Strawberry Kale Honey Lemon Salad (Printer-friendly)

Crisp kale and sweet strawberries tossed in a tangy honey lemon dressing, ready in just 15 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Salad Base

01 - 6 cups fresh kale, stems removed and roughly chopped
02 - 1½ cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
03 - ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced
04 - ¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted
05 - ¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled

→ Honey Lemon Dressing

06 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
08 - 1 tablespoon honey
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - ¼ teaspoon sea salt
11 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# How to Make It:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper until smooth and emulsified. Set aside.
02 - Place the chopped kale in a large salad bowl. Drizzle with half of the prepared dressing and massage the leaves by hand for 1 to 2 minutes, working the dressing into the kale until the leaves become tender and deepen in color.
03 - Add the sliced strawberries, thinly sliced red onion, and crumbled feta cheese to the massaged kale. Pour the remaining dressing over the top and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Scatter the toasted sliced almonds over the salad as a finishing garnish. Serve immediately to maintain optimal freshness and texture.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The honey lemon dressing pulls everything together and tastes like something you would pay too much for at a cafe.
  • Massaging the kale sounds weird but it transforms tough leaves into something tender and almost buttery.
  • It comes together in fifteen minutes with not a single pan to wash.
02 -
  • Do not skip massaging the kale or you will end up with a salad that feels like eating grocery bags.
  • Toast the almonds in a dry pan over low heat and watch them constantly because they go from golden to burnt in about ten seconds.
  • This salad does not store well once dressed so only dress what you plan to eat immediately.
03 -
  • Make a double batch of the dressing and keep it in a jar in the fridge for up to a week because you will want it on everything.
  • Pull the kale leaves from the stems by running your thumb and index finger along the stalk, which is faster and more satisfying than using a knife.

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