This quick and easy Kale Cabbage Salad is healthy and delicious! Each tasty bite is gloriously vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free!
Today was a clean out the fridge of all the random leftover veggies type of day. Whenever this happens I basically get to play my own little version of the show Chopped and create something out of all the random ingredients.
In this case, a few cups of chopped kale, a little baggie of shredded carrots, and a quarter head of purple cabbage were saved from their imminent death-by-crisper-drawer status and transformed into a healthy and vibrant salad that I will literally go out of my way to make on repeat.
I added some of the green onions I had sitting in a cup of water on the windowsill (my favorite lazy way to regrow one purchase into multiple uses) along with some frozen edamame and chopped almonds to the bowl and rounded it out with a speedy and delicious homemade dressing made from some lemons and a bunch of pantry staples.
Of course, in the spirit of cleaning out the fridge, you’re welcome to add any extra vegetables you’d like to your salad. Bell peppers would be a tasty addition and so would chopped pickled banana peppers. Even some chopped broccoli would be awesome here!
Have fun with it! If you add a boatload of additional mix-ins, simply make extra dressing and you’re good to go!
You can pair this colorful salad with half a sandwich or a veggie burger or enjoy it all on it’s own! If you’re needing a carnivore twist, adding shredded rotisserie chicken to this salad is absolutely delicious or you can serve up the salad as a side for your favorite main dish.
Easy + Delicious Kale Cabbage Salad
Chopping everything up nice and small ensures you get all the amazing flavors and textures in every bite. Salads are normally a fork’s job but honestly, I love to just grab a spoon and shovel it in my face. I regret nothing.
The tasty blend of protein and fiber in this plant-based salad is filling and fabulous! This rockin’ recipe yields approx 5-6 cups of salad, perfect as shareable side salads or as 2-3 larger meal sized salads.
Kale Cabbage Salad
Ingredients
- 2-3 cups finely chopped curly kale
- 1 ½ cups thinly sliced purple cabbage
- 1 cup shelled edamame
- 1 cup julienned carrots
- 2-3 TBSP sliced green onions or finely diced red onion
- ⅓ cup roasted salted almonds
DRESSING
- 1 clove garlic
- 3 TBSP fresh lemon juice from 1 large lemon
- 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
- 1 TBSP country dijon mustard
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp honey
Instructions
FIRST MAKE THE DRESSING
- Peel, smash, and mince garlic and add to a small bowl.
- Add remaining dressing ingredients and whisk well, adding any extra honey desired after tasting. I'll sometimes add an extra teaspoon to balance the flavors but keep some of the tartness as it's a fantastic way to liven up the veggies.
NEXT PREP THE SALAD
- Thaw edamame if using the shelled and ready-to-eat type from the freezer. if using whole edamame pods (I buy this type most often) simply steam and shell.
- Remove the kale leaves from the firm center stalk and finely chop into small pieces. I call this my kale confetti and when it's nice and small it's so easy to eat!
- Add kale to a large salad bowl and drizzle a spoonful of dressing over the greens. Use your hands to massage the dressing into the leaves for extra tender kale.
- Thinly slice cabbage and either use pre-shredded carrots or julienne whole carrots. Give both the cabbage and carrots a rough chop for smaller pieces (so we can get a little of everything in each bite) and add to the bowl with the kale.
- Thinly chop green onion or, if opting for red onion instead, finely mince. Finely chop almonds and add both to the salad.
- Whisk the dressing once more and pour over the top. Mix well and enjoy!
Notes
If you’ve never added edamame to a salad before, you’re in for a treat! It’s such a fabulous way to add protein and fiber to your bowl-o-veggies. It’s also wildly delicious. You may even find yourself adding it to all your favorite salads from here on out!
Obviously I’m speaking from experience here; I add edamame to everything lately!
I even have a whole collection of 20+ Easy Edamame Recipes that are sure to rock your face.
If you get a chance to try this tasty Kale Cabbage Salad, let me know! Leave me a comment or review using the form below. I’m always so excited to chat it up and can’t wait to hear all about your tasty creation!
Behind the blog
My elbow is still not fully elbowing since the axe throwing incident but I’m finally seeing some progress in PT. I feel like I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel! I miss the gym fiercely and can’t wait until I can F45 my face off and hang with my workout fam.
In other news, I’m trying to choose my next book and show. For streaming I’m thinking of starting Widow’s Bay. Have y’all seen it yet?
Bookwise, I just finished The Ending Writes Itself (fantastic!) which was as super fun murder mystery co-written by one of my favorite authors. For my next read I am torn between the new release Yesteryear (it sounds so interesting!) or finally reading Demon Copperhead which has been sitting on my bookshelf for ages. What do y’all think? Have you read either?
