• Home
    • Meet Me & Mr B
  • Recipes & Food
    • Appetizers, Snacks & Small Bites
    • Beverages
    • Bread Recipes
    • Condiments Recipes
    • Desserts & Sweets
    • German Recipes
    • Main Dish Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Side Dish Recipes
    • Soup & Chowder
    • Sourdough Recipes
    • Recipes by Eating Style
      • Dairy-free Recipes
      • Gluten-free Recipes
      • Vegan Recipes
      • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Recipe Round-ups
  • Cozy Living
    • Arts, Crafts & DIY
    • Music Notes
  • Cozy Travel
    • Pacific NW
      • Pacific NW Hikes
      • Portland Area
      • Oregon Coast
      • Orcas Island WA
      • Southern Oregon
    • Hikes Near & Far
    • Mountain States
    • Southwestern US
    • Hawaii
    • Tennessee for Music Lovers
    • International Travel
    • One Day in…
  • Subscribe
    • Privacy Policy
      • Cookie Statement
      • Disclosure
    • Work with Us!
      • Media Kit
    • Contact Us!

The Good Hearted Woman

Home Cooking & Cozy Living

  • SOURDOUGH RECIPES & RESOURCES

Kale & Carrot Salad {New Seasons Copycat}

June 15 By Renée 8 Comments

Jump to Recipe
Kale & Carrot Salad {New Seasons Copycat}

Kale, carrots, sunflower seeds, and fresh ginger combine to create this bright, delicious, satisfying copycat of New Seasons’ popular Kale & Carrot Salad.

kale carrot salad plated

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

Sometime around 2010, kale went from being an ornamental green most often found tucked between crocks of veggies on an open salad bar to being the It vegetable of the Twenty-tens. All of a sudden, you could find kale everywhere, in everything.

In the heat of this kale-fueled moment in culinary history, one of our daughters brought home a huge bag of kale and used a couple handfuls of it to made kale chips, because they were so popular and (theoretically) so good for you. 

She baked them up, and she really wanted to like them. We all did. But no. NO. I know that this may bring the wrath of the Vegan/Paleo/Clean Eating communities, but I just cannot endorse kale as a Chip. Not then, not today, not ever. It’s a personal choice; and my personal choice is No. 

That said, we now had a big bag of kale and needed to figure out something to do with it – and I knew exactly what that something was.

kale carrot salad hero 2

Our local New Seasons stocks this tasty, sunflower-studded Kale & Carrot Salad in the Grab-n-Go case. On more than one occasion, I have paid ten-fold for what basically amounts to a handful of kale; just to enjoy the sweet umami flavors and satisfying crunch of this salad. With a stockpile of kale staring me down, I decided that it was high time I figured out how to make it at home.

New Seasons shares a recipe for Kale & Carrot Salad on their website; however, when we tried it, we all agreed it didn’t taste like the salad at our local store. Maybe the cooks at our local store doctor the company recipe a little, or use an earlier version: who knows? Anyway, I ended up making a few small but important adjustments to the ingredient list. 

carrots sunflower seeds kale

The biggest change I made to the original recipe, however, wasn’t so much related to the What as the How. I added one small but vital step to the process: I blanch the kale first. As far as I’m concerned, when it comes to kale salads, blanching makes all the difference! (Broccoli salads, too.)

Wavy Line

What does it mean to Blanch Vegetables?

Blanching is the quick, simple food prep technique in which food (most often vegetables of some kind) are flash cooked in boiling water, and then immediately plunged into an ice bath to stop the cooking process. 

Depending on the food being blanched, the technique may be used for different reasons: to soften vegetables, to relax fibers, to make peeling easier, or to brighten the color. Blanching times differ depending on the recipe, but usually fall between 30 seconds and 2 minutes. 

blanching kale

In the case of kale, a 1-minute blanching helps soften the tough fibers and makes it easier to chew. It also makes the natural kale flavor more accessible, thus making it more far more palatable. 

Our Kale & Carrot Salad copycat recipe comes darn close to the original, and it got rave reviews from both Mr. B and Gramma Edith [RIP], so it’s a keeper!  Enjoy! 

Post Updated June 15, 2020 (Originally published January 22, 2015)
kale carrot salad plated
5 from 2 votes

Kale & Carrot Salad

Kale, carrots, sunflower seeds, and fresh ginger combine to create this bright, delicious, satisfying copycat of New Seasons' popular Kale & Carrot Salad.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Salad
Keyword: carrots, ginger
Prep Time:20 minutes
Total Time:20 minutes
Servings: 4 large servings
Calories: 224kcal
Author: Renée | The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

  • Colander
  • Large Stock Pot
  • Sharp Knife

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric
  • 3/4 lb fresh kale
  • 2 large carrots peeled and coarsely grated
  • 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
  • 2 tablespoons tamari or light soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced (I usually add a little more.)
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin scant
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne scant, or ½ t. Sriracha
  • 2-3 cloves garlic minced

