Kale Cherry Salad with Goat Cheese
This Kale Cherry Salad makes eating healthy easy! It’s packed with super foods like hardy kale, cherries and blueberries, and it’s tossed with creamy goat cheese, almonds and a tangy balsamic dressing. Ingredients can be prepped in advance so it’s great for meal prep and entertaining!
I have so many summer salad recipes that I look forward to making time and time again. While I make my horiatiki and corn and tomato salad on a regular basis, I tend to gravitate towards sweet and savory salads because I love incorporating my favorite summer fruits into them.
My strawberry spinach salad and fig salad recipes are tried and true favorites, but this Kale Cherry Salad is at the top of my list.
Kale is one of my favorite greens because it’s nice and hardy, and the bitterness balances out the sweetness of the cherries and blueberries perfectly.
The creamy goat cheese adds a wonderful tang, the almonds add a nice crunchy texture and flavor, and my sweet, tangy balsamic dressing brings everything together.
I’ve found myself craving this salad daily lately, and I plan to make it all summer long.
This is one crave worthy salad. 🙂
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- This kale cherry salad recipe is packed with super foods and sweet and savory flavors for the best summer salad ever.
- Ingredients can be prepped up to a few days in advance to make salad assembly even more quickly.
- It’s great for meal prep and elegant enough for entertaining.
- It’s gluten-free and can be made dairy-free by omitting the goat cheese.
Recipe ingredients
This cherry salad recipe includes just a few ingredients which can be customized to suit your tastes.
Ingredient notes
- Kale. I adore kale and use it in salads often. Curly kale and lacinato kale are my favorite varieties for salads, but many people find it tough and bitter. If this describes you, be sure to check out my massaged kale salad to find out how to massage kale for ultra tender leaves and a more mellow flavor. Baby kale may be used as a time saver or sub with your favorite greens.
- Cherries. Fresh cherries are juicy and sweet, and pair beautifully with the bitter kale and tangy goat cheese. If fresh cherries aren’t in season, sub with with your favorite fruit or dried cherries.
- Blueberries. The blueberries add a pop of color and flavor that pairs perfectly with the other ingredients.
- Goat cheese. The tangy flavor of the goat cheese brings out the sweetness of the cherries and blueberries and tames the bitterness of the kale. Sub with feta cheese or omit to make this recipe dairy-free.
- Almonds. Sub the almonds with pecans, walnuts or your favorite nuts or seeds.
- Dressing. My balsamic vinaigrette dressing is sweet, tangy and compliments the ingredients in this summer kale salad perfectly. It can be substituted with your favorite store bought dressing.
How to make this summer kale salad
This summer kale salad recipe is brimming with plump, juicy cherries, blueberries and hardy kale, and many of the ingredients can be prepped in advance to make salad assembly even faster.
Pro tip: Massage the kale, prep the cherries and dressing, and toast the almonds up to a few days in advance.
See the recipe card below for full instructions.
- Toast the almonds in a skillet over medium low heat for 3-5 minutes till golden and fragrant.
- Pit the cherries with a cherry pitter.
- Prep all of your ingredients.
- Assemble the salad.
FAQs
Pit the cherries using a cherry pitter and store in an air tight container for 3-5 days.
The summer kale salad may be tossed with dressing up to a few hours in advance. For best results, don’t add the almonds until just before serving as they will lose their crunchy texture.
Cherry salad will keep undressed in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, so it’s great for meal prep. Once dressed, it is best consumed within one day.
Serving suggestions
This summer kale salad can be served numerous ways for a special summer meal.
- Store in containers for meal prep lunches.
- Top with air fryer chicken breast or air fryer pork chops for an easy summer dinner.
- It makes a stunning side dish for dinner parties or Sunday dinner served alongside grilled pork tenderloin or grilled chicken thighs.
- It makes a wonderful side for grilled turkey burgers or grilled burgers.
Recipe notes
- Pro tip: Massage the kale, prep the cherries and dressing, and toast the almonds up to a few days in advance.
- If cherries aren’t in season, sub with dried cherries or your favorite seasonal fruit.
- Not a fan of kale? Sub it with your favorite greens.
- Meal prep: Place all ingredients in containers and store undressed for up to 3 days.
More salad recipes you’ll love:
- Butter lettuce salad
- Caesar salad recipe by Natasha’s Kitchen
- Kale apple salad
- Kale slaw
- Persimmon salad
- Spinach apple salad
- Strawberry fields salad
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
Kale Cherry Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds sub with your favorite nuts or seeds
- 1 bunch kale curly kale or lacinato, massaged; see notes
- 1 cup fresh cherries stemmed, pitted, and halved
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese sub with feta cheese or omit to make this recipe dairy-free
- Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
Equipment
Instructions
- Toast the almonds in a large skillet over medium heat until golden brown and fragrant, stirring often, or about 3-5 minutes.1/2 cup sliced almonds
- Place the kale, cherries, blueberries, goat cheese and almonds in a large bowl.1 bunch kale, 1 cup fresh cherries, 1 cup blueberries, 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
- Toss with enough dressing to coat. Serve and enjoy!Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
Notes
- Pro tip: Kale can be tough and hardy, so see my instructions for massaged kale salad for tips to prep and massage the kale for nice tender leaves and also to mellow the bitter flavor.
