Citrus Kale Beet Winter Rainbow Salad is the perfect salad for fall and winter season. It has citrus, grapes, and pomegranate with kale, arugula, and pumpkin seeds, all tossed in an apple cider vinaigrette. This salad will get you through those winter blues, just like my Meal Prep Veggie Quinoa Chopped Salad.
Citrus Kale Beet Winter Rainbow Salad
During winter, there is nothing like warm soups, casseroles, and baked goods. In fact, I look forward to winter for those very things!
But, you know what else we need? Nourishing, raw, produce, yo!
I know it might seem crazy to eat cold things in winter, but I gotta say, there’s nothing like biting into a salad that has ALL the rainbow colors and ALL the flavors that result. Especially when you’re feeling deprived of fresh things.
You now what I’m talking bout! Enter the winter produce…
We have bitter kale, peppery arugula, sweet grapes, oranges, and pomegranate, savory pumpkin seeds, and spiralized raw beets, all tossed in my Bragg Raw Apple Cider vinaigrette. Boom! Bam!
I first tested this salad on three sets of visiting college pals a few years ago. Yeah, I like to turn my guests into ‘test’ subjects for new recipes.
This rainbow salad was one of them…and it was a smash hit!
“This is the best salad I have ever eaten!”…exclaimed my long-time, vegetarian pal during dinner. Now, I knew this salad could turn out well, but I was feeling super-boss after that comment.
How to meal prep the Rainbow Salad?
If you’re like me and you like to meal prep salads for the week (or before your guests arrive), prepare this salad a day ahead, but only as separate components (for optimal freshness). Here’s what I do:
- make the vinaigrette and chill it in an airtight container
- chop, rinse, and air-dry the greens for a few hours; store them together in a sealed, plastic bag in fridge with a paper towel in the bag to absorb more moisture
- spiralize the beets and chill in an airtight container
- split the grapes and chop the orange; chill in airtight containers
- Toast the pumpkin seeds (in a skillet, no oil, medium flame, constantly moving until toasted) cool and store in airtight container at room temperature
Just before serving, toss all ingredients together with dressing. That’s it!
It’s even more convenient if you purchase packaged, prepared, kale and arugula.
Looking for a few more nutrition-packed meal prep or party salads? Check out my very popular Asian Quinoa Slaw Salad with Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette or my Brussels Sprout Slaw. Both are excellent fall and winter salads!
Ingredients you’ll need to make Citrus Kale Beet Winter Rainbow Salad:
For the salad:
- curly kale
- extra virgin olive oil
- arugula
- beets (spiralized)
- naval orange
- red or black grapes (black available all year)
- pomegranate seeds
- pumpkin seeds
For the Bragg Apple Cider Vinaigrette:
- Bragg Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- Agave nectar (or other liquid sweetener)
- salt and pepper
- extra virgin olive oil
Tools I used for this recipe:
- OXO Spiralizer
- chef knife
- cutting board
- salad hands
- large and small mixing bowls
- stainless steel colander
- air-tight storage containers
* Note: This post has affiliate product links, which allows me to earn commissions when you make purchases through those links (no extra cost to you). THANK YOU for supporting The Kitchen Girl.
Traci Antonovich
Yields 6-8 cups
Nourishing kale salad with spiralized beets, arugula, juicy grapes, oranges, and pomegranate, tossed in Bragg apple cider vinaigrette.
20 minPrep Time
20 minTotal Time
Save Recipe5 based on 6 review(s)
Ingredients
- 4-6 cups Curly Kale (loosely chopped)
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 cups Arugula
- 1 or 2 spiralized Beets (I used golden and striped)
- 1 Navel Orange (peeled; chopped into bite-sized pieces)
- 1 cup Red Grapes (halved)
- 1/2 cup Pomegranate Seeds
- 1/4 cup Pumpkin Seeds (lightly toasted)
- 2 Tbsp Bragg Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 2 tsp Agave Nectar or Maple Syrup
- 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/8 tsp Black Pepper
- pinch Salt
- 1/3 cup Olive Oil
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine KALE and OLIVE OIL; massage until kale softens
Add ARUGULA, BEET, ORANGE, GRAPES, POMEGRANATE, and PUMPKIN SEEDS; cover and refrigerate.
In a small bowl, whisk together AC VINEGAR, DIJON, AGAVE NECTAR (or maple syrup), SALT, and PEPPER; slowly drizzle in OLIVE OIL, whisking rapidly to form an emulsion; cover and refrigerate until ready to dress salad.
Traci Antonovich
About my recipes: Minimal meat & more plants!
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