Kale Apple Salad

This kale apple salad is my go-to salad for fall. It’s a simple, seasonal salad that goes well with any meal, especially hearty and comforting meals.

You’ll love the variety of texture going on here: tender kale, crisp fresh apples, candied pecans, crunchy pumpkin seeds, and creamy goat cheese.

The flavor in this kale apple salad is amazing! The sweet and tangy apple cider vinaigrette brings out the best in each ingredient.

Kale is one of those ingredients I actively ignored for years because it tends to be on the tougher side compared to other types of salad greens. But, little did I know that I was just doing it wrong!

There’s a key step to tenderizing kale, and it all starts with a quick massage! Yup, massaging the kale with vinegar and oil helps to break down the tough fibers and remove the natural bitterness.

The result is tender, delicious kale that is ready to be added to salads. This is the trick I use in my favorite Kale Apple Salad recipe, which I am so excited to share with you today.

I now love cooking with kale. I like to incorporate kale into my Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Kale salad, and also use it in this Lentil Kale Soup all the time.

This kale apple salad pairs perfectly with rich holiday dishes, so it’s a great choice for Thanksgiving! The tender kale combined with crisp apples add so much freshness and texture. Plus, you’ve got candied pecans, pumpkin seeds, and a gentle crumble of goat cheese for even more flavor and texture. It’s SO GOOD!

It’s that time of the year to enjoy seasonal fall salads! Try my Fall Harvest Salad, Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Butternut Squash, and Roasted Cauliflower and Kale Salad.

Jump to:

• The Apple Cider Vinaigrette
• Ingredient Notes
• Step-by-Step Tutorial
• How to Soften Kale
• Best Type of Kale for Salad
• Add-ins and Variations
• Make Ahead Instructions
• Recipe FAQs
• Tips for Success
• Kale Apple Salad

The Apple Cider Vinaigrette

The dressing in this kale apple salad is incredibly delicious. It’s an apple cider vinaigrette, and it’s my mom’s favorite salad dressing (and she’s even that into salads, so that says a lot!).

I like this apple cider vinaigrette because it’s got the perfect balance of acidity, sweetness, and flavor. We use apple cider vinegar for subtly sweet acidic flavor, really good extra virgin olive oil, honey, mustard, and garlic.

It’s the perfect dressing to pair with seasonal ingredients, such as fresh apples, kale, and pecans. Plus, the dressing further softens the kale and removes the natural bitterness in kale, and brightens up the entire dish. It’s pretty amazing!

Ingredient Notes

These are the ingredients I used for my kale apple salad, plus a few helpful notes from recipe testing. As always, the ingredient quantities can be found in the recipe card down below.

• Kale: I use curly kale here, but lacinato kale (also known as dinosaur kale) works just as fine. Use a salad spinner to thoroughly wash kale.
• Apple cider vinegar and olive oil: We use both of these to massage and soften the kale. Vinegar helps to break down the tough fibers.
• Apples: I like to use honeycrisp apples here. Their sweet profile and crispness add a refreshing contrast.
• Pumpkin seeds: Adds delicious extra crunch.
• Goat cheese: I find that creamy cheeses like goat cheese or feta work great here.
• Candied pecans: Adds both texture and sweetness for flavor contrast. Candied pecans take just 5 minutes to make on the stovetop.
• For the apple cider vinaigrette: It’s super simple. You’ll need apple cider vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, dijon mustard, garlic, honey, salt, and pepper. If you want to take the fall vibes up a notch, use maple syrup instead of honey.

Step-by-Step Tutorial

Making kale apple salad at home is super easy, and it’s also make-ahead friendly. Here’s a quick tutorial.

Step 1 | Make apple cider vinaigrette

In a mason jar, combine the apple cider vinegar, olive oil, garlic, honey, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Seal the jar and shake vigorously until emulsified (evenly combined). Give it a taste, and adjust sweetness or acidity to your liking.

Step 2 | Make the candied pecans

Time to make the candied pecans! In a small skillet over medium heat, melt sugar with water. Add the pecans and cook until the sugar caramelizes onto the pecans, about 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and allow to cool.

Step 3 | Soften kale

Toss the chopped kale leaves (discard stems) with a little bit of olive oil and apple cider vinegar, gently massaging until the leaves begin to soften, about 3 minutes.

Step 4 | Assemble

In a large serving bowl, combine the softened kale, sliced apples, pumpkin seeds, and candied pecans. Drizzle with the prepared vinaigrette, toss gently, and top with crumbled goat cheese before serving. Enjoy!

How to Soften Kale

I’ve gotten a lot of messages asking how to prep kale for salads because…well, it’s a tough one!

Raw kale has tough fibers (it even feels tough to the touch), but massaging kale with a bit of olive oil and acid helps break down those fibers, making it perfectly tender. This technique also removes its natural bitterness, making it perfect for salads.

It’s a very simple 2-step process:

• Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar. For one bunch of kale, I use about 3 teaspoons of vinegar and a generous drizzle of oil.
• Massage the kale for 3 minutes until softened and tender. That’s it – it’s now ready to be used!

If using it on stews or soups, there’s no need to massage it. It will soften on its own as it cooks.

Best Type of Kale for Salad

There are several types of kale out there, but these three below are the only ones I have seen in grocery stores. For this this kale apple salad recipe, I use curly kale, but feel free to make substitutions:

• Curly kale: This is the most common type of kale that can be found at grocery stores. It’s got a pale-ish dark green color, and as its name says, the leaves curl up around the edges.
• Lacinato kale: Also known as dinosaur kale or Tuscan kale. This variety has a darker and more vibrant green color. The leaves are long and don’t curl up as much.
• Baby kale: Baby kale is very tender already, so if you use this one, there’s no need to soften it. It’s often sold near the packaged salad greens or spinach section.

Add-ins and Variations

As I mentioned earlier, there are countless ways to customize this amazing salad just the way you like it. These are a few of my favorite add-ins:

• Fruit add-ins: Grapes. Grapes always add sweetness and crunch, which is why I like adding it to my Chicken Salad with Grapes recipe. Other great options are pears, pomegranate, and figs.
• Veggie add-ins: Roasted acorn squash, butternut squash, or roasted delicata squash.
• Dried fruits, such as raisins or dried cranberries.
• Nuts: Walnuts are a great substitute.
• Make it heartier and add cooked farro or other types of grains.
• Add a protein: Chicken works great here. Try this simple pan-seared chicken or grilled lemon marinated chicken recipe.

Make Ahead Instructions

There are many ways to prepare this kale apple salad ahead of time, which is very convenient if you’re making it around the holidays.

The key is to prepare each ingredient in advance, and assemble the salad close to serving time to maintain freshness and prevent sogginess.

Here’s how I prep my kale apple salad in advance:

1. Chop the kale: Remove and discard the thick stems, chop the kale leaves, and wash thoroughly. I like to use my salad spinner. Store in a resealable bag in the fridge.
2. Make the candied pecans up to 1 week in advance.
3. Make the dressing up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Let it sit at room temperature before serving, as it may solidify when refrigerated.
4. Apples: I’d recommend slicing the apples right before serving, as apples turn brown when exposed to air.
5. Right before serving, I soften the kale with oil and vinegar, as directed in the recipe. Then, assemble and serve!

Here are a few of my other fall-inspired salads:

Recipe FAQs

This recipe was published in 2021 and updated in October 2023 to include new photos and information, plus a few recipe modifications.

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