Vibrant Kale Salad with Quinoa, Blueberries & Basil Balsamic
Make a healthy and delicious Kale Salad loaded with quinoa, blueberries, cucumber, avocado, beets, and a fresh Basil Balsamic Dressing.
Ingredients
(Based on 1x column)
Salad:
- ▢ 1 bunch kale (lacinato or Tuscan), tough stems removed
- ▢ 1 cup quinoa, cooked (from 1/2 cup dry quinoa) and cooled
- ▢ 2 cups blueberries, fresh
- ▢ 1 English cucumber, sliced or diced
- ▢ 1 avocado, diced or sliced
- ▢ 2 beets, raw, peeled and spiralized (or grated, or use cooked/diced)
Basil Balsamic Dressing:
- ▢ 1/4 cup olive oil
- ▢ 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- ▢ 6 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- ▢ 1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- ▢ Sea salt, to taste
- ▢ Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Cook Quinoa (if needed):
- If you don’t have pre-cooked quinoa, cook 1/2 cup of dry quinoa according to package directions (usually simmering in 1 cup of water or broth for 15-20 minutes).
- Fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork and let it cool completely.
2. Make the Basil Balsamic Dressing:
- Combine all the dressing ingredients (olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, fresh basil leaves, salt, pepper) in a blender.
- Pulse or blend until the basil is finely chopped and the dressing is well combined and emulsified. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
3. Prepare and Massage the Kale:
- Wash the kale leaves thoroughly and dry them completely. Remove the tough center stems.
- Chop the kale leaves into bite-sized pieces and place them in a large salad bowl.
- Pour about half to two-thirds of the prepared dressing over the kale.
- Using clean hands, gently massage the dressing into the kale leaves for 2-3 minutes. Squeeze and rub the leaves until they soften noticeably, become darker green, and reduce in volume. This step is crucial for tenderizing the kale.
4. Chill the Kale:
- Cover the bowl with the dressed and massaged kale.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or ideally 4-6 hours. This allows the kale to tenderize further and absorb the dressing flavors.
5. Prepare Remaining Ingredients:
- Just before assembling the salad, slice or dice the English cucumber.
- Peel and spiralize or grate the raw beets (or dice cooked beets).
- Pit and dice or slice the avocado.
6. Assemble the Salad:
- Remove the chilled, massaged kale from the refrigerator.
- Add the cooled cooked quinoa, fresh blueberries, cucumber, and spiralized/grated beets to the bowl with the kale.
- Gently toss everything together to combine. Do not add the avocado yet if not serving immediately.
7. Final Toss and Serve:
- If serving immediately, add the diced or sliced avocado to the salad.
- Drizzle with the remaining dressing, if desired, and toss gently one last time.
- Serve the salad immediately. Garnish with extra basil leaves if you like.