What To Serve With Kale Salad

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Here are 30+ delicious dishes to serve with Kale Salad! Kale salads are like a canvas waiting for the perfect blend of flavors to make them pop. While kale brings its own vibrant personality to the table, finding the right companions can turn a basic salad into so much more. Whether you’re craving something light and refreshing or aiming for a more filling meal, pairing kale with the right ingredients can take your salad game to the next level. Let’s explore some of my favorite recipes that’ll jazz up your kale salad and leave your taste buds begging for more!

You may have walked past kale at the grocery store without giving it a second glance, but after reading this I hope you stop and pick some up for dinner tonight! Make sure you put your fresh kale in a large bowl and give it a quick massage with a pinch of salt or an acidic ingredient like lemon juice or vinegar to tenderize and enhance the flavor of your raw kale salad. This leafy green is known to be a bit tough and bitter and this important step transforms its texture and flavor, making it more enjoyable to eat raw or in a delicious salad.

Types of Kale

• Curly Kale: This is probably the most common variety, known for its dark green, curly leaves and slightly bitter taste. It’s versatile and holds up well in salads or when sautéed.
• Lacinato Kale (also known as Dinosaur Kale or Tuscan Kale): This type has dark blue-green, bumpy leaves that are flatter compared to curly kale. It has a slightly sweeter taste and is great in soups, stews, or when used in kale chips.
• Red Russian Kale: Identified by its purple stems and frilly, flat leaves that have a purplish tint, this variety has a milder flavor compared to curly kale and is excellent in salads or lightly cooked.
• Siberian Kale: This variety has large, flat, and tender leaves that are slightly sweeter than curly kale. It’s often used in salads or as a cooked green.

There are a bunch of different ways to serve kale, and these are my favorite kale salads! You can make them ahead, or if you have leftover kale salad you can keep in an airtight container and top with salad dressing before serving, perfect for some greens to add to your weeknight dinner. You could also make a simple vinaigrette with drizzle of olive oil, vinegar and the seasonings of your choice and top with some feta cheese or goat cheese to make your perfect salad!

• Kale Salad: Carrots, Red Cabbage, Garbanzo Beans, Mushrooms, Curly Parsley and Walnuts with a  White Balsamic Maple Dressing.
• Kale Avocado Salad: Corn, Garbanzo Beans, Avocado, Red Onion and Crushed Tortilla Chips with a Balsamic Vinegar Dressing.
• Kale Pomegranate Salad: Toasted Almonds, Pomegranate Arils, Mushrooms and Smoked Bacon with a Warm Maple Bacon Dressing.
• Winter Wheat Berry Power Salad: Butternut Squash, Wheat Berries, Feta Cheese, Pistachios and a Tarragon Maple Salad Dressing.

What To Serve With Kale Salad (30+ tasty dishes!)

Chicken Skewers: These Garlic, Honey Parmesan Air Fryer Chicken Skewers are ready in less than 20 minutes, thanks to the handy air fryer – aka the best appliance ever! Seasoned, air fried, then smothered in a delicious butter, garlic and parmesan sauce. Combine this with your Kale salad and it makes an easy lunch!

Chicken Pesto Pasta: This creamy, cheesy Chicken Pesto Pasta is a fast and delicious dinner! Made with homemade or store bought pesto, heavy cream, shredded chicken thighs, pasta and topped with sun-dried tomatoes. This is also a great way to use leftover chicken from a roast dinner!

Honey BBQ Chicken: Honey BBQ Chicken is made with my homemade Honey BBQ sauce and tender boneless skinless chicken thighs. So easy to do on the grill, oven, cast iron skillet…or even the air fryer!

Parmesan Tuscan Chicken: This is the most delicious chicken you can possibly make! Sometimes called “Marry Me Chicken” (because it’s that good!), my Parmesan Tuscan Chicken recipe uses thin skinless chicken breasts, sun dried tomatoes, fresh spinach, basil, parmesan cheese and a creamy sauce that will have you coming back for seconds and thirds.

Sous Vide Chicken Breast: Get PERFECT Sous Vide Chicken Breast every time with this simple method. You’ll get chicken that is tender enough to cut with a butter knife, super juicy and with texture and flavor that you can’t get with other cooking methods. 

Roast Chicken: This Roast Chicken is simple, perfectly seasoned, flavorful and oh so juicy. The lemon juice gives it a a lovely tang plus lots of veggies are cooked right alongside the bird.

Smoked Beef Tenderloin: Your special occasion dinner just got an upgrade with this Smoked Beef Tenderloin Recipe. I have perfected this recipe so you will have the most tender, juicy and smoky steak that’s sure to leave a lasting impression on all of your guests!

Prime Rib: Perfect for Christmas, this Prime Rib Roast couldn’t be easier. Slathered with butter, garlic and herbs and baked to perfection. 

Lasagna: This is hands down The Best Lasagna Recipe Ever! Easy, cheesy, meaty and so so delicious! It’s the quintessential recipe for feeding a large family or bringing to a potluck. Layer up the hearty meat sauce, different cheeses, and lasagna pasta and then bake until hot and bubbly. 

Meatloaf: This really is the BEST Meatloaf Recipe out there! Moist and delicious, this easy-to-make meatloaf with sweet ketchup glaze will leave you wanting more. 

