Marry This Kale Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette is a healthy and crunchy recipe, which is made with fresh kale and toasted pecans. It’s a great choice for a healthy lunch, ready in about 30 minutes.
Jump to RecipeKale Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette Ingredients
Salad
- 8 cups curly kale, red or green, ½” thick slices
- 1 cup diced apple, fuji, gala, honeycrisp, Granny Smith, ½” dice
- ¾ cup diced avocado, ½” dice, 1 medium avocado
- ½ cup pecans, roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- 2 tablespoons goat cheese
Dressing (¾ cup)
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey, or pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup olive oil
How To Make Kale Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- Prepare the kale: Remove the tough stems from the kale leaves. Briefly massage the leaves with your hands for about a minute to soften them, then slice them into ½-inch thick ribbons. Rinse and dry thoroughly.
- Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, honey, lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. While whisking continuously, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the dressing is smooth and emulsified.
- Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, combine the prepared kale, diced apple, diced avocado, chopped pecans, and dried cranberries.
- Dress and serve: Pour about half of the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. Crumble the goat cheese on top. Serve immediately with the extra dressing on the side.
Recipe Tips
- How to make the kale less tough? Massaging the kale is the most important step. Rubbing the leaves between your fingers for a minute or two breaks down the tough, fibrous texture, making the kale much more tender and pleasant to eat.
- Can I make this ahead of time? Yes. You can prepare the dressing and the salad base (kale, apples, pecans, cranberries) and store them in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Add the avocado, goat cheese, and dressing just before serving.
- Can I use a different nut? Absolutely. Toasted walnuts, slivered almonds, or even pistachios would be a delicious substitute for the pecans.
- How to make this a full meal? To make this salad a more substantial main course, top it with grilled chicken, salmon, or a cup of chickpeas for added protein.
What To Serve With Kale Salad
This versatile salad works as a light main course or a perfect side dish.
- Grilled chicken breast or a salmon fillet
- A cup of creamy tomato or butternut squash soup
- A slice of crusty, whole-grain bread
- A simple quiche
How To Store Kale Salad
- Refrigerate: It’s best to store the salad and dressing in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. The dressing will last for up to a week, and the undressed salad (without avocado) will stay crisp for 2-3 days.
Kale Salad Nutrition Facts
- Serves: 4
- Calories: 421 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Fat: 32 g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
Massaging the kale with your hands helps to break down the cell walls, which makes the leaves more tender and less bitter. It’s a crucial step for any raw kale salad.
Yes, easily. To make the dressing vegan, simply use pure maple syrup instead of honey. For the salad, omit the goat cheese or use a plant-based feta substitute.
Yes, any crisp, firm apple variety will work well. The recipe suggests Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp, or Granny Smith, which all provide a great sweet or tart crunch.
Try More Recipes:
Kale Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette Recipe
Course: SaladsCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings30
minutes421
kcalA healthy and vibrant salad with a crunchy texture, featuring tender massaged kale, sweet apples, and pecans, all tossed in a zesty apple cider vinaigrette.
Ingredients
Salad: 8 cups curly kale, 1 diced apple, ¾ cup diced avocado, ½ cup chopped pecans, ⅓ cup dried cranberries, 2 tbsp goat cheese
Dressing: 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp honey (or maple syrup), 1 tsp lemon zest, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tsp dijon mustard, ½ tsp kosher salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, ½ cup olive oil
Directions
- Remove stems from kale, massage the leaves, then slice into ribbons.
- In a large bowl, combine the kale, apple, avocado, pecans, and cranberries.
- Whisk all dressing ingredients together, slowly drizzling in the olive oil until emulsified.
- Pour about half the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
- Crumble goat cheese over the top and serve with extra dressing on the side.
Notes
- Massaging the kale is the secret to a tender, delicious salad. Don’t skip this step!
- For the best results, add the avocado and dressing just before serving to prevent browning and keep everything crisp.
- To make this recipe vegan, use maple syrup in the dressing and omit the goat cheese.
- This salad is perfect for meal prep; just store the components separately until you’re ready to eat.
