Simple Summer Peach Kale Salad with Avocado and Cherries

Summer Peach Kale Salad with Avocado and Cherries is a refreshing and simple kale salad that captures a beautiful summer harvest. Shredded Tuscan kale is massaged in creamy basil lemon dressing to tenderize, and topped with summer produce like ripe fresh peaches and cherries, to create a light and healthy summer salad. This summer kale salad is great for a light dinner, BBQ sides, or a base for your favorite proteins during summer.

Summer is the salad season! The refreshing crunchiness is perfect for a summer light meal. I usually like crispy leafy green for my salad base during summer. But after I indulge myself too much, my body and soul crave kale salad! Kale is a highly nutritious superfood that provides powerful antioxidants, and salad is a great way to enjoy its benefits.

I think kale falls on the heavier side as a salad base. That’s why I paired it with sweet summer fruits to make this a refreshing and light salad to enjoy in warm weather.

Peach Kale Salad Ingredients and Variations

• Tuscan Kale: Tuscan kale is also called other names like Lacinato kale, dinosaur kale, and cavolo nero. I like to use this for fresh kale salad because it tastes less bitter and has a tenderer texture than curly kale. After being massaged well with dressing, it becomes tender and you won’t taste any bitterness or pepperiness.
• Red Onion: Onions add sweetness after tossed well with the dressing to soften the spiciness.
• Avocado: Add creaminess and bind all the ingredients together.
• Peach and Cherries: Fresh summer fruit is the star of this salad! Use ripe, sweet peaches and cherries for this recipe. You can also use nectarines, apricots, mangoes, and pineapples to spice up your salad.
• Sliced Almonds: This salad needs a rich, toasty flavor to complement the refreshing summer fruits. Toast until golden brown and let cool before use to enhance the flavor. If you don’t have sliced almonds, just chop the whole almonds, or other nuts like walnuts and pistachios will be a fun addition too. Pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds are great nut-free options.
• Creamy Lemon Basil Salad Dressing: This dairy-free and vegan salad dressing is a perfect addition to a refreshing summer salad.

Variations

Protein: Add grilled chicken, shrimp, beef steak, or tofu to make this simple salad a satiating and healthy meal.

Cheese: Add cheese to elevate this salad! Sliced mozzarella, burrata, feta, or grilled halloumi cheese will be a great addition and add protein to this salad.

How to Prepare Summer Kale Salad

1) Make the Dressing

In a blender, blitz all the ingredients of Creamy Lemon Basil Salad Dressing.

Toast the sliced almonds and let cool. I usually toast the sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden brown. Stirring occasionally to prevent burning.

2) How to Soften Kale for Salad

The first tip to soften the kale is to slice the kale thinly. Smaller pieces are easier to tenderize.

Then, the second tip is massaging kale with some form of dressing. Dressing can be just lemon juice or extra virgin olive oil, but for this recipe let’s massage them with Creamy Lemon Basil Salad Dressing to let the kale absorb the flavor.

So add shredded kale and half of the dressing in a large bowl. Use your hands to massage the dressing into the kale to soften.

Stir in red onion while preparing other ingredients so that the onion has time to be marinated in the dressing.

3) Assembly

Arrange chopped avocado, sliced peach, and pitted cherries on top of the kale. Sprinkle toasted almond slices on top. Toss before enjoying. Taste and drizzle more dressing for your liking.

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