Xanthan Gum Free Cilantro-Lime Kale and Avocado Salad
Bright, zesty, and loaded with texture, this kale and avocado salad is the kind of bowl that makes you genuinely excited about eating your greens. The secret starts with massaging the kale with a pinch of salt until it softens and darkens — a simple step that transforms tough leaves into something tender and almost silky. A hand-whisked dressing of olive oil, fresh lime juice, cilantro, garlic, honey, and cumin comes together without any thickeners or additives, so every ingredient is exactly what it sounds like. That matters a lot when you're avoiding xanthan gum, which sneaks into a surprising number of bottled dressings and store-bought sauces. Creamy diced avocado, cool cucumber, juicy cherry tomatoes, and thin-sliced red onion round out the bowl with color and crunch, while toasted pepitas add a nutty, golden finish. Everything here is whole-food and straightforward — no gums, no stabilizers, nothing you'd need to second-guess on a label. Toss it together and serve it right away while those pepitas are still perfectly crisp.
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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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