Superfood Salad with a Simple Poppy Seed Dressing

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This is a Costco-inspired Superfood Salad with Creamy Poppyseed Dressing. It’s all homemade, including the salad dressing! A large bowl of this mouthwatering, crunchy salad makes the perfect side dish to any meal, a great appetizer, or a light lunch. The whole family will love this delicious salad made with fresh ingredients!

You’ve probably noticed the proliferation of kale in restaurant dishes, at potlucks, and even in the chip aisle (think kale chips). There’s good reason. Just one cup of chopped kale contains 33 calories, gives you well over the recommended daily allowance of Vitamins A, C, and K, is high in manganese, and provides a great source of fiber.

There are different types of kale, but the most common edible varieties that you’ll find in grocery stores are curly kale, with very curled edges on broader leaves, and Tuscan kale, with longer, narrower, and darker leaves. Tuscan kale is also called dinosaur kale or lacinato kale and is an Italian variety of kale. Then there’s baby kale which has small, tender, light green leaves.

The ways to prepare this superfood are endless—strip the leaves from the main leaf ribs and chop them to use in a salad like this Superfood salad with poppy seed dressing. Another delicious way to enjoy fresh kale is to add it to a soup, sauté it, make a green smoothie with it, or leave it in slightly bigger pieces and make your own homemade kale chips. Regardless of how you prepare it, you’re almost guaranteed a nutritious, tasty result.

What’s so ‘super’ about this Superfood Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing?

Healthy eating is the new way of life and it’s all about eating smart and enjoying your food. One of the ways to eat better is by adding more superfoods to your diet. Superfoods are plant-based foods that are nutritionally dense and packed with various health benefits. Superfoods will make you feel like a superhuman.

All nutrition in this salad can prevent or decrease chronic health diseases, improve brain power, and help fight anti-aging. The base of superfoods in this recipe include:

Fresh kale helps your body fight against cancerous cells. It’s all thanks to vitamin K which is responsible for many bodily functions and protecting against various cancers. But kale is also dense in calcium more than milk. This nutrient is important for preventing osteoporosis (which makes your bones weak and brittle) and maintaining a healthy metabolism.
Broccoli and Brussels sprouts build your collagen, provide your body with antioxidants, and protect the body from the damage of free radicals – all due to the high vitamin C content.

So you can enjoy this delicious sweet kale salad that does only good for your body!

Why you’ll love this Superfood Salad with a Simple Poppy Seed Dressing

This gorgeous salad is packed with hearty greens which are nutrient-rich and complemented with a tangy poppy seed dressing.
It’s more cost-effective than the sweet kale salad kit because everything is homemade including the salad dressing.
This Costco kale salad has a vibrant color, amazing texture, and great crunch.
It’s a healthy alternative that you can meal prep as it stays crunchy and fresh in the fridge for a few days.
Summer salads are appealing to the eye, colorful, fresh, and a great way to cool down from the hot sun.
My favorite thing about the sweet kale salad recipe is it’s easy and quick.

Key Ingredients

Fresh kale: Use curly kale as it holds the dressing well.
Green cabbage: This versatile vegetable has smooth leaves and a mild flavor and adds great texture and nutrition to the salad.
Brussels sprouts: Add a fresh element and taste to the salad.
Green broccoli: A great addition to the nutritious greens in the salad.
Pumpkin seeds: They have a sweet and nutty flavor which adds texture and great crunch to this healthy salad.
Dried cranberries: Adds sweet pops of flavor

For the Homemade Poppyseed Dressing:

Cane sugar: Adds sweetness to the homemade poppyseed dressing
Poppy seeds: They’re my favorite thing about this homemade dressing. They add a light sweetness and mild flavor to the salad
Mayonnaise: Great addition to make the creamy dressing.
Salt: To bring out the flavors of the dressing.
Apple cider vinegar: The tangy and tart flavor brings the sweet ingredients to life.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

How to make Superfood Salad with a Simple Poppy Seed Dressing

Step 1: Make the sweet poppyseed dressing

In a small bowl, make the homemade poppy seed dressing by whisking all the ingredients together. (It needs to stand five minutes before serving.)

Step 2: Prep the hearty greens

Prep your kale by washing and drying it up then finely chop the kale so you don’t have any large, tough pieces. Wash, dry, and slice the Brussels and use a cabbage shredder to shred the cabbage.

Step 3: Combine all the superfoods in a bowl

In a large bowl, combine all the salad ingredients starting with vegetables, then add the pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries.

Step 4: Mix the salad and serve

Lightly toss to combine the gorgeous salad with dressing. Serve on a salad plate and enjoy!

How to store leftover sweet kale salad recipe

This salad holds well because of the greens so you can place it in airtight containers and keep it in the fridge for 2-3 days, if not mixed with the poppyseed dressing. If it’s already mixed, it will get slightly soggy but it will still be delicious, but can be eaten within a day or two.
To keep the veggies crispy and fresh you can store them in separate containers with the salad dressing. Then toss the salad mixture with the dressing and enjoy.

Key Tips

When choosing curly kale, select smaller heads as they’ll have a softer texture. Also, make sure the kale leaves are still firm.
Put raw kale in a plastic bag and store it in the refrigerator until you use it so it remains fresh.
Wash the kale and drain well. Use a salad spinner if you have one to ensure it’s dry.
Slice the Brussels sprouts in a food processor, or you can use a knife or mandoline slicer.
You can use broccoli slaw in this recipe since it has pre-prepped ingredients which are ready to eat.

Recipes FAQs

What can l serve with this salad?

This side salad can be enjoyed next to any meal such as Chicken in a Creamy Mushroom Sauce or Braised Chicken with Potato recipe. To enjoy the superfood salad as a meal you can add salmon, hard-boiled eggs, or grilled chicken to the recipe.

How can l meal prep this recipe?

You can prepare the hearty greens in advance and add dressing if you’d like or keep them in separate containers then toss them together when you’re ready to enjoy the next day. The base of the salad with the vegetables will hold up and won’t get too mushy for a few days.

Enjoy these other great kale salad recipes

The Grilled Peaches and Mozzarella in a Kale Salad is one of the easiest summer salads to make!
This Roasted Potato and Kale Salad with a Dijon Vinaigrette makes a great go-to side dish to complement just about anything.

More Tasty Salads to Try

If you tried this Superfood Salad with a Simple Poppy Seed Dressing or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you enjoyed it in the📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!