Steak Skewers: This is the best Steak Marinade for steak skewers. It’s one that gives you tender, juicy and flavorful meat every single time. 

Garlic Steak: Garlic Steak is the easiest, most tender, and tastiest ribeye recipe! Flavorful, simple, and fast, this is the best way to have ribeye and it will get you cooking steak all year long!

Pork Roast: This Crock Pot Pork Roast is so easy to make and comes out juicy and full of flavor. Serve over rice pilaf, mashed potatoes or pasta.

Smoked Pork Butt: This Smoked Pork Butt is going to turn into the best Pulled Pork you’ve ever had. It literally just falls off the bone! 

Rosemary Maple Mustard Pork Roast: This Rosemary Maple Mustard Pork Roast Recipe is a fabulous way to cook up an easy, big, tasty roast and impress a crowd.

Smothered Baked Pork Chops: Juicy and tender, sweet and savory, these Smothered Baked Pork Chops are roasted to perfection in just 30 minutes! Pork chops are smothered in a homemade butter-rosemary-honey-mustard sauce and baked until juicy! 

Baked Salmon with Garlic Butter Bread Crumbs: This recipe for Baked Salmon is the best of the best. So simple, so flavorful and ready in about 20 minutes. Fancy enough for company but fast enough for any weeknight dinner. 

Honey Glazed Sesame Salmon: If you like honey butter, then you will love this Sesame Salmon. Slightly sweet with an Asian flair, then topped with sesame seeds!

Garlic and Herb Baked Cod: If you’re wondering how to make fast and easy delicious fish that tastes just like the restaurants make it, then this is the Baked Cod recipe for you! Salty, creamy, herby, and cheesy! The perfect blend of textures and flavors.

Italian Sausage Pasta: If you like roasted red peppers, Italian sausage, cream, and pasta, you will love this 30-minute Roasted Red Pepper Italian Sausage Pasta dinner.

Spicy Shrimp Pasta: This Spicy Shrimp Pasta Recipe is covered in a creamy tomato sauce and topped with cheese. Plus it can be ready in about 30 minutes!

Cheesy Butternut Squash Pasta: Savor the delightful combination of creamy butternut squash sauce and melted cheese coating perfectly cooked pasta—a comforting harmony of flavors and textures that’s simply irresistible. Made with a few simple ingredients, this pasta is oh so delicious!

Broccoli Pesto Pasta: A vibrant symphony of flavors as tender broccoli florets meld with zesty pesto, generously coating al dente pasta in a celebration of fresh, herbaceous notes and wholesome goodness. This is a delicious way to add broccoli into your pasta dish.

Chicken Pasta: This Olive Garden Chicken Pasta is a creamy and delightful weeknight meal made in the crockpot! 

Garlic Bread: Garlic Bread is my favorite side dish to add to my meals. Softened butter stirred together with fresh minced garlic, a few herbs, and two kinds of cheese with a little extra hit of garlic from garlic powder! I promise this is the best cheesy garlic bread you will ever try. 

Hasselback Homemade Garlic Bread: This Hasselback Homemade Garlic Bread recipe has MORE butter, MORE cheese, MORE garlic, and MORE bread in every single bite. It’s glorious.

Pull Apart Pizza Bread: If you think making pizza is simple, try Pull Apart Pizza Bread (aka Bubble Pizza)! It’s SO simple to throw together and kids gobble it up! Top with some red pepper flakes for some added spice.

Parmesan Bread Bites: If you’ve had Parmesan Bread Bites from Domino’s or other pizza place, you’ll know how addicting they are…but these are better!

Parmesan Pretzel Bites: All of the flavor, and none of the hassle – that’s what you get with these easy Parmesan Pretzel Bites! Parmesan cheese and parsley flakes bring out the best in these soft, buttery snacks, made easily with store-bought frozen dinner rolls.

Homemade Pizza: Start with homemade pizza dough and let your imagination run wild! Here are some of my favorites: Bruschetta Pizza, Chicken Alfredo Pizza, Taco Pizza, Ultimate Stromboli, Grilled Margherita Pizza, BBQ Chicken Pizza, Thai Chicken Pizza, Loaded Chicken Fajita Pizza, Country BBQ Chicken Pizza and also check out my How To Grill Pizza tutorial.

Garlic and Herb Pull Apart Biscuits: These Garlic and Herb Pull Apart Biscuits are buttery, cheesy and oh so tasty! Easy enough for a weeknight and fancy enough for the holidays. The perfect pairing for your main dish!

Tomato Basil Tortellini Soup: A super easy vegetarian meal that is packed full of tomatoes, seasonings, and cheesy tortellini! It’s a really quick meal that comes together in a cinch. It’s comforting but not too heavy. 

Think of kale salad as your culinary canvas, ready for your personal flavor masterpiece. Mixing and matching with different ingredients isn’t just about taste—it’s about crafting an experience. Whether it’s the nutty crunch, creamy indulgence, or zesty tang you’re after, kale’s flexibility invites you to play and create. So, go ahead, experiment, and find your favorite way to incorporate kale salad in you meal! Transform your kale salad into a delightful, nutritious adventure that keeps your taste buds excited and your mealtime vibrant.

If you make these recipes, I would really appreciate it if you would give them a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.