Finely shredded raw kale is massaged with fresh lemon juice, citrus olive oil, and specialty salt to create this glossy tender texture. Mixed with perfectly ripe mango, coconut, and toasted cashews it makes a lovely fruity salad that’s bursting with nutrients and flavor.
The first time I had this raw kale salad was when my friend Peg brought it to a party. Peg was in the middle of a healing journey that involved raw food, and was making all kinds of deliciousness. I was amazed at how simple the ingredients were, and that the application of salt, acid (in the form of lemon juice), and oil breaks down and “cooks” the kale.
Later I saw Aarti Sequeria do a similar kale salad on her TV show Aarti Paarti. As the kale does start to taste and smell like bananas, taking this salad in a fruity direction makes perfect sense. Citrus-infused olive oil, vanilla-infused salt, and organic coconut flakes make it all work, along with a few toasted cashews for crunch and texture.
Did you know that mangoes are likely to be organic even if they are not certified? Most are hand collected and not grown with pesticides, plus their thick skin is a natural protectant. One cup of mango also provides 100% of your Vitamin C!
Suitable for:
vegan, gluten-free, reduced-sugar diets
Not for:
low-sodium or migraine diets
All of our recipes are gluten-free, sugar-free, and made with plant-based ingredients to help you build a healthy life. Look for midweek posts on meditation, service, and life lessons, helping you create inner balance.

Kale-mango-coconut salad with toasted cashews
Ingredients
- 4 cups kale finely shredded (100 g)
- 1/2 lemons
- 1 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin) citrus-infused if possible
- 1/4 tsp sea salt vanilla salt if possible
- 1/4 cup cashews raw (30 g)
- 1 mango Ataulfo or Champagne (300 g)
- 4 tbsp coconut (flakes, unsweetened)
Instructions
- You can buy pre-washed shredded kale salad or make your own. If making your own, wash and thoroughly dry the kale leaves. Fold in half lengthwise and cut away the thick stem. Roll up and cut crosswise into thin shreds, then cut once in the other direction. Put kale into a large bowl.
- Add the lemon juice, olive oil, and salt, and massage the kale with your hands until it's glossy green and soft. Aarti says it "smells like bananas" in her lovely British accent, and it does! Chemistry!
- Toast the cashews in a dry skillet over medium heat, making sure not to burn them. Let cool. You can leave them whole or roughly chop so they distribute themselves through the salad a little bit more.
- Cut the mango by slicing it lengthwise on either side of the pit. Cut down to the skin evenly in both directions (called scoring) to make little mango squares. Flip the skin inside out and cut the pieces off straight into the bowl.
- Add the toasted cashews and coconut and stir. Taste and top with a tiny bit more salt if needed.
Notes
- 151 calories
- 10 g fat
- 3 g saturated fat
- 4 g monounsaturated fat
- 1 g polyunsaturated fat
- 0 g trans fat
- 0 g cholesterol
- 173 mg sodium (32 mg sodium with salt omitted)
- 396 mg potassium
- 15 g carbohydrate
- 2 g fiber
- 4 g sugars
- 4 g protein
- 4 Weight Watchers Points Plus
I subsituted a little red wine vinegar, due to not having the citrus infused evvo, or lemon juice. I think it brought out the sweetness of the mango, and each bite exploded in freshness with a bang. Thankyou for this new favorite salad that i will share at all future pot lucks and gatherings. A fantastic combination of flavors and goodness.
Jennifer, so glad you liked the salad and I love that creative substitution! Thanks for taking the time to let me know.
Love this! How simple, nutritious and perfectly easy! We have not heard of vanilla salt, but now we’re on the hunt. Thank you for amping up our Rainbow Kale Salad. We happy to see that cooks like you are using it as a starting point and adding their own tweaks! We’re going to feature this on our Facebook page and link here so people can see how you did it, and your lovely photography. If you wish, come LIKE us on Facebook for more recipes and tips on greens like kale, chard, beet, mustard, turnip, collard, spinach, escarole, dandelion and other super healthy green leafies. https://www.facebook.com/Cut.n.Clean.Greens
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Yes, the vanilla salt was a gift and I’m always trying to figure out where to use it. It really made this salad extra special. Thanks for the shoutout on your Facebook page. :)
Love this. As soon as I saw the word “massaged,” I was in. I have noticed such a huge difference in kale recipes when the kale gets massaged with oil or acid before being eaten. Also really like the combination of ingredients and the focus on celebrating the freshness of whole foods. Beautiful!
I still find this salad quite magical myself. Thanks for taking the time to comment!
I love reading about ways to use kale. I love this recipe. Isn’t Aarti fun to watch. Love her.
Thanks Bonnie. Yes, I love Aarti and was happy to see her win that season.
this is very similar to my favorite massage kale salad! this looks deeeeelicious! i <3 kale.
Hi Caitlin. Yes, it’s a variation on a theme. I think a good combo. This salad is pretty magical, in any version.