Get ready for the perfect summer salad! This Summer Berry Kale Salad is incredibly healthy, tasty, super nutritive, and bursting with fresh flavors. It features tender massaged kale tossed with sweet strawberries and blueberries, salty crumbled feta cheese, and a simple, bright lemon-honey vinaigrette. I absolutely adore this Berry Kale Salad recipe - it's my go-to when I want something light, vibrant, and packed with goodness, especially during these beautiful spring days around April 25th, leading into summer! It's perfect for lunch, a light dinner, or as a stunning side dish.
Why You'll Love This Summer Berry Kale Salad
- Fresh and Flavorful: The combination of sweet berries, tangy feta, earthy kale, and zesty lemon dressing is divine.
- Healthy and Nutritious: Packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber from kale and berries.
- Easy No-Cook Recipe: Requires only chopping, massaging, and tossing - no cooking needed!
- Beautiful Presentation: The vibrant colors of the berries, kale, and feta make this salad visually stunning.
- Perfect for Summer: Light, refreshing, and ideal for warm weather meals and gatherings.
Ingredients for Summer Kale Salad
Here's what you'll need to make this vibrant and healthy salad. The full list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Salad Base
- Small bunch kale, rinsed and dried (Greens)
- Fresh blueberries (Fruit)
- Fresh strawberries, sliced (Fruit)
- Crumbled feta cheese (Dairy)
Lemon Honey Dressing
- Olive oil (extra virgin recommended) (Oil)
- Lemon juice (freshly squeezed from ½ lemon) (Acid)
- Honey (omit for strict keto/adjust for preference) (Sweetener)
- Salt (Seasoning)
- Fresh cracked black pepper (Spice)
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card below.)
Variations
I love the simple perfection of this Summer Berry Kale Salad, but feel free to customize it:
- Add Nuts or Seeds: Toss in some toasted slivered almonds, pecans, walnuts, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds (pepitas) for extra crunch.
- Different Berries: Use blackberries or raspberries in addition to or instead of strawberries/blueberries.
- Different Cheese: Substitute crumbled goat cheese or shaved Parmesan for the feta.
- Add Avocado: Gently fold in some diced avocado just before serving for creaminess.
- Add Protein: Top with grilled chicken, salmon, or chickpeas to make it a complete meal.
- Different Dressing: Try a balsamic vinaigrette or a poppy seed dressing.
How to Make Summer Kale Salad
Making this beautiful Summer Berry Kale Salad is incredibly easy:
Prepare the Kale
- First, I prepare the kale. I remove the tough center stems from the kale leaves. Then, I finely chop or tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces.
- I place the chopped kale into a large salad bowl.
Make Dressing and Massage Kale
- I drizzle the chopped kale with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Now for the important part: I use my clean hands to gently massage the kale for a few minutes. This breaks down the tough fibers, making the kale much more tender and less bitter. The leaves will darken slightly and reduce in volume.
- Next, I add the fresh lemon juice and drizzle the honey right over the massaged kale.
- I use my hands again to gently work the lemon, honey, and pepper (add pepper now too!) into the salad, ensuring all the leaves are lightly coated.
- I taste a leaf and adjust the seasoning if necessary - maybe more salt, pepper, lemon, honey, or olive oil.
Add Berries and Feta
- (Completing the instructions) Once the kale is dressed and tenderized, I add the fresh blueberries, sliced strawberries, and crumbled feta cheese to the bowl.
Toss Gently and Serve
- Using large salad servers or my hands, I toss everything together gently just until the berries and feta are combined with the kale. I try not to overmix or crush the delicate berries.
- Serve the Summer Berry Kale Salad immediately.
Tips and Tricks for the BEST Kale Salad
Here are my secrets for making this Summer Berry Kale Salad truly exceptional:
- Massage That Kale!: Seriously, don't skip this step! Massaging makes a world of difference in the texture and enjoyability of raw kale salads.
- Remove Tough Stems: Kale stems can be very fibrous and unpleasant to eat raw; remove them before chopping the leaves.
- Use Fresh Berries: This salad shines with the flavor of fresh, ripe strawberries and blueberries.
