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Feta Fiesta Kale Salad with Avocado and Crispy Tortilla Strips

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5 from 22 reviews

A hearty taco kale salad featuring feta, pepitas, crispy tortilla strips, avocado and cranberries, tossed in a jalapeño-lime dressing. This recipe yields four medium-sized salads.

Hearty kale taco salad with feta, black beans, pepitas, avocado and tortilla strips, tossed in a spicy lime dressing - cookieandkate.com
Scale

Ingredients

Salad
Jalapeño-lime dressing

Instructions

  1. To make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients until emulsified.
  2. To prepare the kale: Use a chef’s knife to slice out the thick ribs, then discard the ribs and chop the leaves into small, bite-sized pieces. Transfer the kale to a big salad bowl. Sprinkle a small pinch of sea salt over the kale and massage the leaves with your hands by lightly scrunching big handfuls at a time, until the leaves are darker in color and fragrant.
  3. Drizzle salad dressing over the kale (you might not need all of the dressing) and toss well so the kale is lightly coated with dressing. Add the drained black beans, feta, avocado and chopped cilantro to the bowl.
  4. Toast the pepitas in a skillet over medium-low heat for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until they smell fragrant and start making little popping noises. Transfer the pepitas to the salad bowl. Toss the salad to combine.
  5. To make the crispy tortilla strips: Stack the corn tortillas and slice them into thin little strips, about 2 inches long. Heat a large pan over medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, toss in the tortilla slices, sprinkle them with salt and stir. Cook until the strips are crispy and turning golden, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove tortilla strips from skillet and drain on a plate covered with a piece of paper towel. Top the salad with crispy tortilla strips and serve.

Notes

In a hurry? Skip the tortilla strips or top your salad with a handful of crushed tortilla chips instead. You can also simplify the dressing if necessary—just whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, honey and salt.
Storage suggestions: This salad keeps well for a couple of days, covered and refrigerated. Top individual portions with crispy tortilla strips just before serving. The strips tend to get soggy if they’re in contact with the dressing for long.
Make it gluten free: This salad is gluten-free as long as your tortillas and chips are gluten free.

▸ Nutrition Information

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.