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30 30 Minutes or Less GF Gluten-Free VG Vegetarian

Sweet Kale Salad with Dried Cranberries and Poppy Seed Dressing

4.35
/5
20 mins
12 Comments
Jump to Recipe Video
By: Rachel GurkPosted: 12/10/2018Updated: 06/14/2021

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This sweet kale salad is a copycat of the popular bagged salad you find in grocery stores -- but as always, homemade is way better!

This sweet kale salad is a copycat of the popular bagged salad you find in grocery stores — but as always, homemade is way better!

Image of sweet kale salad topped with dried cranberries in a white bowl with black serving utensils.

Anyone else going through serious romaine and salad withdraws? I’ve started to see it slowly come back onto grocery store shelves, but I’m still a little nervous. I had no idea I could miss salad so much! 

One of the salads I often pick up from the store is the Sweet Kale Salad. You can find it at almost any grocery store, plus Costco. It’s really tasty and so great in a pinch! As an added bonus for our family, it’s nut-free. It’s crunchy and it’s great topped with chicken or as a side salad with almost any meal.

Sometimes if we’re having family over for a football game or something, I’ll just grab a bag of this salad to go along with carryout pizza. Everyone loves it and this girl is not above a bag of salad. 

This sweet kale salad is a copycat of the popular bagged salad you find in grocery stores -- but as always, homemade is way better!

However, I did want to create a copycat version and I’ll admit, it’s even better than the store-bought kind. It’s fresher and you know exactly what is going into it, which is always a bonus. Plus, even though this salad is romaine-free, it’s still not always east to find on the shelves. Being almost the only salad in the grocery store causes it to disappear pretty quickly! 

About this sweet kale salad:

The base of this sweet kale salad is kale (obviously), broccoli slaw, and thinly sliced or shaved Brussels sprouts. It’s crunchy and holds up really well to salad dressing (it arguably gets better as the dressing sits on it). That means it is great for meal prep and stays crunchy and fresh in the fridge for at least 2-3 days, even with dressing on it. 

This sweet kale salad is a copycat of the popular bagged salad you find in grocery stores -- but as always, homemade is way better!

I use a bag of broccoli slaw and I love the little flecks of orange and purple in there from the carrots and red cabbage. You could also thinly slice broccoli stems into matchstick size pieces, but I’m all about making things a little easier. 

I also thinly slice Brussels sprouts. You could shred them very quickly in a food processor which I do for this Brussels sprouts salad, but most times when I make this salad, I don’t feel like hauling out my food processor. You could also use a mandoline to slice the Brussels sprouts, but pleassssse be careful not to cut yourself if you choose this method. 

This sweet kale salad is a copycat of the popular bagged salad you find in grocery stores -- but as always, homemade is way better!

Next up, the kale. I use curly kale, which is what you most commonly find in grocery stores. Lacinato kale would also be great for this salad. You’ll want to finely chop the kale so you don’t have any large, tough pieces. 

The dressing that comes with the sweet kale salad that you buy it in the store is a creamy, sweet poppyseed dressing. Sometimes I make my own using this homemade poppy seed dressing recipe that uses yogurt for a healthier option. You can also use a store-bought brand with less sugar and strange ingredients – I like Tessemae’s Honey Poppyseed Dressing (not sponsored!). 

This sweet kale salad is a copycat of the popular bagged salad you find in grocery stores -- but as always, homemade is way better!