- If preparing the cherry salad in advance, do not add the almonds until just before serving as they will lose their crunchy texture once they’re tossed in the salad.
- Nutrition information does not include the dressing as that has been calculated in a separate post.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
**This recipe was originally published in July 2017. The photos have been updated to include step by step photos and the post has been modified to include more recipe information.
39 Comments on “Kale Cherry Salad with Goat Cheese”
Sounds like you had a wonderful vacation! I always miss being in the kitchen after I’ve been away, too. This salad is just gorgeous, Marcie! I will admit that I don’t cook with kale much, but I do love kale salads. And the fresh berries and goat cheese, especially with that dressing, sounds like the perfect combo. I’ve got to try this!
Thanks Gayle! 🙂
Welcome back from your trip! Sounds like you were perfectly refreshed! This salad sounds awesome… I too love kale and I want to eat cherries every day right now 🙂
Thanks Becky and I can’t get enough cherries right now! 🙂
I could eat this salad every single day! We great kale one year and it was the crop that just kept on growing! So delicious!
I plan to eat this every day! Thanks Laura! 🙂
You’ve packed all my favorite things into one beautiful salad! This sounds AMAZING and I must have it for dinner tonight :). Have a great week, Marcie!
Thanks so much Kelsie!
So glad you had a great 4th with the family! This salad is up my alley — sometimes I swear we share the same tastebuds, Marcie. I’m all about the cherries and blueberries and GOAT CHEESE, and of course the kale and balsamic dressing. I would live on this, too!
Thanks Liren, and all I know is that I want to devour everything you make! We need to cook together one day. 🙂
This looks wonderful! Love the combo of the earthy kale with those fresh summer fruits and the goat cheese 🙂 So good- pinning!
Thank you so much Medha and I appreciate the pin! 🙂
I’m just as obsessed with kale as you are! It makes amazing salads, mostly because it’s hold up so well with dressing. I only wish I had some growing in my garden. #jealous 😉
I was finally able to find some organic cherries here too! Definitely not local but oh well. I need to get some more and make this salad because it sounds like a phenomenal combo!
Kale grows crazy and I love it! I wish you lived close by so I could share…. I’m glad you found some cherries and I hope you get to try this salad! 🙂
This salad is oh so me! We’re getting Lacinato kale in our CSA box tomorrow. I’m with Sarah on the search for organic cherries. I found some local ones twice. Incredible flavor–like no other cherries!
Yay for kale and cherries! I hope you enjoy the salad Letty! 🙂
I tend to forget about kale in the warmer months, but I love how you summer-ized it with blueberries and cherries. Looks delicious. And I can’t wait to make it!
My kale grows crazy and I love it! Thanks Liz!
I’m so glad you had a fun vacation! I could use a getaway sometime soon, haha! This salad look amazing, Marcie!! I love all the berries and the goat cheese and the kale!!
Thanks Izzy! 🙂
This combo has my name all over it! I am so bummed that I decided not to grow kale this year. Thankfully my mom did, and we have been doing swaps. Hope you had a great break!
That’s nice you have your mom to swap with! Thanks Katie!
I felt the same way when I went back to work after the 4th – it was tough to get back into the swing of things! I love everything about this salad, and I share your undying love for kale! Definitely a summer winner right here!
It’s tough to get back to work, the gym, everything! The only thing that’s not hard is getting back in the kitchen to cook. 🙂 Thanks Julia and I hope you had a great 4th! 🙂
This kale salad with cherries look wonderful and I could never get tired of kale!
I’m glad you’re with me on that Balvinder! 🙂
Love salad recipes made with Kale and this one with blueberries, cherries and goat cheese looks so intriguing. Glad to know that you had a fun vacation. Have a lovely week ahead. 🙂
Glad you had a great vacation marcie!! We’ve been getting tons of kale in our CSA box and this salad looks like the perfect way to put it to use! Sounds delicious!!
What a craveworthy salad! Pinned.
I also love all things kale and the ability to pull it from my garden!! The blueberries and cherries would go so well with the goat cheese. Pinned!!
I’m glad to hear you love kale so much too Katherine and thanks for the pin! 🙂
Looks fabulous! (Will have to do a small portion, as I’m the only kale-lover in the family.) I just want to say thank you for including nutrition information. So weary of all the recipe blogs that enthusiastically proclaim their recipes “healthy” but fail to back that up with actual numbers. I really appreciate your effort to be open and accountable.
You’re very welcome Linda! Adding nutrition information has been eye opening for me…I had no idea how much fat and calories were in some of the foods I loved to eat. I often scale down portion sizes so that I can still enjoy the foods I love. 🙂 Thank you for your feedback and I hope you get the chance to make this salad as it’s one of my favorites!
This salad has so many wonderful ingredients! Perfect for Memorial Day!
Thank you Zainab and hope you have a wonderful holiday!
With all those summer berries (espcially cherries)tossed in, I can eat this kale salad almost everyday. Trying it out today for my dinner! Thanks for the recipe Marcie!
I hope you love it Neha — thank you!
This salad looks awesome! I definitely like to massage my kale. If I don’t it’s both the bitterness and texture that I’m not a big fan of. And why did I now know that a cherry pitter is a thing?! I’ve been spending lots of time manually pitting my cherries lately haha
Thanks Nicole! And they actually make cherry pitters that pit up to 6 cherries at a time…it’s crazy how easy it is!