Homemade copycat version of the popular Eat Smart Sweet Kale Salad kit sold at grocery stores! It’s made with kale, crunchy vegetables, dried cranberries, pepitas, and yogurt based creamy poppy seed dressing.
Table of contents
My version of the sweet kale salad kit with kale, crunchy vegetables, toasted pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries and homemade poppyseed dressing.
After hearing rave reviews about this bagged kale salad from my family, friends, and neighbors, I found the Eat Smart kale salad kit at Costco.
After reading the nutrition label, I was short of being impressed.
While the hearty kale and vegetables were great, the dressing was full of sugar, unhealthy oils, and more. The same was true of the Taylor Farms packaged salad at my local grocery store!
I decided to see how simple it was to make a better for you version of this Costco salad.
Well, it took all about 10 minutes, from scratch, with clean ingredients, and it is truly a healthy salad! This homemade version of Costco sweet kale salad mix is budget friendly, so simple to make, and the perfect side dish.
Ingredients Needed
It’s so easy to DIY this sweet kale salad kit at home! Hearty greens and shredded vegetables are tossed together with a creamy homemade dressing for an out of this world combination. The whole family will love it!
Kale Salad
- Chopped kale: You will need 4 cups of curly kale, which is one bunch. Lacinato kale, also known as Tuscan kale or dinosaur kale, works too. Just chop your pieces small.
- Brussels sprouts: Your Brussels sprouts will need to be thinly sliced or shaved. You can do this by hand, easily in the food processor with your slicing blade, or using a mandoline (be careful not to cut yourself). You could use shredded green cabbage in a pinch.
- Broccoli slaw: You can find ready-to-use broccoli slaw near the other packaged greens in your supermarket. It’s great as you will also get some carrots and red cabbage for color. In a pinch, you can make it yourself by cutting your broccoli stalk into matchstick pieces.
- Dried cranberries: Unsweetened dried cranberries add the perfect touch of sweetness.
- Pumpkin seeds: Toasted and salted, you could also use pepitas which are the green hulled pumpkin seeds.
Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing
- Plain Greek yogurt: Plain full fat Greek yogurt will add the best flavor, although freel free to use dairy free if needed.
- Water: To thin the dressing, adjust as needed.
- Sweetener: Either liquid sweetener such as maple syrup or honey, or granulated sugar like cane sugar or coconut sugar.
- Apple cider vinegar: Adds just the right amount of tang.
- Dijon mustard: Acts as an emulsifier to help bind the vinegar and yogurt.
- Poppy seeds: It wouldn’t be poppyseed dressing otherwise.
- Onion powder, salt and ground black pepper: For seasoning and taste. In a pinch, dehydrated onion may work but will not be as powerful.
How to Make Sweet Kale Salad
Whisk the sweet poppy seed dressing together, chop the salad ingredients, toss it together in a large bowl, and wait for the rave reviews to pour in for this delicious copycat kale salad in a bag.
- Make the sweet kale salad dressing by combining in a small bowl, the yogurt, water, maple syrup, vinegar, mustard, poppy seeds, onion powder, salt and pepper.
- Whisk dressing well to combine.
- In a large salad bowl, add kale, shredded brussels sprouts and broccoli slaw. Pour half of the dressing over salad mixture, and gently stir to incorporate dressing.
- Sprinkle with dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds right before serving. Add more dressing, if needed.
This delicious salad with sweet poppyseed dressing is better than the original kale salad kits at the store!
Delicious Topping Add-Ins
This sweet kale salad recipe is so good as is, but if you want to add some variety, here are a few ideas!
- Sliced red onion: Adds just the right amount of sharp tang.
- Grated or soft cheese: Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, asiago cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, feta cheese, or goat cheese adds a nice savory flavor combination.
- Chicken: Leftover rotisserie chicken or grilled chicken.
- Fruit: Apples would be great!
- Baked bacon: Pairs so well with anything that has brussels sprouts!
- Avocado: Diced avocado would add some additional creaminess.
FAQs
To shred kale for this salad, all you have to do is wash, dry, remove stems and finely chop it with a sharp knife. Here is a detailed tutorial on how to shred kale.
