• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
G-Free Foodie logo
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Baked Goods
    • Beverages
    • Dairy Free
    • Desserts
    • Kid Zone
    • Main Dishes
    • Paleo Friendly
    • Quick & Easy
    • Recipes & Techniques by Cooks We Love
    • Salads & Dressings
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
    • Tips & Tricks
    • Vegan
  • Articles
    • Dining Tips
    • G-Free Foodie Guides
    • G-Free Foodie Mommies
    • G-Free Foodie Product Reviews
    • Gluten Free Advice + Experts
    • KC's Blog
  • About
  • Shop
  • Help!
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Browse Recipes
  • Articles
  • About
  • Shop
  • Help!
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home / Recipes / Salads & Dressings

    Kale Salad with Cranberries and Pumpkin Seeds

    Leave a Comment

    Kale Salad with Cranberries and Pumpkin Seeds

    Easy-to-make Kale Salad that holds up well and is totally customizable - plus it's full of California grown goodness!

    Eat Your GreensPaleo FriendlySalads & DressingsSide DishesVegan

    Share

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    You could call this "Kale Salad with Cranberries and Pumpkin Seeds" because, of course, that's what it is. You could also, and maybe more accurately, call it "The Kale Salad That K.C. Brings to Everything" because it's also that.  You can make it in advance and it just gets better, and everyone's all: "hey, this is delicious!" and I'm all: "dude, I know. That's why I brought it."  The folks from CA Grown asked me to share some of my favorite recipes using some of the 400+ specialty crops grown in Golden State, so I'm sharing this one, along with these Edible Flower Pistachio Shortbread Cookies and one more coming up! It's just in time for the holidays, which means you have time to make this the salad you bring to everything too.

    Choosing dried fruit for your kale salad:

    I used cranberries here, which is the only ingredient not from California (well, beside salt. But you could actually get that from CA too.) Sometimes I use golden raisins instead, or one of my favorite combos is chopped dried apricots and pistachios. Feel free to switch out the mix-ins as you please, and through in a little Feta or Parmesan if you're into that kind of thing.

    You can make it in advance:

    Since kale holds up well, this salad keeps for 2-3 days in the fridge, so it's great for batch cooking/meal prepping/leftover lunch taking. Top it with a little chicken and you're ready to ride.

    How to get kale tender enough to eat raw: the massage is the key to great kale salad.

    The kale in this recipe gets a heavy rub with olive oil and lemon juice, and needs to marinate for at least tens minutes. The lemon juice + EVOO coating isn't just delicious dressing - they work together to tenderize the kale leaves.

    I often make the kale portion of this salad the night before serving or in the morning, and mix the cranberries and seeds in later.

    Kale And Brussels Sprouts Salad

    One more kale salad recipe to try: Crazy Delicious Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad

    This gorgeous Shaved Brussels Sprouts + Kale Salad is worthy of a place at a holiday feast, but easy enough for a weeknight meal!

    Kale Salad with Cranberries and Pumpkin Seeds

    Kale Salad with Cranberries and Pumpkin Seeds

    K.C. Cornwell
    This Kale Salad with Cranberries and Pumpkin Seeds can customized with your favorite mix-ins and flavors. It holds up well in the fridge and is totally easy to make!
    4.67 from 21 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Chilling Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 10 minutes mins
    Course Salad
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 120 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 bunch of kale stems removed
    • Juice of one lemon
    • 2 tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
    • 2 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
    • 2-3 tablespoon dried cranberries or other dried fruit
    • ½ teaspoon each, sea salt & black pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Cut kale into pieces and place in a large bowl. Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice over kale and massage into leaves until thoroughly coated. Allow to marinate for at least 10 minutes (15 is better).
    • Toss with nuts, cranberries, and salt and pepper. Taste and add additional seasoning if needed. Enjoy!

    Notes

    Will hold for 2 days in refrigerator.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 120kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 2gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 6mgPotassium: 110mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1425IUVitamin C: 17.1mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 0.6mg
    Keyword kale, kale salad

    Sponsored by California Grown. All opinions are my own. But you knew that.

    photography by: James Collier

    colcannon recipe

    Try this next: Colcannon - Irish Mashed Potatoes with Kale

    Ready to take your mashed potatoes up a notch? Try Colcannon, or Irish Mashed Potatoes with Kale. - creamy potatoes with garlic, leeks, kale and butter. It's truly delicious.

    Easy + Delicious Italian Potatoes

    If you're looking for a flavorful side dish to complement your main dish, then look no further than Lidia Bastianich's recipe for Italian potatoes with peperoncino.

    a bowl of Italian potatoes

    You May Also Like

    • biggest cooking mistakes
      The Most Common Cooking Mistakes!
    • Colcannon- Mashed Potatoes With Kale
      Colcannon - Irish Mashed Potatoes with Kale
    • paleo pumpkin pie pots
      Pumpkin Custard Recipe + Coconut Whipped Cream:…
    • crispy kale
      Crispy Kale with Tangy Homemade Ranch
    « Edible Flower Pistachio Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies
    Holiday Pomegranate Mojito »

    Share

    Reader Interactions

    4.67 from 21 votes (21 ratings without comment)

    Let Us Know What You Think Cancel reply

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

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    K.C. the G-Free Foodie

    K.C. is a farm-grown foodie, born and raised in the fertile fields of California’s San Joaquin Valley. After being diagnosed with Celiac Disease following years of unexplained illness, she has infused her gluten-free life with flavor, fork in hand. Learn more about K.C.

    Featured Recipes

    Glass bottle filled with tomato vinaigrette in front of a salad on a wooden table.

    Tomato Vinaigrette: An Easy Salad Dressing To Try Now

    gluten free coconut layer cake recipe

    The BEST Gluten-Free Coconut Cake

    tomato water

    Tomato Water | The Fresh Tomato Recipe You Didn't Know You Needed

    easy single serving sangria

    Easy Single-Serving Sangria

    SHOP GLUTEN FREE FAVES

    Popular Categories

    • Appetizers + Snacks
    • Beverages
    • Desserts
    • Dining Tips
    • Main Dishes
    • Quick + Easy
    • Salads + Dressings
    • Soups
    • Tips + Tricks

    Footer

    People

    • About Us
    • Meet K.C. Cornwell
    • G-Free Foodie Gluten Free Advocates + Experts

    Business

    • Partnerships
    • Contact
    • Gluten Free Consulting Services
    • Privacy Policy & Disclaimer
    • Links & Cool Stuff

    Follow Me

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • TikTok

    G-Free Foodie © 2025 · All Rights Reserved

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.