Instructions

  • Gather and prep all ingredients.
    kale carrot salad ingredients prepped
  • Using a sharp knife, remove tough center stems from kale. This is easier to do if you fold the leaves in half first.
    kale with pairing knife
  • Discard stems.
    kale stems leaves separated
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high medium-heat.
    water in pot
  • While the pot is coming to a boil, fill a large mixing bowl halfway with ice. Add water up to the ice line.
    ice in yellow bowl
  • Put the cleaned kale into the boiling water for 1 minute. (Use a timer. You want the kale to relax, but you don't want it to become limp.)
    kale in boiling water
  • Drain kale in colander.
    kale in colander
  • Immediately plunge kale into prepared ice-water bath.
    Drain kale in colander again. Squeeze kale to remove excess water.
    kale in ice bath
  • Drain kale in colander again. Squeeze kale to remove excess water.
    kale squeezed dry
  • While the kale is still in a kind of wet wad, take a large kitchen knife and slice it into small, thin pieces.
    chopping kale
  • Put cut kale into a bowl and separate the pieces using your fingers.
    kale in glass bowl
  • Add grated carrots and sunflower seeds.
    carrots sunflower seeds kale
  • In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients and stir vigorously to combine.
    kale salad dressing mixed
  • Immediately pour dressing mixture over kale mixture.
    pour salad dressing
  • Toss thoroughly to combine.
    toss kale carrot salad
  • Serve immediately or refrigerate.
    kale salad dry ingredients mixed

Notes

May be refrigerated for up to one week.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 559mg | Potassium: 642mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 13592IU | Vitamin C: 105mg | Calcium: 153mg | Iron: 3mg
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

This Kale & Carrot Salad travels well, making it perfect for a barbecue or picnic! Check out our Southern Barbecue Recipes for lots of great ideas! (It’s a vegan recipe, too, so everyone can enjoy it!

kale carrot salad hero 2

Wavy Line

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. ? Be sure to PIN this post!

Kale & Carrot Salad {New Seasons Copycat}   Kale & Carrot Salad {New Seasons Copycat}   

Wavy Line

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Fresh & Bright Carrot Salads

blank

Armenian-style Eggplant & Carrot Salad

Inspired by the cuisine of Armenia, this Eggplant & Carrot Salad combines simple ingredients to create a supremely satisfying savory-sweet bite – perfect for everything from a light spring lunch to an autumn potluck. 

blank

Grammi's Carrot Pineapple Jello Salad (Sunshine Salad)

Commonly known as Sunshine Jello, Carrot Pineapple Jello Salad is one vintage recipe worth making! Bright, refreshing, and surprisingly tasty, it’s a perfect side for any holiday dinner or family gathering.

blank

Moroccan Carrot Salad with Harissa, Feta & Fresh Herbs

Moroccan Carrot Salad is an exotic mix of zesty citrus, sweet carrots, fresh herbs, and feta, dressed with a warmly spiced, piquant honey-lemon vinaigrette. Makes a quick, refreshing side that is ready to serve in just 15 minutes! 

blank

Kale & Carrot Salad {New Seasons Copycat}

Kale, carrots, sunflower seeds, and fresh ginger combine to create this bright, delicious, satisfying copycat of New Seasons' popular Kale & Carrot Salad.

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Yummly
  • Flipboard

Filed Under: Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Recipes, Salads, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: carrots, kale, vegetables

blank

About Renée

Renée is writer, music maker, artist, and storyteller. In her spare time, you can find her writing love songs about cowboys, exploring the moss-covered nooks and crannies of the Pacific Northwest, and making music with her talented singer-husband.

Comments

  1. blank[email protected] says

    January 22 at

    This looks wonderful, Renée. I expected the kale to be raw, as it is in so many restaurants these days. Chefs haven’t caught on to the fact that kale is only edible raw IF it is cut very finely. 🙂 So I’m intrigued that it is blanched for this recipe. And truthfully, I LOVE anything with sesame oil in it. 🙂

    Reply
  2. blankamanda @ fake ginger says

    January 22 at

    This is the perfect salad! Love kale and sunflower seeds together!

    Reply
  3. blankKaren @ Karen's Kitchen Stories says

    January 22 at

    Stunning salad. I could eat that whole bowlful!

    Reply
  4. blankMelinda says

    January 22 at

    Oh, I LOVE this salad at New Seasons! I am definitely going to try his recipe!

    Reply
  5. blankLindsay says

    January 23 at

    Great recipe! I’ll have to try it sometime!

    Reply
  6. blankPech says

    January 23 at

    My favorite kale salads always are finely shredded and include nuts to help me with the texture!

    Reply
  7. blankCatherine says

    January 27 at

    Oh my goodness, we used to go to our town’s Farrel’s for end-of-softball-season celebrations and the like. I LOVED it! I don’t think it had a salad bar, though; it was strictly an ice cream place.

    I’m a definite yes on the kale chip debate, but I also love it in salad. Thanks for this idea! I’ll make it next time I bring home a bunch of kale… if I can refrain from making more chips. 😉

    Reply
  8. blankNatalia @ Body Mind Freedom says

    February 10 at

    This looks wonderful! I absolutely love New Season’s kale salad, and I’ve actually done copy-cat versions of a few of their items. The red and yellow beet salad is so delicious there… I don’t think I could pick a favorite. Great idea!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hello! We’re so glad you’re here.

Hello! We’re so glad you’re here! | The Good Hearted Woman {& Mr B}

Join me & Mr B as we share the best in home cooking and cozy living - from the beautiful Pacific Northwest and beyond.

Follow Us!

Sponsors
Privacy Policy

© Harmony Cat LLC, 2011-2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. The Good Hearted Woman is a subsidiary of Harmony Cat LLC.

sponsored
139shares