Looking for the best healthy salad recipe? Well, here it is! It’s my delicious and superfood-packed Crunchy Kale Quinoa Salad tossed with a beautiful lemon dressing to amplify your taste buds. This is a salad unlike no other, and one you’ll be wanting to eat all year round! Try out this simple 25 minute recipe below.

Another Healthy Recipe Idea

Let’s be honest, I don’t make a lot of salads at home. If anything, I’m all about comfort food.

Like most people, I find it easier to just go out and buy a salad already made for me but honestly, even that’s rare because I don’t just don’t generally eat salads often. It’s hard for me to find a salad that truly makes me happy and fulfilled, until this kale and quinoa recipe.

In order to continue on with my healthier January recipes, I decided to make a Crunchy Kale Quinoa Salad with lemon dressing. I gotta say, it is THE best kale salad I have ever made. I am definitely happy and fulfilled with this one, especially because I devoured two bowls in one sitting without the typical guilt I would get from any other dish. It made me excited to know that I finally found a salad I enjoyed and can happily make in my own kitchen for myself and others.

This Kale and Quinoa Salad is filled with superfoods, nutrients, and protein, as well as flavor and deliciousness. This isn’t your boring “forced-to-eat” salad at all. That being said, you won’t feel guilty for polishing the whole bowl that you just made!

To make this salad make it even more protein-packed, add some fish or chicken on top. You can always create variations to this amazing dish to create your own perfect salad.

Here’s some info you might find interesting about kale and quinoa, the two main ingredients to this delicious and healthy meal:

Benefits of Kale

Kale is considered a superfood. It has a ton of vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamins C and K, antioxidants, and is super nutritious. Because kale is highly nutritious, it is often used in diets for heart health, weight management, managing cholesterol levels, extra vitamin intake and many more!

Benefits of Quinoa

Quinoa is also considered a superfood because of its high nutrient content. For vegans and vegetarians, plant proteins may not always be enough. However, quinoa is considered a full protein because it contains all of the necessary amino acids. Quinoa is also a great alternative to rice especially because it contains more protein than standard rice. 

Kale and Quinoa Salad Recipe Tips

• I used a kale bunch, removed the stems and tore into small pieces. You can buy a bag of chopped kale to save you some time, however, they still come with partial stems and you will have to remove them. They can be harsh to eat. 
• Do NOT skip the step of massaging the kale first. Kale is naturally harsh and a bit hard to eat raw. Massaging the kale first in oil and salt allows the kale to break down and soften, making it easier to eat. 
• To crush the croutons, place them in a ziplock bag and punch them with your hand or a cup until they are partially crushed. Don’t make them into bread crumbs. You want to have that crunch for the salad. 
• Make sure to grate the garlic rather than chop. It will blend better in the dressing, release a nice, slight garlic flavor and you wont bite into strong garlic pieces. 

To Cook The Quinoa

What you need:

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 cup water

How to Make Perfectly Cooked Quinoa:

1. Rinse the quinoa under water.
2. Combine the quinoa and water in a small pot. Bring to a simmer and cook on low-medium heat for about 15 minutes. Covered. 
3. Turn heat off and let it cool off before adding to the salad. 

Ingredients

• 6 oz chopped kale, with stems removed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 oz seasoned croutons, partially crushed
• 2 oz freshly shredded Parmesan
• about 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

Dressing:

• juice of 1 smaller lemon
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• pinch of black pepper
• 1 garlic clove, grated

How to Make A Delicious Crunchy Kale Quinoa Salad

1. Wash the kale thoroughly, remove all of the stems and chop into small pieces. Combine the kale, the olive oil and salt in a large bowl and massage the kale with your hands until it has softened. 

2. In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients and pour over the kale. 

3. Top the kale with the remaining ingredients. The croutons, parmesan, quinoa and almonds. Toss well and serve. Optional: for more protein, just add meat on top!

What to Serve With The Best Kale and Quinoa Salad

If you’d like to serve this salad alongside other main course dishes, here’s some of my other delicious recipe options to choose from:

• Zucchini Basil Rigatoni: A Healthy Vegetable Pasta Recipe
• Gnocchi Pomodoro
• Creamy Lemon Artichoke Pasta
• Tomato and Cheese Cauliflower Bake

Check out my Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for more mouth watering content and recipe inspiration! Leave a comment below this post to share your feedback, I would greatly appreciate it!

Happy Cravings!