Kale Taco Salad with Chipotle Avocado Dressing Recipe
A vibrant and nutritious Kale Taco Salad featuring a creamy chipotle avocado dressing. This recipe combines tender massaged kale with fresh veggies, black beans, shredded cheddar, and crunchy tortilla strips for a flavorful, healthy meal with a smoky, spicy twist.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Mexican-inspired
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 avocado, pitted and peeled
- 2 Tbsp. lime juice
- 1 Tbsp. sauce from a can of chipotles in adobo
- ½ tsp. chili powder
- Salt, to taste
Salad
- 8 oz. chopped kale
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 (15 oz.) can low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 bell peppers, sliced
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
- 2 green onions, chopped
- ½ cup tortilla strips
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing: In a blender or food processor, combine Greek yogurt, avocado, lime juice, chipotle adobo sauce, chili powder, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Puree until the mixture is smooth and creamy, ensuring all ingredients are fully blended.
- Massage the kale: Place the chopped kale in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and massage the oil into the kale leaves using your hands for about 2-3 minutes until the kale softens and darkens. Let it rest for 5 minutes to further tenderize the leaves.
- Add dressing to kale: Pour the chipotle avocado dressing over the massaged kale. Massage the kale again gently with the dressing to coat all leaves evenly. Add a pinch of salt to taste and stir to combine thoroughly.
- Assemble the salad: Divide the dressed kale evenly among 4 dinner plates. Top each portion with shredded cheddar cheese, rinsed black beans, sliced bell peppers, halved grape tomatoes, chopped green onions, and crunchy tortilla strips to finish the salad.
Notes
- Massaging kale is key to soften the leaves and reduce bitterness, making the salad more enjoyable.
- Adjust the amount of chipotle adobo sauce to control the spiciness of the dressing.
- Use low-sodium black beans to keep sodium levels moderate.
- Serve immediately after assembling for the best texture, especially to keep tortilla strips crunchy.
- This salad can be prepared ahead by massaging kale and making the dressing separately; combine just before serving.
Keywords: Kale salad, taco salad, chipotle avocado dressing, healthy salad, vegetarian, black beans, shredded cheddar, tortilla strips