Additional Delicious Toppings

This salad is great as is, but here are some additions I like:

  • Sliced Apples (my favorite addition for this salad)
  • Grated or Chunked Cheese – I like Parmesan, Pecorino, Asiago, or Feta on this salad
  • Grilled Chicken – a quick and easy way to turn this salad into a meal
  • Shredded Rotisserie Chicken – same as above
  • Garbanzo Beans (aka Chickpeas) are a great vegetarian way to add protein to this salad. Try these Cinnamon Roasted Chickpeas for a crunchy alternative. 
  • Diced Avocado – Avocado is always a good idea

Looking for more homemade kale salads? Try:

 

  • Kale and Pear Salad with creamy yogurt dressing
  • Kale Salad with avocado and cumin lime dressing
  • Kale Quinoa Salad with walnuts, cranberries, and feta
  • Kale Sweet Potato Salad
  • Kale Salad with Farro and honey Dijon dressing

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

This sweet kale salad is a copycat of the popular bagged salad you find in grocery stores -- but as always, homemade is way better!
Recipe

Get the Recipe: Sweet Kale Salad with Dried Cranberries and Poppy Seed Dressing

4.35 from 40 votes
Prep Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 20 mins
6 servings
Print Rate Recipe
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This sweet kale salad is a copycat of the popular bagged salad you find in grocery stores -- but as always, homemade is way better!

Ingredients

  • 4 cups firmly packed shredded kale, finely chopped
  • 2 cups broccoli slaw
  • 2 cups shredded Brussels sprouts
  • [1/2 cup poppy seed dressing]
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, mix together kale, broccoli slaw, shredded Brussels sprouts, and poppy seed dressing. Toss together until all ingredients are coated with dressing.
  • Sprinkle with dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds immediately prior to serving.

Notes

  • Want to jazz this up a little? Try adding chopped apples, cheese (I suggest Feta, Pecorino, Parmesan, or Asiago), grilled or shredded chicken, or chickpeas.
  • I like to add the cranberries and pumpkin seeds immediately prior to serving, but they also hold up quite well to the dressing in the fridge if you opt to prep this ahead.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 173kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 231mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 16g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Author: Rachel Gurk
Did You Make This?Be sure to upload a photo & tag me at @RachelCooksBlog. I love seeing what you made!
Share A Photo! Tag on Insta Rate It
Verdict: Cannot stop making and eating this sweet kale salad.
Husband’s take: Ben likes this more than I expected him too, and he said he likes it better than the store-bought kind.
Changes I would make: None are necessary, but have fun with the topping suggestions above! 
Difficulty: Very easy! 
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  1. Patsey Michetti says

    February 10, 2021 at 3:51 pm

    The poppyseed dressing did not taste like The bag salad dressing too much vinegar I cut the vinegar in half to 1 tablespoon and it needed more honey I put in 2 tablespoons now it’s perfect

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      February 11, 2021 at 8:15 pm

      Sorry to hear it was too tangy for you… I’m sure it has less sugar than the store-bought, but I’m glad you were able to make it work for your personal tastes.

      Reply
  2. Chelsie Joy says

    July 31, 2019 at 8:41 pm

    I love the packaged salad but am excited to make it now. I love throwing a can of tuna in when I am in a hurry and want to make it into a meal but I think I will add shredded chicken next time! 

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      August 1, 2019 at 10:25 am

      I hope you love it! Great ideas to add protein to this! Thanks for the comment. :)

      Reply
  3. Lindsey says

    July 9, 2019 at 8:25 pm

    Any idea what nutrition value is with out the dressing??

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      July 11, 2019 at 10:07 am

      Hi Lindsey,
      I don’t have that information calculated, but I like to use My Fitness Pal to calculate nutrition; you could plug it in there to find out.
      I hope you like it!

      Reply
  4. denise says

    January 21, 2019 at 4:31 pm

    wish I had the ingredients on hand to make this tonight

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      January 22, 2019 at 11:51 am

      I wish you did too!

      Reply
  5. Jennifer Montgomery says

    January 7, 2019 at 9:59 am

    Cranberries and Broccoli slaw made a great combination , finger licking gooooooood.

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      January 8, 2019 at 12:16 pm

      Thank you so much! Glad you like this recipe!

      Reply
  6. Punam Cooks says

    January 1, 2019 at 7:11 am

    A very delicious, Beautiful and nutritious Salad recipe.

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      January 2, 2019 at 9:24 am

      Thank you! Happy Cooking!

      Reply

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