Kale Broccoli Slaw Salad

Sometimes new recipes happen out of necessity.

Like when Wal-Mart is out of one of the two main ingredients for a recipe you NEED to make NOW.

But, hey, thanks Wallyworld for helping me create this delicious Kale Broccoli Slaw Salad! 

Broccoli Slaw Salad ready to be served with wooden salad tongs.

I had the intention of making a salad with fresh brussels sprouts for our Christmas dinner at my in-laws. But to my surprise, my grocery store was out.

You might be thinking, what about frozen brussels sprouts? Well, unfortunately they don’t work so well in a raw salad.

So I had to think fast. I decided to reach for a bag of trusty broccoli slaw, one of my favorite types of salad bases. Curious what broccoli slaw looks like? You will find it hiding in your produce department next to the bags of prepackaged salad and coleslaw mixes.

This gluten free salad exceeded all of my expectations. The textures stay crisp and flavors delicious even after days in the fridge.

Not only is this salad healthy and gluten free, it is truly satisfying. Eating hearty greens (kale) and healthy fats (extra virgin olive oil & pecans) can’t be beat when hunger strikes!

Gluten free kale salad with homemade dressing topped with Parmesan cheese.

You will love the tangy dressing! Using fresh onion and lemon juice add a certain “zing” to this recipe. I added honey too as I like a touch of sweetness somewhere in my salads.

Don’t forget to top this Kale Broccoli Slaw Salad off with the freshly grated Parmesan. 

If you are dairy free, omit the Parmesan altogether or find a plant based version. 🙂

Light blue bowl filled with broccoli slaw salad.

I debated about adding in some dried cranberries for color and contrasting flavor.  If you decided to do that, be sure to let me know how it turns out in the comments.

Oh, and don’t forget to save this recipe on Pinterest, because you are definitely going to want to make it this summer when the hot weather returns!

Kale Broccoli Slaw Salad Recipe | This healthy and easy kale salad is the perfect addition to any meal! Clean eating and gluten free can be delicious! This salad is packed with whole foods such as kale, broccoli, and pecans. Perfect as a light lunch or holiday side dish! Make it dairy free by omitting the Parmesan cheese. The broccoli slaw dressing is quick to prepare in your blender. Try adding a touch of sweetness with dried cranberries. Make it vegetarian by not adding the turkey bacon.

One last bit of advice, chop the kale into small bite-sized pieces, as I think the salad tastes better that way.

When the pieces are too big, the ratio of broccoli, pecans and bacon is off. And that my friends is a tragedy in my book.

Dramatic much? 😉

Speaking of books, have you downloaded your FREE copy of our Salad E-book? It features an “Anatomy of a Salad” to help you create your own delicious salads and 14 other unique salad recipes we have lovingly created!

Have you ever had a time where you were in a pinch and needed to improvise with a recipe? I would love to hear about your experience in the comments below.

And now onto this delicious recipe…

Kale Broccoli Slaw Salad

This healthy and easy kale salad is the perfect addition to any meal! Clean eating and gluten free can be delicious! This salad is packed with whole foods such as kale, broccoli, and pecans. Perfect as a light lunch or holiday side dish! Make it dairy free by omitting the Parmesan cheese. The broccoli slaw dressing is quick to prepare in your blender. Try adding a touch of sweetness with dried cranberries. Make it vegetarian by not adding the turkey bacon.
Prep Time20 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: All American
Keyword: broccoli, broccoli slaw, gluten free, kale, salad
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 193kcal
Cost: $5.00

Equipment

  • blender
  • large bowl

Ingredients

Dressing

  • 1/4 cup diced onion
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • a pinch black pepper

Salad

  • 4 cups, packed kale, thinly sliced/chopped
  • 1 12 oz bag broccoli slaw salad mix
  • 3-4 slices cooked turkey bacon, chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated or dairy free version

Instructions

  • Combine all dressing ingredients in a Magic Bullet or blender and blend until smooth.
  • Mix all salad ingredients in a large bowl.
  • Pour dressing over the top and toss salad until all ingredients are distributed throughout.
  • Let favors mingle in fridge until you are ready to serve or eat immediately.

Notes

This salad lasts and lasts in the fridge without any changes to the consistency. It is the perfect salad to make on Sunday and enjoy the entire week with a protein of choice!
To add another layer of flavor, roast and salt the pecans. I do this by heating a small frying pan over very high heat and then add a little coconut oil to the pan. Once the oil has just barely started to smoke, I remove from the burner and add in the pecans and a dash of sea salt. Stir the pecans a few times. You will know they are done when you can smell them.
 

18 Comments

  1. I’ve noticed the broccoli slaw, but never tried it. Your version looks delicious! 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing it with us at Savoring Saturdays! 🙂

  2. Yum!! This looks absolutely delicious. Thanks for sharing on the healthy living link party!

  3. YUM! We love a good salad and this one sounds fantastic! Thanks so much for sharing on the Healthy Living Link Party 🙂 We hope to see you back soon!

  4. I’m a salad lover and this colorful salad sounds so yummy! Thank you for sharing your healthy and delicious Kale and Broccoli Slaw Salad at the Healthy Living Link Party! I’m pinning and sharing! All the best, Deborah

  5. This is a keeper! I will be making it this week, thank you so much for sharing this recipe over at Healthy Living Link Party, hope to see you again!

  6. This looks like an amazing salad! Thanks for linking up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!

  7. This looks delicious. I’d say even better than what you had planned originally. I’m definitely giving the salad (and your dressing) a try. Thanks so much for sharing this awesome recipe on #SHINEblogphop this week. We’re so glad you could join us.

  8. I struggle a bit with kale but I know it’s good for me. This is the perfect way to enjoy it! I can’t wait to give it a try! Sharing! Thank you for bringing it to the Hearth and Soul Hop.

    • I can understand that April. Try massaging your kale with a little olive oil before you put it in your salads it will tenderize it just enough to more closely resemble spinach and lettuce. One of my favorite ways to eat kale is to saute it with onion, zucchini, and bell peppers to eat with my eggs in the morning. Plus, there are many varieties of kale with different textures, I bet you can find one that doesn’t cause you to squirm 😉 Okay, I’m done. I have just really grown to love kale and I want everyone else to as well!

      • tawana jenkins

        my market was all out of kale, can I use frozen kale as a substitute? if so how does the recipe differ?

        • Hi Tawana, I have not used frozen kale in this salad so I am not familiar with how it would taste or how the texture would be. However, I think it is worth a try! Quite honestly, most of the crunchy texture comes from the broccoli slaw so the fresh kale may not even be missed. 😉 Will you let me know your thoughts after you prepare it? 🙂

  9. ooh, this looks delicious! Believe it or not, when I wanted to cook Brussel Sprouts this Christmas, my grocery store was also out! Weird!

  10. I’ve never heard of broccoli slaw, but I need to check for it now. Thanks for sharing on the Creative K. Kids Tasty Tuesdays Linky Party. I hope you will join us again next week.

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