This Raspberry Walnut Kale Salad is bright and fresh. A pink colored salad with just 5 ingredients is flavorful and fun! Add even more color and flavor by making a homemade raspberry vinaigrette. Ready in just 10 minutes.
This tasty salad is putting me one step closer to my mission of proving that plant-based food is incredibly exciting. I think many people are stuck on the idea that plant-based eating is boring. The image of a bland plate of lettuce comes to mind... but that couldn't be further from the truth!
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There are SO many foods to eat on a plant-based diet. And even 'normal' foods can be transformed into a work of art. This beautiful salad has only a few simple ingredients but it is rich and vibrant.
Plus, a salad that has this much pink going on HAS to be fun to eat.
Why I love this Raspberry Kale Salad
- Dietary needs - this salad is dairy-free, plant-based, oil-free, gluten-free, and sugar-free. It's also very high in fiber.
- Quick and easy - Raspberry Walnut Kale Salad is super quick! Just a couple minutes of prep for a tasty salad
- Bold and colorful - raspberries and radicchio create a beautiful pink vibe for this salad
- Hearty, healthy lunch or dinner - with greens, beans, nuts, and fruit, you've got four of Dr. Greger's daily dozen checked off your list
- Fruit forward - I love including fruit in salad, and this raspberry kale salad is a delicious example!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Kale: I used bunched kale for this recipe, but in a previous version I used baby kale. This recipe can work with baby kale! Just skip the massaging step and drizzle all your dressing at the end.
- Radicchio: radicchio is a pink-red leafy lettuce, very similar to cabbage. It has a slight bitter, pepper flavor. I love it in this recipe because it's another nutrient-dense vegetable and it adds another pop of pink color. You could use red cabbage as a substitute.
- Fresh Raspberries: usually I mention that frozen fruits can easily be subbed for fresh, but not here. Fresh raspberries are a must for this salad. If you want, you can use another berry like blueberries or sliced strawberries - this salad would be delicious with any berry.
- Chickpeas: canned chickpeas are perfect here. You could also use another white bean like cannellini beans.
- Walnuts: adding a fat source like walnuts to your salad helps with digestion, so I highly recommend including some kind of nut. If walnuts aren't your thing, try almonds or pecans. And, for some extra flavor, toast your nuts before adding them to the salad.
- Dressing: I made my Oil-Free Raspberry Vinaigrette (which happens to also contain walnuts - so extra raspberry walnut flavor). This salad would also be delicious with my Basic Oil-Free Salad Dressing.
How to make this Gluten-Free Kale Salad
Step 1. Make your dressing of choice - I used my Oil-Free Raspberry Vinaigrette.
Step 2. Place 2 tablespoons of the dressing in a large bowl. Add the kale and gently massage until it is evenly coated with the dressing.
Step 3. Add the radicchio, raspberries, chickpeas, and walnuts. Gently toss to combine.
Step 4. Drizzle with the remaining dressing. Enjoy!
FAQ & Expert Tips
Massaging kale helps to soften the leaves and make it more palatable. Not only does a good massage soften the texture, it also decreases the bitterness of raw kale.
Plus, it gives you good opportunity to infuse the dressing flavors into the salad.
Yes! If you use baby kale or another green like arugula or spinach, you can skip step two, where you massage the kale. Just drizzle all the dressing on at the end.
Chickpeas offer some protein (and lots of fiber). But if you want add a punch of protein to this recipe you can add some edamame, tofu, or tempeh.
This salad would taste great with air fried tempeh, crispy baked tempeh, or baked tofu.
Store any leftovers in an air tight container in the fridge.
Bunch kale is very hardy, so it won't wilt in the fridge like other types of greens. This means you can easily store the dressed salad in the fridge and not worry about the dish going bad.
This walnut kale salad will last up to a week in the fridge.
Recipe Prayer
Praise God for this meal. Thank you for giving us beautiful food to feed our bodies with. Amen.
More Delicious Salads
No more boring salads! Check out some of these other tasty kale salad recipes:
Tried this recipe?
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📖 Recipe
Raspberry Walnut Kale Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 Bunch Kale rinsed and roughly chopped
- ½ Small Head Radicchio chopped into ribbons
- 1 ½ Cups Fresh Raspberries
- 1 Cup Chickpeas
- ½ Cup Walnuts
- 1 Recipe Raspberry Vinaigrette or Basic Oil-Free Salad Dressing
Instructions
- Make your dressing of choice - I used my Oil-Free Raspberry Vinaigrette.
- Place 2 tablespoons of the dressing in a large bowl. Add the kale and gently massage until it is evenly coated with the dressing.
- Add the radicchio, raspberries, chickpeas, and walnuts. Gently toss to combine.
- Drizzle with the remaining dressing. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate.
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