Kale and Apple Salad

Made with only a handful of ingredients, this kale and apple salad is a simple recipe that you can whip up in no time. Not only is it delightfully fresh, crunchy, and hearty, but this salad pairs perfectly with pretty much everything from a weeknight meal to a holiday spread.

The perfect side dish, this kale and apple salad, is such a flavorful salad that anyone can make. You don’t need any special equipment to make this and it comes together in a few simple steps.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• This salad uses hearty ingredients that last a while in your fridge and pantry, so I almost always have these ingredients on hand.
• It’s very easy to make in a few quick steps! The hardest part about this kale apple salad is massaging the kale.
• While it’s great for fall, especially during the holidays, this salad is perfect year-round and pairs wonderfully with any meal.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• apples — use your favorite apples. I’m using honeycrisp apples.
• homemade dressing — you only need a handful of ingredients to make homemade salad dressing. I’m using olive oil, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. I always recommend using quality ingredients for salad dressing so the flavors can really shine. For example, always use real maple syrup and not pancake syrup.
• kale — there are a few types of kale, such as curly kale, dinosaur kale, tuscan kale, etc. I honestly just buy whatever kale is on sale at the store. I believe this time, it was curly kale! Also, always remove the stems as they’re tough and unpleasant to eat.
• carrots — I love the extra sweetness you get some carrots.
• shallots (or a small red onion) — for a crisp bite and pop of color!

How to Make Kale and Apple Salad

• In a large bowl, soak sliced apples for 5 minutes in enough salted water to cover them. Use half a teaspoon of salt per cup of water. Drain, rinse, and set aside.
• In a small bowl, add the olive oil, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.

• Mix until the salad dressing is well combined. It’ll look like it’s not combining at first, but after continual mixing, the salad dressing will emulsify. Trust the process!
• Add a couple of tablespoons of the salad dressing to the kale in a large bowl and massage with clean hands for at least a minute.

• Add the apples, carrots, shallots, and the rest of the salad dressing to the kale.
• Toss to combine and enjoy!

Recipe Tips and Notes

• You can easily make this into a kale and apple slaw by adding some shredded cabbage (red or regular) to the salad!
• Don’t skip the Dijon mustard, as it’ll help the salad dressing emulsify. You can use regular mustard or mustard powder if you don’t have Dijon mustard.
• Always make sure to wash and dry the kale well. If the kale is wet, the salad dressing will have difficulties coating the kale. I use a salad spinner, then give it a thorough pat with a paper towel.
• Don’t skip massaging the kale. Kale leaves can be tough and fibrous, which can make them tough to eat raw. Massaging kale helps to break down some of the tough fibers and makes the leaves more tender as it softens the texture, reduces bitterness, and massaging it with the salad dressing will help the kale absorb the flavor.
• Want more crunch? Add some nuts or seeds! Sunflower seeds, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, almonds, and walnuts makes for a tasty addition to this kale and apple salad.

Make Ahead Tips

• Meal prep: store the salad in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge.

Serving Suggestions

There are so many ways to serve this kale and apple slaw. Try serving with the following:

• Ground Beef Tacos
• Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos
• Taco Bowl Meal Prep
• Air Fryer Fish Tacos
• Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos
• Everything Bagel Salmon
• Grilled Buffalo Chicken
• Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken
• Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs

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