This messaged kale avocado salad with citrus and sumac vinaigrette is one of my favorite summertime salads! It's loaded with creamy avocado, tart citrus, sweet dates, and crunchy pepitas. The kale is massaged with lemon juice and then tossed in a sumac shallot vinaigrette. It's crunchy, refreshing, and satisfying!
Kale Avocado Salad with Citrus
This avocado citrus kale salad with sumac vinaigrette is one of my favorite summertime salads! It's loaded with creamy avocado, tart citrus, sweet dates, and crunchy pepitas. It's crunchy, refreshing, and satisfying! ...And it's exactly what my body needs after a month of being on the road for my book tour!
And although kale can be pretty tough, we'll use the lemon juice technique to tenderize it. To do so, simply massage the kale with lemon juice and salt. Then let it rest while you're chopping the other ingredients and making the dressing.
The dressing a simple vinaigrette made of olive oil, sumac, apple cider vinegar, honey and dijon. Sumac is a Middle Eastern deep red spice that's tart, bright and tangy, If you don't have sumac, don't sweat it. You can easily use a splash of lemon juice in its place!
I recommend serving it with my favorite Butternut Squash Pasta, these shawarma turkey burgers, or a giant platter of my pan fried gnocchi and goat cheese chicken!
How to make a Massaged Kale Salad
To make a massaged kale salad, you'll want to begin with washed lacinato kale. Next, finely chop the kale into thin ribbons. Being careful to remove the thick part of the stems near the bottom of each leaf.
Next, place the kale ribbons in a bowl and squeeze a lemon over the entire thing. Then add a sprinkle of kosher salt. And finally, use your hands to massage the lemon and salt into the kale.
Let the lemon and salt tenderize the kale while you chop the other ingredients and make the dressing.
Recipe: Kale Avocado Salad with Sumac Vinaigrette
Recipe
Kale Avocado Salad with Citrus
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1.5 bunches lacinato kale
- 2 oranges skin removed and sliced (cara cara are best)
- 1 pink grapefruit skin removed and sliced
- 1.5 avocados diced
- ½ cup dates roughly chopped
- ¼ cup roasted salted pepitas
For Shallot Sumac Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup olive oil (I used Potli's CBD Olive Oil)
- ⅓ cup organic apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sumac
- 1.5 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1.5 teaspoon honey
- 1 shallot thinly diced
Instructions
- Begin by washing the kale and drying it. Use a knife to cut the leaves into thin strands. Put the strands of kale in a bowl. Add two pinches of salt and the juice of one lemon. Use your hands to massage the lemon and salt into the salad. Let it sit while you’re preparing the dressing and other ingredients.
- Mix the dressing. Add the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, sumac, dijon, honey, and diced shallot to a bowl and whisk. Season with salt and pepper to taste then set aside.
- Assemble salad. Place the oranges, grapefruit, avocado, and pepitas on top of the massaged kale. Pour half of the salad dressing on top. Mix the salad together and season with salt, pepper, and more dressing if needed. Refrigerate remaining salad dressing and use in one week.
Notes
And if you'd like to save this kale avocado salad recipe, pin it for later!