BHA & BHT Free Cilantro-Lime Kale and Avocado Salad
Bright, zesty, and loaded with texture, this salad is the kind of bowl that makes you genuinely excited about eating your greens. Massaging the kale with a little sea salt is the secret move here — it breaks down the tough fibers and transforms the leaves into something tender and almost silky, a world away from the raw, chewy kale that puts people off. The cilantro-lime dressing comes together with just a whisk, using fresh lime juice, olive oil, garlic, honey, and cumin for a punchy, herbaceous finish that clings beautifully to every leaf. Creamy avocado, crisp cucumber, juicy cherry tomatoes, and thinly sliced red onion round out the bowl with color and crunch, while toasted pepitas add a nutty, satisfying pop on top. Every single ingredient here is whole and unprocessed, which means no synthetic preservatives sneaking in through packaged dressings or seasoning blends — just real food doing all the work. It's the kind of salad that holds up well enough to let the kale sit and soak in the dressing for a few extra minutes, making it a smart choice for a relaxed lunch or a vibrant side at dinner.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the salad
- 1 large bunch curly or lacinato kale (about 8 oz), stems removed, leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 2 ripe avocados, pitted, peeled, and diced
- 1 english cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced into half-moons
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1 tsp honey
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the torn kale leaves in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt. Using clean hands, massage the kale firmly for 2–3 minutes until the leaves darken, soften noticeably, and reduce in volume by about half.
- 2
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, honey, cumin, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, if using, until the dressing is well combined and slightly emulsified.
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