This Cactus Club copycat avocado kale salad is packed with bursts of flavor and texture! This anything-but-average salad will be on repeat so often that you'll want to skip the restaurant altogether.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Delicious Restaurant copycat: This avocado kale salad tastes just like the Cactus Club restaurant version, including all the different flavors and textural elements that make this salad so popular. While this salad may have a number of different elements, it is definitely worth it!
Complex flavors: This salad's flavors are surprisingly complex, which is partly why it is so popular at the Cactus Club restaurant. From fennel and chili toasted panko to savory, crunchy chickpeas, all the layers of flavor shine through. All you need is a few restaurant-style pantry staples.
A great serving of vegetables: If you want new ways to incorporate green, leafy vegetables into your diet, this salad is a great place to start. You will get plenty of vitamins from the kale, red cabbage, and even avocado!
Ingredient Notes
- Kale: This salad uses regular, curly kale. You will want to remove the tough stems from the kale leaves since they are not very pleasant to eat when uncooked.
- Red cabbage: Sometimes referred to as purple cabbage. If you can find pre-shredded red cabbage in your grocery store, you will save some prep time. If you are using a whole head of cabbage, remove the tough core and thinly shred the cabbage.
- Chickpeas: Canned chickpeas are perfect for this salad. I do recommend using low-sodium canned chickpeas so that you can control the seasoning on your own.
- Anchovies: Anchovy paste is the most convenient way to incorporate the saltiness of anchovies into your recipes. Try to find anchovy paste in a tube for the best value and to easily store it in the fridge.
- Panko breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs are often labeled as Japanese breadcrumbs. Panko is typically more coarse than regular American breadcrumbs, adding a great crunch element to the salad.
A full list of ingredients with measurements is located on the recipe card, below.
Substitutions
- Kale: You can substitute regular curly kale for a different variety, like dinosaur or lacinato kale. If you don't like kale, arugula or mixed greens are completely fine as a base for this salad.
- Chickpeas: If you prefer using fresh chickpeas, you absolutely can. Alternatively, you can use white cannellini beans for a similar flavor and texture.
- Panko breadcrumbs: You can use crushed croutons instead of panko breadcrumbs. I do not recommend using breadcrumbs as they are too finely ground.
- Anchovy paste: Worcestershire sauce is a great substitute if you do not have anchovies on hand or you'd rather leave them out.
- Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated pecorino romano or asiago cheese are good substitutes for fresh parmesan.
- White vinegar: Apple cider vinegar will work in place of white vinegar.
Variations
- Pickled cabbage: Swap out the pickled red cabbage for homemade pickled red onions instead.
- Protein: Top this salad with grilled chicken, salmon, or any of your favorite proteins to make this salad a meal.
- Nuts: Add some extra flavor with toasted pine nuts or walnuts.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prep Work Before Cooking
Collecting all ingredients: This will make cooking so much easier. Gather all the spices you will need, and keep them nearby.
Prep the vegetables: Thinly slice the red cabbage into ribbons. Cut the core from the kale leaves, and roughly chop the kale.
Pickle the Cabbage
Add the vinegar, water, and sugar to a small saucepan over medium heat. Let the vinegar mixture come to a boil, and remove from the heat.
Carefully pour the vinegar over the sliced red cabbage in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
Make the Dressing
Add the olive oil, mustard, garlic, anchovy paste, and lemon juice to a jar or immersion blender container.
Blend with an immersion blender until the dressing is smooth and emulsified.
Roast the Chickpeas
Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas to get rid of the canning liquid. Carefully dry the rinsed chickpeas on a paper towel to remove any excess moisture.
Toss the chickpeas in a bowl with the seasoning to coat them evenly.
Put the seasoned chickpeas in the air fryer at 375°F for 10-15 minutes until the chickpeas are crispy.
Toast the Breadcrumbs
Add the panko, crushed fennel seeds, chili flakes, and olive oil to a small skillet. Turn the heat on low, and toast the panko until golden brown.
Grill the Avocado
Cut the avocado in half, and carefully remove the pit.
Place the avocado flesh side down on a heated grill pan, until there are grill marks on the avocado flesh.
Assemble the Salad
Drizzle a quarter of the dressing on the kale in a large bowl. Lightly massage the dressing into the kale until it is slightly softened.
