I'm so excited to be introducing you to a totally over-the-top and fun kale salad. Believe it or not, this is one I make with astonishing frequency! It's loaded with tropical fruit and crunchy macadamia nuts, and is just about the happiest salad around.
This salad originated many years ago. We stay on the most magical organic farm on Kaua'i, Hawaii, every winter and this salad is a go-to meal for us there. The farm we visit grows the most phenomenal kale, which you all know is my greatest love! Plus they have gorgeous tropical fruit, and we always manage to pick up some additional fruit at the farmers markets or at road-side stands.
This salad is infinitely customizable; every time I make it, it ends up a bit different. You can use whatever tropical fruit you love most. Keep it simple with one or two kinds, or go all-out with everything you can find. The photos here show a version with papaya, mango, guava, star fruit, passionfruit, AND kumquats (all grown within about two miles of where we stay on Kaua'i). Epic!
The key to making this salad work is to massage the kale in an acidic, zesty dressing in order to cut the sweetness of the fruit. Lime juice + cumin + sea salt is the winning combination; the brightness of the lime wakes up all the other flavors, while the cumin provides a savory backdrop. Massaging the kale is critical for breaking down its tough texture and helping it absorb all that wonderful flavor.
The other secret?? Macadamia nuts! They add the most wonderful buttery crunch, great protein, and healthy fats to make this salad feel meal-worthy. Plus, given that they're grown in the tropics, they're the perfect pairing for all this beautiful fruit!
If you'd like to take this salad in a more savory direction, go for it! I've occasionally added a pinch of cayenne to the dressing, which is unexpected and fresh. Or add some savory toppings, as I've suggested below!
You can easily turn this salad into a meal, and we frequently do. I like to serve it on a bed of quinoa and add a big dollop of black bean hummus or my No-Cook Rainbow Black Bean Salad on top, since both go so well with lime juice. I also sometimes make it with purple sweet potatoes (or ideally taro, but that's hard to find!), avocado, grilled tofu, plantain chips, and/or roasted plantains. Anything inspired by the tropics is a great fit!
The other time this salad really excels?? Brunch! With all that beautiful fruit, it's a perfect side dish to any summery brunch menu. I love having a salad at brunch since it really helps to lighten things up and provide some freshness to balance the more classic, decadent brunch fare. If you want to stay on-theme, this salad would be a blast alongside this super-crunchy Coconut MacNut Granola and my favorite Nourishing Macadamia Orange Banana Bread. Maybe these Mexican Coffee Waffles too. Oh and obviously this Pineapple Express cocktail, which unites pineapple juice, coffee rum, and spiced rum. Now that sounds like a serious tropical brunch party!
Here's what you'll need for this recipe, as well as some thoughts, tips, and possible substitutions. If you make any substitutions, I'd love to hear about it in the comments section below.
If you've never tried fruit on a salad, I hope you'll give this one a try. Fruit adds such wonderful freshness and juiciness to a salad, and is just so darn colorful and fun. You can leave this salad on the sweeter side for a brunch, or add your favorite savory toppings for dinner.
Regardless of how you enjoy this one, I'm sure it will bring you some joy! This is such a go-to for us while we're on Kaua'i. I love that it's different each time I make it based on what fruits we harvested that day. It's a very nostalgic recipe for us and instantaneously makes me think of our magical island paradise. I hope you'll love this as much as we do!
It makes me so happy to hear from you and see your creations! Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think about this recipe. If you post a photo on Instagram, hashtag #TheRogueBrusselSprout and tag me (@TheRogueBrusselSprout) in the post text so that I'm sure to see it.
Kale salad goes on a tropical vacation! This colorful, whimsical salad is perfect for anything from a brunch party to a light summer meal and is infinitely customizable with your favorite tropical fruits. Doesn't this salad just make you happy??
Did you make this recipe? Did you make substitutions? How did you serve it? Any helpful tips? Please share your thoughts, since these insights are really useful to both me and to other readers.
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