You will love this delicious Kale and Apple Salad with Honey Dijon Dressing. It is dressed with a sweet honey vinaigrette and topped with crisp apples, pickled onions, salty pepitas, and bacon.
The vinaigrette dressing is lightly sweetened with honey and pairs beautifully with the other salad ingredients. Because kale is so sturdy it holds up well to this sweet dressing.
This Kale and Apple Salad Recipe is one of my favorite ways to serve kale.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- This crunchy simple salad is easy to make and filled with flavor.
- Because kale is a hardier green this salad can be made in advance without becoming too soggy.
- The Honey Dijon Dressing adds a sweet and savory element to the hearty salad, that is filling enough to serve for dinner.
- Kale and apples are available year-round so they are always easy to find in the grocery store.
Recipe Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
Kale: Kale is one of my favorite greens. It is a great sturdy base for a salad and holds up well to lots of dressing and extended storage in the refrigerator.
Raw kale can be pretty tough. I always remove the leafy parts and compost the tough chewy ribs.
Apple: I like to pair this recipe with a firm and sweet apple. Some of my favorites are gala, fuji, pink lady, and honey crisp apples. If you prefer tart apples, granny smith apples are a great option.
Apples are one of my favorite snacks. Try one of these apple forward recipes: Apple Cinnamon Pecan Scones, Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Muffins, Pork Stew with Apples, Chicken Apple Meatballs, Apple Raspberry Muffins, and Apple Walnut Bundt Cake.
Pickled Onion: I love pickled onions! Lately, I have been adding them to everything, burgers, tacos, pizza, and this salad. Here is my favorite recipe for Quick Pickled Red Onions. Simply mix the brine together and add the onions. The onions will pickle while you prepare the rest of the salad.
Pepitas: Pepitas are harvested from specific varieties of pumpkins that produce hull-less seeds. They are usually sold roasted and salted next to the croutons in the grocery store. Their crunch texture adds a nice crunch to the salad.
Bacon: I love the salty crunch that crisp bacon brings to this salad.
If you save your bacon grease, use some of it to make these Bacon Grease Bourbon Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Gruyere Cheese: Gruyere cheese adds a hint of creaminess to this crunchy salad.
Tip: Gruyere is a softer cheese and can be a bit tricky to grate. Try popping it in the freezer for 15 minutes to make it firmer and easier to grate.
Salad Dressing
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Extra-virgin olive oil is extracted using a cold-press method without additional heat or chemicals. It has a lower acidity content compared to other varieties of olive oil. Because of its lower acidity, it is typically used in salad dressings rather than regular olive oil that you might use for sautéing.
Apple Cider Vinegar: Tangy apple cider vinegar is sweet and tangy and echos the flavor of the chopped apples in the salad.
Honey: Honey lightly sweetens the dressing and helps to tone down the bitterness of the kale.
Honey is one of my favorite sweeteners it is used to sweeten this Honey Almond Ice Cream and this Honeycomb Brittle.
Thyme: Thyme adds an herby freshness and pairs beautifully with the apples and bacon.
Salt: I add at least a pinch of salt to all of my recipes. Salt complements and intensifies the other flavors. For all of my recipes, I use Morton Kosher Salt which packs more densely than Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. If you are using Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt you will want to double the amount of salt you add.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
The best thing about salads is that they are extremely customizable. You can leave out any ingredients you don't like and easily make substitutions. Salads are also a great way to use up random ingredients in your refrigerator.
Apple Cider Vinegar: If you don't have apple cider vinegar you could also use lemon juice, white wine vinegar, or white balsamic vinegar.
Kale: If you don't have any kale, this salad would also taste delicious with shredded Brussels sprouts.
Apple: Substitute a pear or pomegranate seeds for the apple.
Cheese: Not a fan of gruyere cheese? Easily substitute some shredded cheddar cheese, feta cheese, or parmesan cheese.
Pepitas: Try substituting your favorite nut, like crunchy walnuts, for the pepitas.
Pickled Red Onions: While I love the briny flavor pickled red onions bring to this salad you can also use diced raw red onion for a sharper flavor.
Step by Step Directions
In a small bowl whisk the homemade dressing ingredients together. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
You could also shake all of the ingredients together in a sealed mason jar.
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C), place the bacon on a foil-lined baking sheet.
