Nightshade Free Turmeric-Ginger Kale and Avocado Salad
Bright, earthy, and genuinely satisfying, this kale and avocado salad is the kind of bowl that makes you feel good from the first bite. The golden turmeric-ginger dressing is the real star — whisked together with fresh lemon juice, honey, and garlic, it coats every leaf in warm, zesty flavor without a single ingredient that falls into the nightshade family. That's actually harder to pull off than it sounds, since so many bold dressings and salads sneak in paprika, chili flakes, or other spices that can be a problem. Here, the heat and depth come entirely from ginger and black pepper, so the flavor is lively without any of the usual concerns. Massaging the kale with salt before dressing it is the move that takes this from good to great — it softens the leaves and helps them soak up every drop of that golden dressing. Creamy avocado, crunchy purple cabbage, shredded carrots, and toasted pumpkin seeds round out the texture so every forkful has something going on. It's a no-cook, whole-food meal that comes together fast and looks stunning on the table.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the salad
- 1 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 and sliced
- 1 ½ cups shredded purple cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- ¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 ½ lemons)
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 tsp raw honey
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated or pressed
- ¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (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 1–2 minutes, squeezing and working the leaves until they darken, soften noticeably, and reduce in volume by about one-third.
- 2
In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, turmeric, grated ginger, honey, garlic, black pepper, and 1/4 tsp salt until the dressing is smooth and uniformly golden-yellow.
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