This simple green salad pairs so well with a variety of dishes! Serve it at as a side salad during the holidays or even for a weeknight dinner with healthy chicken alfredo. Serve on game days with this cauliflower pizza crust recipe, your guests will love it!
An amazing benefit of kale salad is that it tastes great day of and the next day! Refrigerate assembled greens for up to 2 days, it’s a great option for a main meal at lunch.
How to Store Leftovers
Leftovers of the already dressed and topped salad can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Your seeds may soften, but they will still taste great.
To make ahead, toppings can be stored in separate containers in a cool dry place for a few days. The dressing can be refrigerated for up to 5 days and added to salad as needed.
More Kale Salad Recipes
Sweet Kale Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
Ingredients
For Kale Salad
- 4 cups curly kale (1 small bunch) ribs removed and finely chopped
- 2 cups brussels sprouts shredded
- 2 cups broccoli slaw
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds roasted and salted
For Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup, honey or sugar
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add yogurt, water, maple syrup, vinegar, mustard, poppy seeds, onion powder, salt and pepper. Stir well with a fork or whisk, and set aside.
- In a large salad bowl, add kale, brussels sprouts and broccoli slaw. Pour half of the dressing over salad, gently stir and add more as needed.
- Sprinkle with dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds right before serving.
Wow I’ve been eating this salad now for almost two years and I mean faithful at lunch everyday for that long! I’ve only recently thought about how unhealthy the salad dressing must be. I’m now gonna make the dressing, will probably still buy the salad in the bag for convenience. Will all the sugar in the dried cranberries should I avoid those?
Unsweetened dried cranberries are healthier.
Great salad. Kale is hard to fall in love with but your recipes make it easy to love kale. My kids love kale thanks to you.
Sounds like this salad is a win in your house Marlene. Woohoo!
This is my go to salad recipe. I buy a bag of plain chopped kale at Aldo and remove the tough stems. Then I make the dressing except I use a tablespoon of frozen orange juice concentrate to give a stronger orange flavor. The dressing can weigh down the kale sometimes but it’s still delicious.
Easy and delicious!
Sweet kale salad just like store-bought but so much better. Loved-loved the dressing!
I’ve been making this salad for year for special occasions. Returning to it now to discover that tge dressing has been changed. Where is the briliant original one, that contained orange juice ?
Here it is.
Poppyseed Dressing:
1/2 cup Greek yogurt plain (I used 2%)
1 tsp raw honey or maple syrup
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 lemon zest and juice of
1/2 small orange juice of
1 tbsp poppy seeds
1/2 tsp garlic or onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
Thank you so much! What a delight ( :
Wondering why did you change the previous, simply perfect (and in my opinion – much superior) one?
Hi Giselle.Here is the previous dressing recipe if you would like to make it:
1/2 cup Greek yogurt, plain (I used 2%)
1 tsp raw honey or maple syrup
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 lemon, zest and juice of
1/2 small orange, juice of
1 tbsp poppy seeds
1/2 tsp garlic or onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
I love this kale salad but I also had doubts about the dressing so I’am happy to have found your site. Just like Ruth I had no orange only lemon and this dressing was still fabulous. Thanks, it was just what I was looking for and especially a thanks for the ww points.
this salad is great, -the poppyseed salad dressing, i put it in a bowl with my leftover organic brown rice and organic corn, a little braggs ammino fluid and it is great it helps me at work no need to chop and prepare
What do you recommend to use in lieu of Greek yogurt? I love this salad but I can’t eat dairy.
Best would be plain dairy free yogurt. Can’t think of anything else.
I enjoyed the packaged salad in the past but knew the dressing was unhealthy. In looking for a healthy alternative, I came across this post and made the recipe for a potluck tomorrow at work. The dressing is amazing! I didn’t have an orange, so just used the lemon zest and juice along with the onion powder. I will be making this again.
Yay, Ruth! Yes, any citrus zest would work, just enough to add that zing. Hope everyone enjoys it and comes back for the recipe.:)