Bake for 10-15 minutes depending upon the thickness of your bacon.
Wash and remove the kale leaves from their stems.
Chop the kale leaves and massage them with half the dressing.
Tip: I recommend using a salad spinner to thoroughly wash and dry the kale.
Tip: The acid in the dressing will start to break down the leaves making them more tender and easier to chew.
Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl.
Toss the salad to combine. Drizzle to taste with the remaining dressing.
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
This hearty kale salad can be made up to five days in advance. For the best quality, I suggest storing the dressing separately in an airtight container and waiting to cut up the apple until just before serving.
Once the salad has been dressed refrigerate for up to 2 days. Any longer and the salad will become soggy.
Serving Suggestions
Because life is all about balance I love to serve this healthy kale salad alongside something heartier like these Sourdough Fried Chicken, this Pulled Pork Casserole, this Crustless Pizza Bowl or these Chicken and Zucchini Fritters.
Add some grains like quinoa, farro, or brown or wild rice and some protein like grilled chicken to make this a complete meal.
Recipe FAQs
Below are three of the most common varieties of kale.
Curly Leaf Kale: Curly leaf kale is one of the most common types of kale sold in grocery stores. It can range in color from pale to dark green and has long stems with frilly-edge leaves.
Lacinato Kale: Lacinato kale is sometimes known as dinosaur kale or Tuscan kale. It is dark blue-green in color and has long slender flat rather than curly leaves.
Red Russian Kale: Red Russian kale has large oak-shaped leaves that range in color from blue-green to purple-red. It is slightly sweeter and more tender than other varieties of kale.
Look for fresh green leaves that hold their shape without wilting. Avoid kale with soft stems and holes in the leaves.
Store kale in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Wash the kale in cool water then remove the leaves from the tough stem. I like to fold the leaf in half along the stem and use my knife to cut both sides of the leaf from the stem. Roll the leaves together and slice them into thin strips.
Kale may not be everyone's favorite vegetable. It can be bitter and tough to chew. Preparing it properly can help to make it more palatable.
Pour half of the dressing over the kale. Massage kale by grabbing handfuls scrunching them in your fingers and releasing. As you massage it the kale will turn darker green in color.
Massaging the kale with the dressing starts to break down the cell walls and helps to tenderize it and reduce its bitterness. Adding a little honey to the dressing will also help to mask any remaining bitterness.
Expert Tips
- When prepping the kale, make sure to remove and discard the thick rib that runs through the middle.
- I recommend using a salad spinner to thoroughly wash and dry the kale.
- Cut the kale into small bite-sized pieces. You can also purchase pre-cut kale at the grocery store. You will most likely have to pick through the bag and remove any thick stem pieces.
- Don't skip massaging the kale. It's an important step to tenderize the kale and remove some of the bitterness.
- Add some grains like quinoa, farro, or brown or wild rice and some protein like grilled chicken to make this a complete meal.
- Roasted butternut squash would also make a delicious addition to this kale apple salad recipe.
- If they aren't already roasted, for more flavor, toast the pumpkin seeds before adding them to the salad. Spread the pumpkin seeds out in an even layer on a baking sheet and toast them in a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven for 5 to 8 minutes.
More Delicious Side Dish Ideas
Thanks for Reading!
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📖 Recipe
Kale and Apple Salad with Honey Dijon Dressing
Equipment
- salad bowl
Ingredients
Dressing
- 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Salad
- ¼ cup chopped bacon 3 slices
- 5 cups chopped kale
- 1 small firm sweet apple -diced honey crisp, fuji, gala, etc.
- ¼ cup pickled red onions - finely chopped
- ¼ cup pepitas
- ¼ cup Gruyere cheese - shredded
Instructions
Dressing
- In a small bowl, whisk together the 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt, and ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper until combined.
Salad
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, place the ¼ cup chopped bacon on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes depending upon the thickness of your bacon.
- Wash and remove the 5 cups chopped kaleale from their stems. Chop the kale leaves and massage them with half the dressing.
- Add the 1 small firm sweet apple -diced, ¼ cup pickled red onions - finely chopped , ¼ cup pepitas, and ¼ cup Gruyere cheese - shredded to the bowl.
- Toss the salad to combine. Drizzle to taste with the remaining dressing.
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