Kale Salad with Salmon and Greek Yogurt Dressing

Sharing is caring!

This Kale Salad with Salmon and Greek Yogurt Dressing is flavorful and packs a nutritional punch from both dairy and plants. It is a perfect, balanced dish to serve for holidays or family meals. Add salmon on top to make it an entree, or leave it off for a colorful side salad.

Disclaimer: this post is sponsored by Midwest Dairy and I am being compensated monetarily; however, all opinions expressed are my own. I only work with brands who align with my values & vision for my brand. Thank you for supporting Wellness For The Win!

kale salad with salmon ingredients

Here’s what you need to bring this tasty Kale Salad to life!

  • Chopped kale
  • Extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
  • Dried cranberries
  • Fresh strawberries
  • Chopped pecans
  • Feta cheese
  • Apples
  • Red onion
  • Minced garlic
  • Salmon, optional
This photo is of ingredients for a kale salad with salmon: red onion, apple, dried cranberries, feta cheese, strawberries, kale, and pecans
This photo is of ingredients for a kale salad with salmon: red onion, apple, dried cranberries, feta cheese, strawberries, kale, and pecans

honey mustard Greek yogurt dressing ingredients

Sure, you could grab a store bought dressing, but trust me – this homemade version is super easy to whip up, and well worth the extra few minutes! It is SO delicious, fresh and adds the perfect flavor to this nutritious dish. It has the perfect hint of sweetness from honey, and a nice, creamy texture thanks to the Greek yogurt.

what you need:

  • Plain Greek yogurt (I would recommend full-fat for this recipe)
  • Dijon mustard
  • Honey
  • Lemon juice (ideally from fresh, whole lemons)
  • Salt & pepper
This is a picture of ingredients for homemade honey mustard Greek yogurt dressing.
This is a photo of homemade honey mustard Greek yogurt dressing in a small mason jar next to a lemon.

how to make kale salad with salmon

If you are planning to serve with salmon, preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, spray with non-stick cooking spray, and add thawed salmon fillets. Spray or drizzle salmon with avocado oil, and season with fresh cracked salt and pepper, to taste.

Once oven is preheated, place salmon in oven for 13-15 minutes or until internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit is reached.

Make salad dressing by combining plain Greek yogurt, dijon mustard, honey, extra virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, salt & pepper. Mix well and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

This is a photo of homemade honey mustard Greek yogurt dressing in a small mason jar next to a lemon.

Add fresh chopped kale to a large bowl. If purchasing bunches of kale, wash well, pat dry with paper towels and use your hands to tear leaves off of the stems. Alternatively, you can purchase pre-chopped kale, which is the route I took to save time! ; )

This is a photo of a bowl of fresh, chopped kale.

PRO TIP: it is recommended to thoroughly massage kale to help break it down, making it easier to chew and digest. You can simply do this with oil and your hands! In this recipe, I added 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 2 Tbsp of lemon juice to about 8 cups of chopped kale, and massaged well for 60-90 seconds. You can add 1 Tbsp of minced garlic here as well.

This is a photo of a bowl of fresh, chopped kale, alongside additional toppings for the kale salad.

Prepare all of your other mix-ins: chop strawberries and apples, and thinly slice red onions. Add toppings in the amounts suggested in the recipe, however, feel free to make it your own and add more or less of any of these items!

Toppings include: red onions, fresh strawberries, apples (variety of choice), unsweetened dried cranberries, chopped pecans and feta cheese crumbles.

Add all toppings to large bowl with massaged kale, and mix well!

This is a photo of a large bowl of kale salad with mix-ins including chopped apples, red onions, strawberries, feta cheese and chopped pecans.

Serve chilled and top individual servings with about 2 Tbsp of homemade Greek yogurt dressing.

Add cooked salmon to make it an entree, if desired.

This is a picture of a kale salad in a bowl.
This is a picture of a kale salad in a serving bowl, alongside a jar of Greek yogurt dressing and baked salmon.

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

nutritional benefits of dairy and plants together

As a Registered Dietitian, I am passionate about helping others improve their nutrition in ways they actually enjoy. Healthy food can and should be delicious and satisfying! The combination of dairy and plants provides a wide variety of nutrients that have so many incredible health benefits, including boosting our immune system.

This is a photo of a kale salad with salmon topped with homemade Greek yogurt dressing.

