Strawberry Kale Salad

Name: Strawberry Kale Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 cup frozen shelled edamame (thawed); Drizzle of olive oil (or lemon juice); Dash of onion powder; Dash of garlic powder; Dash of paprika (or chipotle powder); Salt (to taste); 1/2 small red onion (thinly sliced); 10 ounces baby kale (or spinach); 1 quart strawberries (hulled and quartered (about 1 pound)); 1/2 cup cooked farro (buckwheat, oat groats, or quinoa (optional)); 3/4 cup raw walnuts (chopped (or 1/2 cup pumpkin or sesame seeds)); 1/4 cup capers (reduced-sodium, rinsed (optional)); 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar; 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (or poppy seeds); 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup; 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (or marjoram (optional)); 1 small clove garlic; Salt (to taste)

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Quick, easy, and unbelievably healthy! This flavorful Strawberry Kale Salad is packed with plant-based protein and made with ingredients that are shown to help reverse aging. The sesame balsamic dressing with a hint of maple is the perfect complement.

Strawberry salad with baby kale, capers, sesame seeds, red onion, edamame, buckwheat, and balsamic dressing.

Strawberries are the richest dietary source of fisetin, a senotherapeutic that extends lifespan and destroys senescent, pro-inflammatory zombie cells in human tissue. Plus, just a handful of berries a day can slow the brain's aging by two years!

Osteoarthritis patients who consumed approximately a pint and a half of strawberries daily for 12 weeks experienced a significant reduction in inflammatory markers, as well as improvements in pain and overall quality of life. Strawberries help lower the levels of an inflammatory mediator called tumor necrosis factor (TNF) circulating in the blood.

Randomized controlled trials show a similar amount of strawberries can also help lower high cholesterol and reduce CRP levels, a marker of systemic inflammation. Even just a single meal can help.

They are also great for gut health. Researchers added about an ounce of powdered strawberries to their daily diets for a month. Not only did they experience a boost of typical good gut bugs like Bifidobacteria, but also a significant increase in Christensenellaceae. This newly discovered bacterial family comprises only about 0.01% of the human gut microbiome but has been associated with longevity.

The antioxidant phytonutrients believed to contribute to some of the health benefits of strawberries, remain stable during freezing and freeze-drying but degrade when cooked.

However, opt for organic strawberries whenever possible as they are on the dirty dozen list due to high pesticide levels.

This Strawberry Salad recipe was inspired by my Avocado Mango Salad with strawberries and my High-Protein Healthy Salad for longevity.

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👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients
🍓 Substitutions
📖 How to Make Strawberry Kale Salad
✔️ Expert Tips
🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs
🍽️ Related Recipes
🥙 Pairing
👩🏽‍🍳 Made This Recipe?
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients

Strawberries, edamame, walnuts, quinoa, capers, baby kale, lemon, and red onion on a gray board.

Edamame – High in fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium, protein, and zinc. Buy them frozen and transfer them to a bowl with some boiling water for about five minutes.
Strawberries – Buy organic when possible.
Capers (optional) – A concentrated source of the flavonol, quercetin, which is a natural senolytic compound. A senolytic compound is a substance that selectively targets and eliminates senescent cells, which are aged or damaged cells that can contribute to aging and age-related diseases.
Quinoa, buckwheat, or farro (optional)
Walnuts – Evidence-based research suggests that NOT incorporating walnuts into our diet could potentially double the risk of dying from heart disease compared to consuming them at least once a week. This heightened risk may be attributed to the beneficial impact of nuts on endothelial function, which helps our arteries relax properly.
Kale – A low oxalate green packed with nutrients.
Red onion – Remove the thin papery layer only as the outermost layers of the onion are the most nutritious.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Ingredient for the Balsamic Dressing

Balsamic vinegar, sesame seeds, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, seasoning, and extra-virgin olive oil.

🍓 Substitutions

Dressing - This oil-free Tahini Balsamic Dressing pairs well with this Strawberry Salad.
Capers - omit entirely as desired
Walnuts - use pecans instead, or sunflower or pumpkin seeds for nut-free
Edamame - omit entirely as desired
Grain - use quinoa, buckwheat, farro, or omit entirely
Kale - substitute with the same amount of spinach
Sesame seeds - use poppy seeds instead

For more healthy salads, visit my Vegan Salad Recipes page.

📖 How to Make Strawberry Kale Salad

For the full recipe with quantities, scroll down to the bottom of the post. This is an overview.

Crispy roasted edamame on a white baking sheet.

Step 1. Transfer the edamame to a large nonstick baking sheet. Toss them with a drizzle of olive oil, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and salt to taste. Roast for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Step 2. Meanwhile, transfer the sliced red onion to a medium bowl. Add cold water to cover. Set aside for about 10 minutes before draining.

Hulled and quartered strawberries on a cutting board with a metal straw and knife.

Step 3. Hull and quarter the strawberries.

Sesame seeds in balsamic dressing in a salad dressing shaker.

Step 4. In a small bowl, or a salad dressing shaker, mix the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sesame seeds, maple syrup, Dijon, and marjoram. Press the garlic into the dressing and mix to combine. Adjust salt and oil to taste.

For serving: Transfer the kale to a large bowl. Add the strawberries, walnuts, capers, edamame, red onion, and farro (if using). Toss with the dressing for serving. Add optional lemon juice to taste.

✔️ Expert Tips

Use a metal straw to hull the strawberries.
Use salt-free seasoning for low sodium.
Soak the red onion in cold water beforehand to reduce their sharpness. Plus, slicing them with the grain reduces their bite. Or use my Healthy Pickled Red Onions.
Storage: Once dressed, this salad is best eaten immediately. Otherwise, prep the ingredients ahead and add the dressing for serving.

🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs

What is the purpose of toasting nuts?

Heating nuts and seeds for a small amount of time releases their aromatic volatile oils and 'caramelizes' their surface for more flavor. However, raw nuts are preferable because heating nuts produces advanced glycation end products (AGEs), also called glycotoxins, which are known to contribute to increased oxidative stress and inflammation.

Are sesame seeds good for us?

Sesame seeds contain lignans, anti-cancer compounds, which may reduce the incidence of breast cancer. They are also an excellent source of phytosterols, which play a role in lowering cholesterol. The sesamin in sesame seeds was also shown to help lower blood pressure.
Plus, a two-month study, which added one-quarter cup of sesame seeds daily to the standard treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee showed a significant decrease in pain levels in participants.