Massaged Kale Avocado Salad

This massaged kale avocado salad is FULL of flavor and the best way to eat your veggies! With white beans, fresh avocado and my homemade basil pesto vinaigrette, this recipe will make you crave salads.

If you have a New Year’s resolution to eat more veggies, this massaged kale salad is the perfect recipe for you.

I’ve converted a few kale haters to total kale lovers with this recipe, and I promise it’ll have you craving your veggies in no time.

It’s made with a base of curly kale with gets messaged with my homemade basil vinaigrette, then we’ll add on white beans, avocado, parmesan and pine nuts for a little crunch.

It’s the perfect vegan recipe to prep for the week and have on hand for a simple lunch. I love to serve it alongside my lemon pepper salmon, but it’s delicious exactly as is. Try my vegan pesto pasta or microchop green goddess salad next.

Before we get started…

• I prefer curly kale, but dinosaur or lacinato kale will also work.
• You need my pesto vinaigrette for this recipe. I don’t usually use the whole batch, but I like to have leftovers in the fridge!
• Feel free to add in some chicken, leave out the beans, add in other veggies, whatever you like!

How to make a massaged kale salad

Massage kale. If you haven’t already, prep the dressing. Remove the stems from the kale and add the leaves to a colander. While running under warm water, massage the kale for about 90 seconds to start to break it down. The color should darken (in part from just being wet) and it should soften slightly.

Chop. Take a pair of kitchen sheers or a very sharp knife and chop the kale into small bite size pieces. Dry the kale off with a towel or paper towel and squeeze on the lemon.

Massage again. Massage again for a few minutes. The acidity of the lemon will really help to break down the kale even further. Even if you’re using bagged kale, I recommend massaging it!

Toss with dressing. Transfer to a large salad bowl and toss with the dressing. Now massage it one more time, (its worth it I promise). Just make sure your hands are clean, but don’t be afraid to really get in there. It’ll help the kale break down but also ensure the dressing is evenly coating each leaf to give it lots of flavor.

Add toppings. Add in the pine nuts, white beans and cubed avocado. You can massage the avocado into the salad, but I love to have it in larger chunks since the dressing is already massaged in there. Toss gently to combine. Sprinkle on top the parmesan if using and enjoy!

Why you have to massage kale

I’m convinced that people who say they don’t like kale just haven’t had it the right way. And yes, there is a right way to have kale! A lot of kale salads come with the stems still on, the leaves are tough and hard to chew, and the flavor is just not on point.

Massaging kale helps to break down the cellulose (fiber) in the leaves which makes it more tender and easier to chew and digest. We’ll be massaging it in three stages.

First with warm water to clean it but also break it down. Next with lemon juice because the acidity breaks down the fiber even further. Finally, with the dressing to ensure every piece is well coated and super flavorful.

If “massaging” kale sounds really weird to you, basically what you want to do is work your hands into the leaves and scrunch them up to help them soften. You’ll only need to do this for a few minutes total, and it’ll make your eating experience much more enjoyable!

You can massage kale with olive oil, but I find just warm water and lemon juice does the trick!

Does it keep?

Yes! Kale actually keeps well in the fridge, even when dressed. The leaves hold up really well and don’t get soggy like with other salads.

Once prepared, this massaged kale salad will keep in the fridge for about 3 days in an air tight container. The leaves will definitely be softer than it was on the day it was prepared, but definitely won’t be soggy.

Try these recipes next!

• Butternut Squash and Kale Salad
• Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
• Vegan Caesar Salad
• Heirloom Tomato Salad

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