This Beet Kale Salad starts with gently massaged kale in a lemon honey dressing and is topped with pickled beets, feta cheese, and roasted sunflower kernels. The perfect salad to serve with your favorite protein or as a side-dish. Easily veganized and includes homemade pickled beet recipe.
Making the Dressing:
This dressing is simple and so versatile. It compliments this salad perfectly but you can also put it in your back pocket for future salads.
Fresh lemon juice is balanced out with olive oil and honey. The honey can be substituted for agave nectar if you are vegan. Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper add more depth of flavor. The dressing is combined together by shaking or whisking vigorously.
Tossing and Serving Beet Kale Salad:
It’s 2023 and we massage kale now. I’m sure you’ve seen this trend by now but it really helps break down the kale. By breaking down the kale, it’s more enjoyable to eat and easier to digest. Drizzle in your desired amount of dressing and using your hands, massage the dressing into the kale until it begins to soften.
Add in the pickled beets, feta cheese, and sunflower kernels. Substitute non-dairy feta cheese if vegan. Toss well and serve. If serving this Beet Kale Salad as a meal, add in your protein of choice such as chickpeas or a grain like quinoa to bulk it up.
Pickling Beets at Home:
Store bought pickles are fine in a pinch but if you have time, pickling beets at home is super easy and yields delicious pickled beets you can use on all sorts of stuff. Combine the apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat and stir until sugar and salt are completely dissolved.
Peel and cut fresh beets into matchsticks. You can cut them into any shape but the matchsticks will pickle easily and toss well in a salad. Place the beets in a large jar and pour the vinegar mixture over top. Add in the mustard seeds and black peppercorns. Seal and place in the refrigerator. The beets will be pickled within a couple hours but get even better after a day or two and keep in your refrigerator for at least a month.
If you enjoy pickled veggies in your salad, check out my Roasted Veggie Salad.
Beet Kale Salad
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Beet Kale Salad starts with gently massaged kale in a lemon honey dressing and is topped with pickled beets, feta cheese, and roasted sunflower kernels. The perfect salad to serve with your favorite protein or as a side-dish. Easily veganized and includes homemade pickled beet recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 lb of kale, washed and roughly chopped
- 1 cup pickled beets (store bought or recipe below)
- 1 cup feta cheese
- 1 cup roasted and salted sunflower kernels
- Lemon honey dressing
Dressing:
- 2 lemons, juiced
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Pickled beets:
- 4 raw beets, peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1/3 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
Instructions
Salad:
- Wash and dry the kale and roughly chop.
- Combine all dressing ingredients in a small jar and shake or a small bowl and whisk together.
- Add desired amount of dressing (likely won’t use it all) and gently massage kale for 2 minutes to soften.
- Add beets, feta, and sunflower kernels and toss. Serve immediately.
Pickled Beets:
- Combine vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat and stir until sugar and salt is completely dissolved.
- Place the peeled and cut beets in a large jar and pour the vinegar mixture over the beets.
- Add in the mustard seeds and peppercorns.
- Allow to pickle in the fridge for at least a couple hours before using. Preferably, pickle the beets the day before for better flavor and texture.
- Prep Time: 10
- Category: Salad
Keywords: Beet Kale Salad
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