Avocado Pesto Kale Salad

January 9, 2018
Wicked
Recipes

Updated: February 04, 2022

5 minutes
2-4 servings
0.0

We’re not making your sad old ‘iceberg lettuce with a few carrot shreds’ salad here. Salad is badass. There … we said it.

Get that image out of your head. That is not salad. That’s lettuce in a bowl and way too wicked boring. This is a flavor-packed stand-alone dish with a heavy dose of nutrients.

Ingredients

for the dressing

1 clove garlic, sliced thin or minced
juice of 1 lemon, rolled to loosen up the juices a bit
2 avocados, pits removed, scooped from skins and smashed
¾ cup Pesto Recipe
pinch of salt and pepper, to taste

for the salad

1 bunch dino kale
1 bunch curly kale
½ small red onion, thin julienne
½ red bell pepper, thin julienne (set a bit aside for garnish)
½ orange bell pepper, thin julienne (set a bit aside for garnish)
½ yellow bell pepper, thin julienne (set a bit aside for garnish)
½ C (64 grams) red cabbage, shredded

for the garnish

reserved bell pepper slices
pistachio, or any other raw or roasted nuts/seeds (about 1 handful)

Instructions

Stem all the kale and coarsely chop (don’t toss these stems, they are great in stir fries, soups and juice).
Combine both kales, onion, bell peppers and cabbage in a large mixing bowl.
Prepare the dressing by adding all dressing ingredients to a small mixing bowl, and whisk together until mixture is well combined and smooth.
Pour dressing over salad and mix by hand, get in there good making sure to massage the kale as you go. Even kale likes massages.
Serve the salad with the reserved bell pepper slices and pistachios as a garnish topper.

This Avocado Pesto Kale Salad is full of flavor, vibrance, texture and does not disappoint. It’s a perfect introduction to kale.

If you’ve been hesitant to try kale because it’s a heartier leaf with more green flavor, it’s time to get on the bus as we show you how to massage it down so the texture softens. That pesto dressing we made earlier provides a bright balance that compliments the kale perfectly.

Our very own British Silver Fox, Matthew Glover, at work.

This salad can easily be its own meal, or serve it as a side salad with another dish. If you don’t finish it all in one sitting, use the leftovers the next day in a wrap, breakfast scramble, or toss it on a pizza.

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