This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure.
Mango, kale and quinoa tossed in a simple cilantro lime vinaigrette make this kale mango salad light, refreshing and most important - tasty.
You can never go wrong with a salad for lunch - from kale caesar salad to buffalo chicken quinoa salad to a kale crunch salad. But this kale salad loaded with mangoes might be my favorite.
I know eating healthy comes natural to some people, but I'm one that has to work at it. Unfortunately a lot of my favorites foods aren't the best for me - pizza, macaroni and cheese, burgers...
While I'm never going to cut out what I truly love, I try my best to offset those indulgent dinners with healthy and easy meals.
I realize I'm probably not giving this salad enough due as it is actually quite tasty and I could have for lunch every day. Kale is the new "in" healthy food and I've definitely caught the bug as well.
Personally, I like salads with some flavor and texture, which usually means romaine lettuce is not in the cards for me. If you love southwestern flavors, this really is the perfect salad for you. It's really the cilantro lime vinaigrette however that takes this kale mango salad over the top!
What I love about this salad is you can make everything ahead of time and put each individual ingredient in a separate container in the fridge. Then before leaving for work, just toss together everything together and you're good to go.
Unlike something like spinach, kale can sit in the dressing for a while without wilting so you don't need to worry about putting dressing on ahead of time. So go make this kale mango salad recipe.
Jump to:
Ingredient Notes
- Cilantro lime vinaigrette - the brightness of the vinaigrette works well with the other veggies and fruit.
- Kale - I use curly kale for this salad and chop it up finely.
- Veggies - peppers and corn give this salad a very Mexican feel.
- Fruit - fresh mango adds a ton of flavor and the avocado is great for additional fat.
- Quinoa - helps make the salad more filling.
- Black beans - since this is a vegetarian salad, I like black beans for the added protein.
- Tortilla chips - gives the salad some necessary crunch.
Ingredient Swaps
As with any recipe, you can swap out ingredients. Some variations include:
- While I like the homemade cilantro lime vinaigrette, you can buy a dressing at the store.
- I mentioned above that I use curly kale, but Tuscan kale works too.
- I like quinoa for this kale mango salad, but farro or barley work well too.
- Feta cheese is a go-to of mine for salads, but cojita cheese is a good substitute.
Step-by-Step Photos
Make the cilantro lime vinaigrette by placing all of the ingredients in a blender and blending until smooth. Cut the corn off the cob and cook over medium-high heat in a skillet for about 5 minutes, or until slightly charred.
Then chop up your veggies and fruit. Message the kale with some olive oil and add the quinoa, vegetables, fruit and black beans. Add the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Top with some chips, cheese and avocado.
FAQs
No although it does help. Messaging kale is best if you’re eating it immediately. By massaging it, you make it softer, less course and less bitter. It's best to massage with a drizzle of olive oil.
But kale can also hold dressing for much longer unlike romaine or spinach. By dressing the salad and letting it sit for a few hours, you will soften the kale and remove the bitterness.
Yes. You get the nutrients of the kale, vegetables and fruit and the vinaigrette is lighter and has less sugar than most salad dressings.
While you can prepare ahead of time, you don't want it to sit in the vinaigrette for longer than a couple hours at most.
You can keep the chopped up kale, veggies and fruit in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Then just mix in the vinaigrette when ready.
Benefits of Kale
Kale has become super popular and there is good reason for it. Some of the health benefits of kale include
- Among most nutrient-dense foods on planet.
- Great source of Vitamin C and Vitamin K.
- Can lower cholesterol.
- Loaded with antioxidants to help battle disease and illness.
- Good source of minerals most people don't eat enough of.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Take the time to make the cilantro lime vinaigrette. The taste is worth it.
- Use fresh kale and chop yourself so you can easily remove the stems. Don’t buy the pre-packaged chopped kale unless that’s your only option.
- It is mentioned before, but massage the kale with some olive oil to make it less course and bitter.
- Be consistent with the size you dice the mango.
- If using for leftovers or a make-ahead lunch, keep the kale separate from all the other ingredients and toss to combine in the morning or right before serving.
Other Salad Recipes
If you’ve tried this kale mango salad recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Kale Mango Salad
Ingredients
Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
- 1 cup fresh cilantro
- ⅔ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 limes, juiced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 2-4 tbsp water to thin if needed
Mango, Kale and Quinoa Salad
- 3 bunches kale, stems removed and roughly torn
- 1 ½ cups cooked quinoa (½ cup uncooked)
- 2 bell peppers, thinly sliced (red or green)
- 4 ears corn, husked and kernels chopped off (or 10 oz bag frozen corn)
- 3 mangos, diced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded & chopped
- 1 (15 oz can) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 avocados, sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- tortilla chips
- feta cheese
- sunflower seeds, roasted
Instructions
Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
- Place all ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth and emulsified. Add water if you need to thin out. Put in airtight container and keep in fridge.
Mango, Kale and Quinoa Salad
- Cook quinoa in pot of boiling water according to instructions. While quinoa is cooking, chop and slice the bell peppers, jalapeño and mangos.
- Cut the corn off the cob and cook over medium-high heat in skillet for about 5 minutes or until corn starts to char.
- Once quinoa is cooked, place in fridge to cool. When ready to eat, add kale to large bowl and 2 tbsp olive oil and message with your hands for 1-2 minutes or until kale begins to soften. Add the quinoa, bell peppers, jalapeño, mangos, black beans and corn to salad. Add just enough of the vinaigrette to coat everything. Top with some sliced avocado, feta cheese, tortilla strips and sunflower seeds.
Notes
- Take the time to make the cilantro lime vinaigrette. The taste is worth it.
- Use fresh kale and chop yourself so you can easily remove the stems. Don’t buy the pre-packaged chopped kale unless that’s your only option.
- It is mentioned before, but massage the kale with some olive oil to make it less course and bitter.
- Be consistent with the size you dice the mango.
- If using for leftovers or a make-ahead lunch, keep the kale separate from all the other ingredients and toss to combine in the morning or right before serving.
Chris says
Man that looks really good!
Connor Silver says
Dang, this looks great!
Mayuri Patel says
A perfect balanced, colorful and filling salad meal. What I love is the strips of tortilla chips, different what we normally get.