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–+ servings
baby kale salad with a wooden spoon
Kate Ramos

Baby Kale Salad, Avocado, and Pear with Grapefruit-Cilantro Vinaigrette

This baby kale salad recipe is the kind of side dish that pairs with almost everything. Tossed with creamy avocado, juicy pear, crunchy pumpkin seeds, and a bright grapefruit vinaigrette.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Salads
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 360
Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Vinaigrette:
For the Salad:

Method
 

  1. To make the dressing, combine all the vinaigrette ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk together. Dressing can be made up to a week in advance (although the cilantro will brown slightly).
  2. To make the salad, toss the 3 cups kale, 1 small head romaine, and 10-12 cilantro sprigs together. Arrange the 1 diced avocado and pear over the top and sprinkle with 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds.
  3. Whisk the dressing once more to combine then drizzle over the salad and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 360kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 11gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 15gSodium: 629mgFiber: 15gSugar: 18g

Notes

    1. The Greens: If you can't find baby kale, regular kale works too—just massage it with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt for 2–3 minutes first to soften the leaves. Arugula also makes a great peppery substitute.
    2. Prevent Browning: Toss the diced pear and avocado in a splash of the extra lime juice right after cutting. This keeps them looking bright and fresh if you aren't serving the salad immediately.
    3. The Fruit: Crisp apples (like Honeycrisp or Fuji) make a fantastic swap if pears aren't in season.
    4. The Crunch: Swap the pumpkin seeds (pepitas) for toasted sliced almonds, chopped walnuts, or sunflower seeds if that's what you have in the pantry.

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