Hello — how about diving into a salad bowl?
Surprising plot twist: four days into the year and I’m still eating kale salad. Not just the obligatory January salad — I actually want it. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably seen the huge kale salads we eat at least once (sometimes twice) a week lately. One of my favorites that converted my husband is a Greek yogurt Caesar kale salad — I could make it blindfolded at this point.
There are two salads that changed the way I feel about salads. The first is a BBQ salmon salad I love to toss with butter lettuce, feta, crispy chickpeas and roasted red peppers. Properly cooked salmon flakes into the greens and adds a savory, satisfying punch.
The second is a classic taco salad — not the Doritos-coated kind, but a homey version with crushed tortilla chips, plenty of grated cheese, salsa and chicken. This is my updated 2016 take on that idea: a modern, slightly fancier taco kale salad that’s loaded with flavor and texture.
Let’s talk about the dressing first. It’s a creamy blend of Greek yogurt, chipotle, lime and avocado. If you aren’t an avocado fan, swap in sour cream or mayonnaise to balance the yogurt’s tang. The dressing has a smoky heat and it’s what you’ll use to coat the kale — the place where all the flavor lives until it reaches your mouth.
Next: homemade tortilla strips. I slice yellow corn tortillas into thin strips, toss them with olive oil, chili powder and salt, then bake until crisp. If you don’t make them from scratch, a good quality store-bought corn tortilla works, too — but baking them takes them to another level. They’re irresistible and add the perfect crunch.
The rest of the salad is straightforward: grape tomatoes, diced red onion or scallions, sliced jalapeño or serrano, black beans, cheddar cheese, avocado and chopped cilantro. I left out meat because this bowl feels complete on its own, but feel free to add chicken, steak or tofu if you want extra protein — Eddie usually makes chicken on the side.
One of the things I love about kale salads is their resilience. Kale holds up in the fridge and doesn’t turn into a sad, wilted mess the next day. That means leftovers for lunch (or breakfast, if you’re like me) stay fresh and enjoyable.
So, are you declaring today the official start of the new year too? It’s always a strange mix of being a little bummed the holidays are over and relieved to have the house back under control. You want to drink champagne but also feel virtuous and green — this salad is the perfect compromise.
Crunchy Taco Kale Salad
2 to 4
15 mins
45 mins
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Ingredients
Crunchy chili tortilla strips
- 4 (4-inch) corn tortillas
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Chipotle lime avocado dressing
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1 avocado
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Salad
- 1 head curly green kale, leaves torn from stems
- 1 head red kale, leaves torn from stems
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
- 1/2 cup black beans
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 1/2 cup freshly grated white cheddar
- 1 jalapeño or serrano, sliced
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400°F. Slice tortillas into 1/4 to 1/2 inch strips. Toss with olive oil, chili powder and salt, then spread on a baking sheet. Bake 15–20 minutes, until crispy and golden.
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While the tortillas bake, make the dressing. Combine the Greek yogurt, adobo sauce, lime juice, avocado, cumin, smoked paprika and a pinch of salt and pepper in a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth and adjust seasoning to taste.
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Place all the torn kale in a large bowl. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and massage the leaves with your hands until they soften, about 5 minutes. Add about 1/3 cup of dressing, drizzle over the kale, and massage again to coat. Layer the black beans, tomatoes, diced onion, grated cheddar, sliced peppers, avocado and cilantro on top. Finish with the crispy tortilla strips and more dressing if desired. Add cooked chicken, steak or tofu if you like.
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This is the kale life.