I love this kind of salad so much. It’s colorful, it’s hearty, it’s nutritious, and it tastes delicious. I serve a basic old house salad with every dinner, so a salad like this is kind of like a treat. It’s a perfect side salad to fill out a meal that needs just a little more substance on the side.

Alternatively, you can throw grains (like farro, barley, or quinoa) or roasted veggies (Brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes are my personal favorite) and make this a legit meal. It’s great for lunch or a light dinner. With all the different elements and flavors you end up feeling totally satisfied.

A few notes about the recipe: we all know kale can be a hard sell. Maybe not among foodies and nutritionists, but most people (my kids and husband) are neither. I actually love it, but it can be a little …. over fibrous, shall we say? So I like to massage my kale with a little oil to soften it up. Cut or tear your kale up into bite sized pieces, drizzle a little olive oil (or even the dressing you intend to use), and rub or, well, massage, it until it is softened. Don’t laugh, it works! Try it…!

The red onion dressing is something I made up when scrambling to throw together a last minute salad dressing. I love red onions on my salad but they are very often overpowering and make your breath socially unacceptable. Soaking them in vinegar and then blitzing them into a dressing mellows their bite but keeps the flavor. I was so happy with the results that it has become my go to dressing!

kale cabbage and chopped broccoli slaw with red onion poppyseed dressing

The ingredients below make a salad for about 4 large servings or 6-8 smaller servings. You should just adjust according to how much you need. Add more or less of any element, or swap it out for something similar! The dressing makes a little more than a cup, and it keeps well in the fridge for a week.

Ingredients:

[for the salad]

• 1/2 large bunch or 1 whole small bunch kale, cut or torn into bite sized pieces

• 1/4 head red cabbage (or green, or a combination of both), chopped or shredded

• 1 medium carrot, grated using large holes of a grater

• 1 head broccoli, chopped into small pieces

• 1 large handful dried cranberries

• 1 large handful slivered almonds

• 2 oz (about 1/4 cup) feta, crumbled

• optional alternatives or additions: dried cherries instead of cranberries, walnuts instead of almonds, goat cheese instead of feta, roasted sweet potatoes, roasted Brussel sprouts, cooked chicken, tuna, cooked farro, barley, or quinoa

[for the dressing]

• 1/2 medium red onion, chopped coarsely

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1/2 cup red or white wine vinegar

• 2 Tbsp honey

• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil

• 1/2 Tbsp poppyseeds

Instructions:

1. Make the dressing: in a small bowl, combine the red onion, garlic, and vinegar and let sit for 5-10 minutes. Pour into a blender and add the honey and salt. Blitz until smooth. With the blender running on low, add the olis in a slow steady stream . This will help with emulsification. Add the poppyseeds, pulse to combine. Adjust salt as preferred.

2. Make the salad: Combine the elements of the salad, dress, and toss to combine. If you care about presentation, sprinkle with additional feta, cranberries, and almonds to serve.