Milk and other dairy products are a natural source of immune-boosting nutrients like zinc and protein. When dairy is paired with the power of plants, you have an immunity dream team that can’t be beat.

Watch the video below to learn even more about this powerful duo.

more health benefits of dairy

We love and regularly consume a variety of dairy foods in our home. It is a great way to add some extra nutrition and delicious flavor to meals & snacks. Whether that is sprinkling shredded cheese on top of eggs or pasta dishes, adding Greek yogurt to smoothies or milk to creamy soups.

Here are just a few other benefits of dairy:

Dairy Foods Support Digestive Health 

  • Yogurt is linked to better digestion and a healthy immune system. 

• Being comfortable makes you feel better and perform better. Grab yogurt before your next activity for an easy, tasty snack.

Dairy Foods Provide Beneficial Nutrients For All Ages

• Dairy foods provide nutrients people of all ages need to grow and maintain stronger bodies and minds. We regularly incorporate dairy into our son Rhett’s diet as well.

• The protein in dairy – whey and casein – keeps you feeling full longer, provides energy to fuel your day and helps muscles recover while you sleep. 

This is a photo of a close up of a bite of kale salad with salmon.

Kale Salad with Salmon and Greek Yogurt Dressing

Shanna Hutcheson
This Kale Salad with Salmon and Greek Yogurt Dressing is flavorful and packed with nutrition from both dairy and plants. Serve it up with salmon as an entree, or leave it off for a colorful, healthy side dish. This would be a great option to serve for Easter or Mother's Day celebrations!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 636 kcal

Ingredients
  

Homemade Greek Yogurt Honey Mustard Dressing

  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 Tbsp honey
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 1/4 cup dijon mustard
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • Fresh cracked pepper to taste

Kale Salad

  • 8 cups chopped kale
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
  • 1/2 apple chopped
  • 1/2 cup strawberries chopped
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup Feta cheese
  • 1 Tbsp minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup pecans chopped

Salmon

  • 2 salmon fillets 6 oz each
  • 1/2 Tbsp avocado oil
  • Fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • If you are planning to serve with salmon, preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, spray with non-stick cooking spray, and add your thawed salmon fillets. Spray or drizzle salmon with avocado oil, and season with fresh cracked salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Once oven is preheated, place salmon in oven for 13-15 minutes or until internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit is reached.
  • Make Greek yogurt dressing: combine plain Greek yogurt, dijon mustard, honey, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper in a small bowl and mix well. Store in an airtight container, such as a mason jar, in the refrigerator until ready to use, and keep for up to 2 weeks.
  • If purchasing bunches of kale, wash well, pat dry with paper towels and use your hands to tear leaves off of the stems. (Alternatively, you can purchase pre-chopped kale, which is the route I took to save time!)
  • Add chopped kale to a large bowl, add 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 2 Tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice, and massage well for about 60-90 seconds to break it down. Add 1 Tbsp of minced garlic here as well.
  • Prepare all of your other mix-ins: chop strawberries and apples, and thinly slice red onions. Add toppings in the amounts suggested in the recipe, however, you can make it your own and add more or less of any of these items.
  • Add all toppings to large bowl with massaged kale, and mix well.
  • Serve chilled and top individual servings with about 2 Tbsp of homemade Greek yogurt dressing.
  • Add cooked salmon on top, if desired.
  • Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Notes

Kale salad makes about 4-6 servings. One serving is ~2 cups. 
Homemade Greek yogurt dressing makes about 1 cup total. One serving is 2 Tbsp. 

Nutrition

Calories: 636kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 29gFat: 43gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 25gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 578mgPotassium: 1121mgFiber: 9gSugar: 27gVitamin A: 13535IUVitamin C: 145mgCalcium: 507mgIron: 4mg
Keyword entree salad, greek yogurt dressing, healthy side dish, holiday recipe, homemade salad dressing, kale salad with salmon, spring recipe
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

I hope you love this Kale Salad with Salmon and Greek Yogurt Dressing as much as we do! Be sure to tag us in your creations on IG at @wellnessforthewin and @midwestdairy! We can’t wait to see what you think!

Thanks for reading!

Shanna

Similar Posts

2 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This salad is SO good! Such a fresh flavorful dinner option. Didn’t have any honey so used maple syrup for the dressing and it was still delicious. Thanks for recipe!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating