Beet and Kale Salad with Nutty Hemp Crumble

Looking for a beautiful salad to add to your table as a side dish? This beet and kale salad is eye-catching, nutritious, and easy to make. Look no further! This salad comes together easily in a food processor and is topped with air-fried roasted beets.

How to make a salad that tastes good

Salads taste good when you have the right ingredients and a good dressing. While some dressings can be high in fat or added sugar, the dressing on this salad is 100% homemade with real whole food ingredients, so you won’t have to worry about shopping or finding a dressing. 

Step 1: Get your beets ready to rumble. Drain the canned beets and toss them in your air fryer for ~10-12 minutes until roasted or your preferred texture is reached. 

Step 2: While waiting for the beets to roast, you can start your salad. Add the Brussels sprouts to the food processor and chop them well. You will eat them as is, so make sure they are the size you like. You can also use a knife here if your knife skills are top-notch.

Step 3: Prepare the kale; take out the big, middle hard, stalky part and sprinkle ~1 tablespoon of olive oil over the kale. Then with clean hands massage the kale (yes, massage like you get at the spa) until the color has slightly darkened and it feels softer to the touch. This method reduces the bitter flavor of kale. Once that’s done roll the kale up until it’s in a tube shape. Then, thinly slice the kale creating ribbons, and add them to the chopped Brussels sprouts. 

Step 4: Make the dressing in a small bowl, pour over the kale and Brussels sprouts, and toss until well coated. Add the air-fried beets on top and serve as a side dish.  

Ingredients you need for the beet and kale salad

The ingredients for this beet and kale salad are winter ingredients and fairly easy to grow in a garden of your own if you want to dabble! If you don’t have a garden or local farmers market to find these ingredients during winter, they can be found in stores year-round.  

Brussels sprouts: Are a sometimes hated, sometimes loved vegetable. In this recipe, they will be loved by all because chopping them up helps them hide. They blend beautifully with the kale, so even Brussels sprout haters won’t notice. They add vitamin C, K, and fiber to this nutritious recipe. 

Kale: The health hearo since 2016 still hasn’t lost its draw. Kale is a dark, leafy green and provides beneficial nutrients like folate, vitamin K, and fiber. Two servings of leafy greens per day is the recommendation. 

Beets: This recipe uses canned pickled beets, which are easier to cook and shelf-stable. You can use fresh beets, but it will increase cooking time. The bright reddish-purple color of beets indicates they are high in antioxidants and great for keeping our cells healthy. 
Hemp hearts: Are small but mighty, and you won't even notice them, but they give you a crunchy texture element and another layer of nutrients from omega-3 fatty acids– the healthy fat.

Olive oil: The way to get kale to taste less bitter and taste edible. It’s a way to increase the heart-healthy fats in your diet. Olive oil plays a key role in this and most homemade dressings. Remember: a little goes a long way!  

Garlic: You can’t make a lemon and garlic dressing without garlic. Garlic is the base of many flavors and it is especially important in adding flavor to this dressing. 

Lemon: adds a little brightness to your dressing and has a flavor profile that works well with all the other ingredients.  

Yellow mustard: Adds a major flavor boost to the dressing. I like choosing an organic mustard with no yellow dyes. 

Equipment you need 

A few tools might come in handy when making this recipe. These aren't 100% necessary, but the job is done much faster. You can use a knife and stove to create the recipe if you have time and don’t feel like shopping. 

Food Processor: Is all about speeding up the process and making consistent chops. A food processor might be a very beneficial need if you struggle (like me) with knife skills.
Air Fryer: A must-have kitchen appliance, maybe my favorite kitchen appliance (don't tell my Vitamix). You can do so much with an air fryer, and it speeds up the total tim,e making it great for throwing together quick healthy recipes or quick healthy elements like the roasted beets for this salad. 

Variations or modifications to this recipe 

Leafy greens: Use any dark leafy green. This recipe was tested with kale, but another leafy green will work if you like the taste of another one more. They are all similar in nutritional value. 

Other seeds: Flax, chia, and hemp hearts are great plant-based sources of omega-3s. Flaxseeds will work, but chia will expand and become gel-like with the moisture of the dressing.

More Toppings: Having toppings on a bed of greens is one of the best ways to jazz up a salad. Add roasted tofu, edamame, chickpeas, or other plant-based protein to make it more meal instead of a side dish.

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