you can dream up! It makes a fabulous side dish for veggie burgers, paninis, pizza, and even compliments a good old fashioned cheesy veggie quesadilla!
Garlicky Massaged Kale Salad with Chipotle Dressing
This salad is flipping delicious! This recipe makes enough for 4 side salads or two larger salads. Or if you’re really hungry you can plow through the entire bowl in a sitting. I won’t tell.
One of the best parts of this salad is that you can make it ahead of time and it will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. Same goes for the dressing – leftover dressing can be stored in a lidded jar for 1-4 days. It’s a perfect addition to on-the-go lunches or just to help cut down on mealtime prep at home.
There are two options to dress this salad. The first uses chipotle oil dressing and lots of garlic. You can find infused olive oils like the smoky chipotle one I use in this recipe in a number of different locations. Larger grocery stores like Publix, Kroger, Harris Teeter, Whole Foods and Fresh Market all have a bevy of infused oils to choose from. Olive oil bars and specialty shops will also carry them. International stores are a great place to look too!
No chipotle oil? No problem! Try the salad with my zippy chipotle vinaigrette. Love it so!
hONEY cHIPOTLE dRESSING
The below measurements yield yield approx. 1/2 cup of dressing. Need less? You’re welcome to halve the recipe if desired!
- ⅓ cup avocado oil plus a little extra to taste if desired
- 3 TBSP red wine vinegar
- 1.5 TBSP honey
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ¼ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
- 1 small/medium clove garlic , smashed and peeled
- Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend/process until smooth and emulsified. An immersion blender also works great here!
- Dip a kale leaf or cucumber slice into the dressing to taste-test and adjust any ingredients to taste. For more chipotle flavor you can add a little extra adobo sauce or adjust the sweetness/tartness with the honey and vinegar, etc… Let your taste buds be your guide!
- OPTIONAL EXTRA: 1 TBSP fresh squeezed lime juice for a burst of citrus flavor.
Garlicky Massaged Kale Salad with Chipotle Dressing
Ingredients
- 4 cups chopped curly kale
- 1-2 cups chopped veggies (I used cucumber + cherry tomatoes)
OPTION #1 – GARLIC CHIPOTLE OIL DRESSING
- 2-3 TBSP chipotle extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼-½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
OPTION #2 – HONEY CHIPOTLE DRESSING
- ⅓ cup avocado oil
- 3 TBSP red wine vinegar
- 1.5 TBSP honey
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ¼ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
- 1 small/medium clove garlic smashed and peeled
Instructions
IF USING GARLIC CHIPOTLE DRESSING
- Whisk together your dressing ingredients and, using your digits, massage it into chopped/torn kale leaves. This is the dressing that most reminds me of the garlic spiked whole foods salad but with a little added chipotle flavor.
IF USING HONEY CHIPOTLE DRESSING
- Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend/process until smooth and emulsified.
- Dip a kale leaf or cucumber slice into the dressing to taste-test and adjust any ingredients to taste. For more chipotle flavor you can add a little extra adobo sauce or adjust the sweetness/tartness with the honey and vinegar, etc… Let your taste buds be your guide! You can even add some fresh lemon juice to the mix.
FOR THE SALAD
- Chop up your favorite vegetables (tomatoes, cucumber, and avocado all work great here!) and massage the kale using either a little bit of the dressing or a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt.
- Combine kale and veggies in a large mixing bowl and drizzle desired amount of dressing on top. For the garlic chipotle oil dressing, the entire amount is perfect for this salad; if using the honey chipotle dressing, add around half the dressing and serve with the remainder so everyone can add their desired amount.
- Optional extras include pepitas, toasted pecans, sliced almonds, hemp hearts, crispy roasted chickpeas, etc… Let your taste buds be your guide!
Notes
Nutrition
Looking for More Tasty Kale Recipes?
Check out my round-up of 10 Tasty Ways to Eat More Kale or snag a few favorites from the list below:
- Kale Taco Salad with Crispy Roasted Chickpeas
- NEW! Chopped Kale Salad
- Lemon Parmesan Kale Salad – READER FAVORITE!