Assemble the salad with kale as the base, topped with crispy chickpeas, toasted panko, pickled cabbage, and grilled avocado. Drizzle with additional dressing to your taste.
Expert Tips
Massage the kale: This is an important step you do not want to skip. Massaging the kale helps reduce the bitterness, and tenderizes the leaves making them easier to chew.
Preparing the pickling liquid: If you prefer, you can add the vinegar, water, and sugar to a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 15-second increments until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Air frying chickpeas: Keep a close watch on the chickpeas while they are crisping in the air fryer. Every air fryer brand is different, and some may heat up and cook faster than others.
No immersion blender: You can mince the garlic with a garlic press and whisk the dressing, or use a traditional food processor/blender instead of an immersion blender.
Make Ahead & Storage
- The dressing can be prepared 3-4 days ahead of time. Refrigerate in an airtight jar or container until you are ready to use it.
- Pickled red cabbage can be refrigerated in an airtight jar for up to 1 week.
- Prepare the crispy chickpeas 1-2 days in advance. Store in a zip-top bag and keep at room temperature.
Serving Suggestions
- Mains: Serve this flavorful avocado kale salad with your favorite mains, including Cactus Club blackened creole chicken, chicken souvlaki or pork souvlaki, Nando's copycat peri peri chicken, Cheesecake Factory's chicken romano, or el pollo loco citrus marinated chicken.
- Sides: To round out your meal, add your favorite sides like twice-baked potatoes, corn and bacon warm potato salad, loaded mashed potato spring rolls, garlic butter roasted potatoes, or air fryer hasselback potatoes.
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Avocado Kale Salad (Cactus Club Copycat)
Ingredients
- 3 cups Curly kale - stems removed, roughly chopped
- 1 Hass avocado - halved
- ¼ cup Grana padano cheese
Pickled Cabbage
- 1 cup Red cabbage - shredded
- ¼ cup White vinegar
- ¼ cup Water
- 1 tablespoon Granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
Crispy Chickpeas
- 15 oz Chickpeas - drained, washed
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon Onion powder
Fennel Chili Panko
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ⅛ teaspoon Fennel seeds - crushed
- ¼ teaspoon Red chili flakes
- 2 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
Dressing
- ½ cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Lemon - juiced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 4 cloves Garlic - peeled
- 1 teaspoon Anchovy paste
- 1 teaspoon Granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper
Instructions
- Add the vinegar, water, salt and sugar to a small saucepan over medium heat. Let the vinegar mixture come to a boil, and remove from the heat.¼ cup White vinegar, 1 tablespoon Granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, ¼ cup Water
- Carefully pour the vinegar over the sliced red cabbage in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.1 cup Red cabbage
- Add the olive oil, mustard, garlic, anchovy paste, and lemon juice to a jar or immersion blender container. Blend with an immersion blender until the dressing is smooth and emulsified.½ cup Extra virgin olive oil, 1 Lemon, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 4 cloves Garlic, 1 teaspoon Anchovy paste, 1 teaspoon Granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon Black pepper
- Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas to get rid of the canning liquid. Carefully dry the rinsed chickpeas on a paper towel to remove any excess moisture.15 oz Chickpeas
- Toss the chickpeas in a bowl with the seasoning to coat them evenly. Put the seasoned chickpeas in the air fryer at 375°F for 10-15 minutes until the chickpeas are crispy.¼ teaspoon Kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon Garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon Onion powder
- Add the panko, crushed fennel seeds, chili flakes, and olive oil to a small skillet. Turn the heat on low, and toast the panko until golden brown.½ cup Panko breadcrumbs, ⅛ teaspoon Fennel seeds, ¼ teaspoon Red chili flakes, 2 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil, ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- Cut the avocado in half, and carefully remove the pit. Place the avocado flesh side down on a heated grill pan, until there are grill marks on the avocado flesh.1 Hass avocado
- Drizzle a quarter of the dressing on the kale in a large bowl. Lightly massage the dressing into the kale until it is slightly softened.3 cups Curly kale
- Assemble the salad with kale as the base, topped with crispy chickpeas, toasted panko, pickled cabbage, and grilled avocado. Drizzle with additional dressing to your taste.¼ cup Grana padano cheese
Holly says
The salad was great! I used a bit less garlic and olive oil but only out of personal preference. Thanks for recreating this recipe!