Easy Lacinato Kale Salad

Jump To Recipe by Liz Thomson November 17, 2014 This post may contain affiliate links.

This easy kale salad is made with lacinato kale, also known as dinosaur or flat-leaf kale. Crunchy cabbage, salty Parmesan cheese, and roasted almonds create a delicious, simple salad!

What is Lacinato Kale?

There are lots of different types of kale- like curly kale, baby kale, and lacinato kale. Lacinato kale, sometimes called dinosaur kale. Lacinato kale has large, flat, textured leaves. It’s my favorite because it’s easy to wash and easy to de-stem.

To remove the stems, use your hands to tear the leaves away from the stem. Discard the stems, as they’re very bitter and hard to chew. Once you’ve removed the stems, massage the leaves by squeezing them a few times to soften them.

Pile the kale leaves and use a sharp knife to carefully cut the kale into thin strips.

chopped lacinato kale on a cutting board

Next, slice the purple cabbage into thin strips. You can do this with a sharp knife or mandoline slicer.

chopped purple cabbage on a cutting board

Then, whisk together the dressing. Add the kale and cabbage to a large bowl and massage the dressing into the kale and cabbage. Then top with Parmesan cheese and sprinkle with almonds.

Tips for Making Kale Salad

When making a kale salad, be sure to remove the stems from the kale leaves. The stems are very bitter and hard to chew, so removing them will give you a better flavor and texture.
Massage the dressing into the kale leaves. This helps break down the leaves and soften them so they’re more tender. It also helps distribute the dressing evenly.
Because the ingredients in this salad are hearty, you can actually make this recipe in advance! There’s no need to worry about wilting. You can make this salad up to 5 hours in advance.

Lacinato kale salad in a bowl with shredded cheese

Kale Salad Ingredients

Kale leaves- for this recipe I used lacinato kale
Purple cabbage- you can buy it pre-shredded or chop your own.
Almonds- I like to use sliced almonds for a nice crunch
Parmesan cheese- Use freshly shredded for maximum flavor!

How to Make the Salad Dressing

This kale salad dressing is simple but delicious! Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, and honey. Add salt and pepper to taste. You can double this dressing recipe if you want to make extra for leftovers! If you want to switch things up, I put together a list of kale salad dressing ideas if you want to try something new!