This grapefruit mint kale salad is so refreshing I swear I heard an audible sigh of deliciousness from my husband when I served it to him for the first time. It has a base of tender and crispy (a contradiction, I know, but it’s true!) kale, sliced almonds, cool mint, and segmented grapefruit tossed with a light honey lime dressing. It’s super simple but the flavors are insane! The way the lime, grapefruit, and mint come together, ugh, I could go on and on. But I’ll stop there and move on.
Massage kale? Kale yeah!
Before you get your massage on remove the stems of your kale. Kale stems are tough and fibrous and are unpleasant to eat, so get rid of them!
Okay, so I know you’re really wondering why am I massaging kale? If you’ve ever had kale then you know it can be a little dry. When you massage the kale it breaks down it’s tight cell structure making it nice and tender.
Now, on the flipside, you don’t want to overwork the kale. You don’t want your kale to be mushy! So massage that kale until it just barely starts to soften.
Why broil the kale?
We’re broiling the kale to crisp it up just a little bit. I love the texture of the softened massaged kale and the crispy edges when combined with the fresh citrus flavors of this salad!
The great thing about kale is it really doesn’t need a lot of olive oil. You may look at that big bowl of kale and think is 1 ½ teaspoons enough? Yep! Trust me on this one. If you’ve ever made homemade kale chips then you’ll know this from experience. The first time I made kale chips when I was in college I didn’t think I had enough oil so I added extra and the result was SOGGY kale! Not good when you’re trying to make chips!
How to segment a grapefruit
If you don’t know how to segment a grapefruit, don’t worry! We’ll show you how! Pop over to our How to Segment a Grapefruit post to see how to segment a grapefruit, I promise it’s super easy! You'll have this basic culinary technique down in no time and you'll look like a real pro.
Make use of those Grapefruit peels!
There are so many great things you can do with grapefruit peels, I hate to see them go to waste! I love to throw them in a pitcher of water and make a super fresh infused water.
Pro Tip: Add some mint with those grapefruit peels and ooohhh, that flavor is refreshing!
You can also use the peels to make candied peels, just like you can make candied lemon peels. Or zest the peels and save it to add into smoothies or salad dressings!
Enjoy!
Alyssa
You May Also Like These Other Fresh Salad Ideas:
- Apple Cilantro Lime Coleslaw
- Pineapple Basil Salad
- French Country Salad (Cheesecake Factory Copycat!)
- Superfood Salad
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Grapefruit Mint Kale Salad
Ingredients
- 10 cups kale chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoons olive oil
- 1 packed tablespoon fresh mint finely chopped
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- 2 grapefruits segmented
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Massage olive oil into kale. Spread kale onto a baking sheet and broil for 2-3 minutes.
- Let kale cool for a few minutes, then toss with chopped mint, and almonds.
- Make your dressing by whisking together lime juice, honey, salt, and pepper together. Toss salad with dressing and top salad with grapefruit segments.
Christina
Looks and sounds wonderful!