- Good Quality Feta: Use block feta packed in brine and crumble it yourself for the best flavor and texture.
- Dress Kale First: Massaging the kale with the dressing components helps tenderize it and ensures it's well-flavored before adding the delicate berries.
- Gentle Toss: Be gentle when adding the berries and feta to avoid crushing them.
How to Serve
This Summer Kale Salad is perfect served as:
- A Light Lunch: Healthy, satisfying, and beautiful on its own.
- A Side Salad: A fantastic accompaniment to grilled chicken, fish, salmon, or pork. Perfect for BBQs!
- A Potluck Dish: A vibrant and healthy salad that always gets compliments.
- A Brunch Addition: Adds a fresh, healthy element to a brunch spread.
Serve immediately after tossing for the best texture.
Make Ahead and Storage
While best enjoyed fresh, components can be prepped ahead:
- Kale: Wash, de-stem, chop, and massage the kale with just the olive oil and salt up to a day ahead. Store covered in the fridge.
- Dressing Components: Keep lemon juice and honey separate until just before dressing the kale.
- Berries/Feta: Wash berries and crumble feta ahead, store separately.
- Assembly: Combine the massaged kale with the lemon/honey, then toss with berries and feta just before serving.
- Storage: Leftover dressed salad can be stored in the fridge for 1-2 days, but the kale will continue to soften, and the berries might become mushy. Undressed massaged kale keeps better.
FAQs about Summer Kale Salad
- What type of kale is best for salads?
- Lacinato (Dinosaur) kale or curly kale are most common. Lacinato is generally a bit more tender. Baby kale can also be used and doesn't require as much massaging.
- Can I use frozen berries?
- Fresh berries are strongly recommended for the texture in this salad. Frozen berries will become very soft and bleed color upon thawing, making the salad less appealing.
- How do I make this salad keto-friendly?
- Omit the honey from the dressing (or use a keto-friendly liquid sweetener). Berries are used in moderation on keto; adjust quantities based on your macro goals for this Berry Kale Salad.
Enjoy this healthy, vibrant, flavorful, and incredibly easy Summer Kale Salad with Blueberries, Strawberries and Feta! It's the perfect taste of sunshine.
Print
Summer Kale Salad with Blueberries, Strawberries and Feta
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Salad, Side Dish, Healthy, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian, Keto Option
- Cuisine: American
Description
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 small bunch kale (Lacinato or curly), rinsed and dried
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from ½ lemon)
- 2 teaspoons honey (omit for strict keto)
- ¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Prepare Kale: Wash the kale leaves thoroughly and pat them completely dry. Remove the tough center stems from the leaves and discard. Finely chop the kale leaves. Transfer the chopped kale to a large salad bowl.
- Massage Kale: Drizzle the chopped kale with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt. Use your hands to massage the kale for 1-2 minutes. Rub the leaves between your fingers until they darken slightly and become more tender. This step is crucial for softening raw kale.
- Dress Kale: Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the fresh lemon juice, honey (if using), and black pepper to the massaged kale. Use your hands again to gently toss and work the dressing into the leaves.
- Add Berries and Feta: Add the fresh blueberries, sliced strawberries, and crumbled feta cheese to the bowl with the dressed kale.
- Toss Gently: Toss the salad gently until the berries and feta are evenly distributed. Avoid over-tossing, which can crush the berries.
- Adjust Seasoning and Serve: Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, lemon juice, or honey if necessary. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Massaging Kale: Don't skip this step! Massaging kale with oil and salt tenderizes the leaves, making them much more pleasant to eat raw.
- Kale Type: Lacinato (dinosaur) or curly kale works well.
- Keto Option: Omit the honey to make this salad keto-friendly. You could add a keto-approved sweetener to the dressing if desired.
- Berries: Use fresh, ripe berries. You can vary the types of berries used.
- Feta: Crumbled feta adds a salty, tangy counterpoint. Goat cheese can also be substituted.
- Make-Ahead: You can massage the kale with the dressing up to a day ahead and store it covered in the refrigerator. Add the berries and feta just before serving for the best texture.
- Storage: Once fully assembled, this salad is best eaten within a few hours as the kale will continue to soften.
