My Kale and Broccoli Salad is made with healthy kale, broccoli, dried cranberries, and walnuts, and is topped with a delicious, sweet-and-sour dressing. It's the perfect green salad, full of amazing flavor.
You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!
Salads are my jam! Well, bright and colorful salads are. I’ve shared a few colorful pasta salads here before, like this cold seafood salad, and this Hawaiian macaroni salad.
But it's been a while since I've shared a salad recipe, so it's time I shared this kale salad with you all.
This salad is inspired by the Chick-fil-A superfood salad. Yep, they sell more than that delicious fried chicken and amazing lemonade.
This salad is full of my favorite ingredients
- Kale - one of my favorite leafy greens. Not only is it healthy, but the leaves are also strong and hold up well to dressings in a salad. I love to use it as a base in many of my salads.
- Dried Cranberries - both sweet and tart at the same time. I can eat these like they’re candy.
- Broccoli - Adds fresh crunch and color. Who doesn’t love broccoli?
- Walnuts - They add a nice crunch to the salad
- Sweet and Sour Dressing - shallot, granulated sugar, apple cider vinegar, salt, dry mustard, celery salt, and vegetable oil.
How to make Kale and Broccoli Salad
Step 1
Prep your ingredients. Cut your kale and broccoli. For this recipe, I like to use fresh kale from a bunch rather than kale in a bag. The kale in the bag is usually roughly chopped and still contains the stalks. I don't mind the stalks when cooking kale, but for salads I'd rather avoid them. I then like to chop my kale into bite-sized pieces.
Step 2
Then I place my kale, broccoli, dried cranberries, and walnuts in a large bowl and set them aside.
I then prepare my dressing by whisking together 1 chopped shallot, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard, and celery salt in a large bowl until combined. Then I slowly pour in my vegetable oil while I continue to whisk.
Step 3
Like magic, your dressing will thicken and be ready to pour over your salad.
I then toss it all together. This salad is best when refrigerated for at least 2 hours before eating, but sometimes I just cannot wait, and I sneak a few bites as soon as I'm done making it.
Variations
If you’re looking for some added protein, a nice pan-seared chicken breast or leftover roasted chicken would be a great addition to this salad.
Keep It Fresh: Storage Tips
Store leftover kale and broccoli salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Because kale and broccoli are hearty vegetables, this salad holds up well after it’s dressed. Give the salad a quick toss before serving, and add the walnuts right before serving if you want them to stay crunchy.
If you want to make this salad ahead of time, you can prepare it up to 1 day in advance and keep it refrigerated until ready to serve.
Tanya's Top Tips
- Chop the kale and broccoli small so every bite gets a little of everything and the salad is easier to eat.
- Whisk the dressing slowly as you pour in the oil so it thickens properly.
- Let the salad chill for at least 2 hours before serving if you can. It gives the kale time to soften a bit and helps the flavors come together.
- Start with less sugar if you prefer and adjust to taste if you tend to like a less sweet dressing.
- Massage the kale for a softer texture if you want a more tender salad.
I hope you enjoy this salad as much as we do. Looking for more salad recipes? Try these out:
Carrot Raisin Salad - A creamy, sweet, and crunchy classic salad that’s perfect for holidays, cookouts, or an easy make-ahead side.
Creamy Rotisserie Chicken Salad - This easy chicken salad is creamy, flavorful, and perfect for sandwiches, crackers, or a quick lunch.
Shrimp and Bacon Spinach Salad Recipe - A fresh and hearty spinach salad loaded with shrimp, crispy bacon, and bold flavor.
Cranberry Pecan Apple Salad Recipe - A crisp and colorful salad with sweet apples, tart cranberries, and crunchy pecans in every bite.
or top this salad with my Homemade Air Fryer Croutons.
Kale and Broccoli Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Combine kale, broccoli, dried cranberries, and walnuts in a large bowl. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together shallot, granulated sugar, apple cider vinegar, salt, dry mustard, and celery salt until combined. Slowly pour in vegetable oil while whisking until mixture thickens.
- Pour salad dressing over kale mixture and toss, making sure the salad is fully covered.
- Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours for best flavor.
Nutrition
Notes
- Storage: Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For the best texture, add the walnuts just before serving so they stay crunchy.
- Make Ahead: This salad can be made up to 1 day in advance and kept refrigerated until ready to serve.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!This recipe was originally published January 17th, 2019. It has been updated with new photos and information.
C D says
I was looking for a side dish with some healthy veggies in it and found this. I wasn’t too sure we would like it, as neither hubby nor I are fond of raw broccoli and we don’t have much experience with kale. But I made it with Dino kale, and subbed in pecans for the walnuts. It was delicious!! The texture of the broccoli was fine when chopped pretty small and marinated in the dressing. What a great side, would be perfect with so many dishes. I will definitely be making this regularly. I might reduce the sugar a little, and I can imagine adding a little feta too. But great just as written!
Curtis W. Mears says
LOVE your cooking.