This Rainbow Salad is both beautiful and delicious. Loaded with all the best nutrients for whole body health, this salad is great for bringing to a potluck or simply serving with dinner with friends and family.
This is probably one of my favourite salad recipes. I used to make it pretty often years ago and remembered it while I was walking home the other day. It dawned on me that I absolutely need to make and share this recipe. It’s packed with incredible nutrition and is such a fun salad to make. I love how foods from the earth are so colourful, and this recipe displays them beautifully.
I know it’s Christmas season right now and this salad gives off summery vibes… but hey. I’m not always the best with staying on trend, and in any case, I promise if you bring this to your next holiday party (or any event/potluck through the year!) it’ll wow your friends and family. Strictly because this salad is a freaking rainbow.
Health Benefits of Rainbow Salad
- Red: The red for this rainbow salad is all thanks to the beautiful pigment found in beets. Beets are loaded with antioxidants and phytonutrients that are great for our liver and supporting detoxification.
- Orange: The orange in this salad comes from carrots. A classic! Carrots are a wonderful source of beta-carotene that help support vision.
- Yellow: The yellow in this salad comes from chickpeas and lemon for the dressing. Chickpeas provide a good dose of plant-based protein and prebiotic fibres that feed our gut bacteria, helping to support a healthy microbiome. Lemons are also great for digestion.
- Green: Kale and pumpkin seeds supply the bright green in this salad. Kale is a fantastic source of minerals such as calcium and magnesium, are is great for bone health. Pumpkin seeds are rich in zinc which helps support our immune system. Note: You can really use whichever leafy green you like for this salad (spinach, spring mix, arugula, leafy lettuce) but I like kale because it’s hearty and can store in the fridge for a little longer than other greens. This makes for a great meal prep salad or easy leftovers.
- Blue: Blueberries are of course the blue in this salad! A fantastic little berry that’s loaded with antioxidants that help support cellular health and preventing against oxidative or free radical damage.
- Indigo/violet: Purple cabbage is our inexpensive crucifer that acts as our violet veggie in this salad. A wonderful source of vitamin C, anti-cancer compounds (namely sulforaphane), and fibre for boosting gut health.
How to Make a Rainbow Salad
- Prep your kale by removing the leaves from the tough stems. Then, roughly (or thinly) chop the leaves and drizzle with a little olive oil. This is necessary for massaging your kale!
- Massage your kale by… massaging it. Haha. The purpose of this is to soften the tough fibres in the leaves, making them more palatable and less like tree bark. Transfer to large bowl of choice to begin adding toppings.
- Grate beets, carrots, and slice purple cabbage.
- Top kale in a lined-row with beets, carrots, chickpeas (canned), pumpkin seeds, blueberries, and sliced cabbage.
- Whisk dressing and drizzle on top. You can serve salad as is, or toss to combine.
Rainbow Salad
A beautifully colourful salad with a bit of everything: sweet, salty, juicy and crunchy.
Ingredients
For the salad
- 1 bunch kale, chopped
- 1 small beet, grated
- 1 medium carrot, grated
- 1/2 – 1 can (398ml) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 cup purple cabbage, shredded/sliced
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
For the dressing
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 lemon, squeezed
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
- 1/4 tsp dried basil
- 1/4 tsp dried parsley
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/8 tsp dried or minced garlic
- pinch salt & pepper
Instructions
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Prep your kale by removing the leaves from the tough stems. Then, roughly (or thinly) chop the leaves and drizzle with about 2 tsp of olive oil. This is necessary for massaging your kale!
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Massage your kale with hands to soften the tough fibres in the leaves. Transfer to large bowl of choice.
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Grate beets, carrot, and slice purple cabbage.
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Top kale in a lined-row with beets, carrots, chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, blueberries, and sliced cabbage.
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Whisk or blend together all dressing ingredients until thoroughly combined. Drizzle desired amount onto salad (you can store extras in a jar). Serve right away as-is, or toss salad to combine together.
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Store leftovers in refrigerator for about 2 days.
If you make this recipe, tag me @meghanlivingstone on Instagram so I can see your beautiful rainbow salads!
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