- Kale Apple Salad with Bacon and Cheddar
- Lemon Orzo with Parmesan, Kale, and Cherry Tomatoes
- Broccoli Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing
If you get a chance to try this garlic massaged kale salad recipe, let me know! Leave me a comment here (LOVE checking those daily!) and tag @PEASandCRAYONS on Instagram so I can happy dance over your tasty creations. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!
Questions & Reviews
Kale is so versatile. Love the fact that it holds up, even with the dressing, for a few days in the fridge. So convenient. Love the smoky chipotle here too.
I am so in love with this dressing. It takes a kale to a whole new level of yum!
Love all the flavors in this salad. It is going to be so satisfying with the garlic and chipotle.
I made this recipe for dinner tonight– so refreshing and tasty! Thanks, as always, for the great food ideas!
It’s so colorful and looks delicious too. I have never tried a salad with Kale. Hope to try this very soon.
Yum, I love Kale and that dressing sounds delish!
Mmm…I love Whole Foods garlicky kale salad. And this looks just as good! 🙂
What a cute little mofo. I’m rooting for Bullet, and I just got back from the grocery store where I purchased Kale because of this post. This salad sounds delicious and I’m craving some Kale. Thanks! You’re the best.
I have a salad very similar to this at least once a week – so delicious and it just makes me feel GOOD! I will literally crave kale salad. 🙂
THANK GOD for you. I’ve had dreams about Whole Foods Garlicky Kale Salad and that is not a joke. BONUS POINTS I just got some chipotle infused EVOO last week! Look like this dish is getting stuffed in my face all week.
Hope you’re feeling good and taking care of that growing little nugget!!
Fresh garlic kale salad sounds great!
Mmm, this does sound amazing!
1. I want a ferret. So stinking precious and photogenic! Haha.
2. Slurp. Kale is amazing any and every way it is prepared. Love the recipe!!
Is the chipotle infused EVOO spicy? I just can not eat spicy food so I need to make sure before I buy it. Let me know please
It varies brand to brand. I don’t find this one to be spicy [it has a tingle to it but its mostly flavor versus blatant heat/spice] but I also might have a different spice-tolerence than you so I don’t know 100% how to say for sure, ya know? Hmm… I think your best bet would be to get a bottle of your favorite EVOO and then add smoked paprika to infuse it with a smoky flavor without any heat whatsoever. Then you can add in anything else you love… onion, additional garlic, even cumin if you like that [also very smokey and savory without the heat factor!] – Hope that helps! I’m here if you have any more questions! xoxo
I’m preeeeetty sure I ate nothing but garlicky kale salad every meal last summer 😉 it’s addicting!
Yum this looks awesome 🙂
They just brought kale to supermarkets here in Australia so i will be trying this 🙂
i recently discovered kale – i was afraid to try it or something – but now i’m obsessed and i might have to make this =)
With words like garlic and chipotle, I’m 10000000% positive I will love it. This one has officially been put on my radar. 🙂
This looks delicious! I have yet to try kale on its own (I love kale chips…), so I really want to look out of the box soon.
Your ferret is adorable 🙂 Positive thoughts!
That looks so colorful and vitamin rich!! I must try it!! I love kale chips but am always scared to try them in a salad.
That dressing sounds fantastic! I love anything that is titled “chipotle.” 😉
I definitely need to try this. I like the fact that you can make it ahead of time and leave it in the fridge for a few days!
Ive made spinach salads but never kale…I need to do this. Love it! It’s so pretty too.
This sounds awesome – anything involving chipotle is my friend, and I’m all about lending a helping hand to kale. 🙂
Much love to Bullet, too. I’m so sorry to hear about his diagnosis, and I’m thinking lots of happy, healthy thoughts for the little guy!
What a little cutie 🙂
No encouragement needed (your pictures were enough)time to add kale to my shopping list!
I used to make a massage kale salad all the time that used liquid smoke… I love the idea of smokey chipotle instead! Anything for a little heat.
Enjoy your little mofo. 😉 Love to Bullet.
Wow,that salad dressing sounds awesome! Adding infused oil to my shopping list…
The salad looks delicious, colourful and so fresh. And I don’t blame you for running of to snuggle that cutie.