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    Home » Recipes » Vegan

    Kale-Apple Salad with Cranberries and Pine Nuts

    Last Updated: Jan 18, 2023 By: Chef Christina

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    When indulgent winter meals catch up to you, a kale and apple salad can be a nice change of plate scenery. Slicing the kale thin and coating it in an easy yet silky lemon, honey, and apple dressing tenderizes the tough leaves and tones down the bitterness. Fresh, tart apples, toasted pine nuts, and sweet dried cranberries make for a satisfying, flavorful salad.

    Kale and apple salad with cranberries and a lemon vinaigrette on a gray plate.
    Jump to:
    • The Story
    • The Formula
    • The Ingredients
    • The Steps
    • Chef's Tips
    • Variations
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • 📖 Recipe
    • More Vegan & Plant-Based Recipes
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    • 💬 Reviews

    The Story

    If you play your cards right, a kale salad doesn't have to taste like medicine. Preparing the tough leaves properly and choosing complementary ingredients can temper the winter green's bitterness. And I dare say transform its raw state into a hearty, delicious forkful.

    Kale and apple salad with cranberries and pine nuts in a wooden bowl.

    First, shredding the dark, sturdy leaves makes them more palatable and easier to chew. The sweetness of garnishes like apples and cranberries with a lemon-honey vinaigrette balance out its pungency. Creamy Roquefort adds a wonderful saltiness and umami. Salted cashews are a nice vegan substitute for blue cheese (or reach for your favorite plant-based "blue cheese"). Oil in salad dressing will help the fibrous leaves soften (as any kale masseuse will attest).

    I first enjoyed this recipe's inspiration at Terrapin in Rhinebeck, New York while attending the CIA (culinary education, not covert operations). The chef served the salad during the frigid New York winter when kale is most abundant and in season. And I agree, the colder months are when this salad best hits the spot.

    Looking down on a bowl full of kale-apple salad next to a tiny pitcher of dressing.

    As for kale's so-called superfood status, that's for you to decide. But this salad is seriously packed with many essential vitamins and minerals (just check out the nutrition information below the recipe). For less sugar, leave out the honey in the dressing and ditch the dried cranberries.


    The Formula

    A recipe isn't the key to a great salad. But a balance of flavor and textures that make your taste buds sing. With this salad as an example, the formula looks like this:

    sweet: dried cranberries
    salty: toasted pine nuts
    sour: lemon vinaigrette
    bitter: kale
    umami: blue cheese
    texture: fresh apples

    formula for a composed salad
    The elements for a kale and apple salad laid around a wooden bowl filled with the salad.

    This approach applies to any dish. But is more important with salads because the typical main ingredient - lettuces and greens - are either bland or bitter alone. So without complementary and contrasting flavors, a salad can prove one-dimensional (my nice word for boring).


    The Ingredients

    While kale is quite a strong, bitter vegetable, it also plays nicely with many traditional salad ingredients (think cheese and sourdough croutons). Feel free to experiment with different dried and fresh fruit, nuts, and cheeses.

    The ingredients for kale salad on a white countertop, labeled: kale, apples, lemon juice, dried cranberries, blue cheese, and pine nuts.

    • Lacinato (dinosaur) kale. This is the dark green kale with flat, crinkly leaves. Markets may label it dinosaur kale or even Italian kale. Substitute any type you like. Red russian kale leaves are a little softer and easier to chew. And buying a bag of chopped kale saves time and effort.
    A bunch of kale resting on a damp paper towel.
    • Apples. The flavors of this salad are designed to complement sweeter, red varieties of apples like Honeycrisp and Gala. But any type you enjoy will be delicious.
    • Pine nuts. Pine nuts, or pignoli, are tiny, crunchy little nuggets of fiber and protein. This particular tree nut melds with many flavors (and is not as common an allergen as other tree nuts). Pecans and walnuts are two more to try.
    • Dried cranberries. Chewy sweet texture and beautiful crimson color. If sugar is a health concern, leave them out.
    • Roquefort. Whether a plant-based version of blue cheese or authentic Roquefort, cheese on any salad is an entirely personal preference. If you enjoy and eat blue cheese, I love and recommend Point Reyes Blue out of Northern California. Fresh goat cheese is salty and tangy and pairs well with kale (bonus if you can find the goat cheese covered in dried cranberries).
    • Olive or avocado oil. I love avocado oil in dressings for its omega-3 content and neutral flavor. Olive oil lends its signature taste to the dressing but works well.
    • Ground cinnamon. More spices to try in the vinaigrette are nutmeg, cardamom, and allspice.
    • Honey. Raw honey is the top-shelf choice. Orange blossom honey adds aromatic floral notes.
    • Apple cider vinegar. White wine and champagne vinegar are good substitutes.
    • Lemon juice. Fresh-squeezed is best, but any lemon juice slows the oxidation of the cut apples.

    The Steps

    Peeling the apples for the vinaigrette and salad is optional. I leave the skin on for added texture and nutrients.

    1. Blend the vinaigrette. Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a blender or small food processor and blend until smooth. Without either tool, you can substitute applesauce for the apple and whisk the ingredients together in a bowl. Or omit the apple altogether.
    2. Toast the nuts. In a small sauté (shallow) pan over medium heat toast the pine nuts shaking the pan often. Once the nuts are fragrant and lightly browned, remove them from the heat immediately (the nuts can burn quickly). Set aside. 
    3. Wash and slice the kale. Wash the kale, dry it well, and tear or slice the leaves off the stems. (You can save the stems for roasting, grilling, or chopping and simmering in soups and stews.) Stack the kale leaves and pinch them together with your non-dominant hand. Then with a sharp knife, slice the leaves as thinly as possible into chiffonade (French culinary speak for thinly sliced or shredded).
    4. Core and chop the apple. Core and chop the apple into quarter-inch pieces. You don't need an apple corer. Simply cut large pieces of the apple flesh away from the core and chop them with the cut side down for the most stability. 
    5. Dress and serve the salad. Combine the kale, chopped apples, toasted pine nuts, cranberries, and any cheese in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle a pinch of salt evenly over the ingredients. Add the vinaigrette to the bowl a few spoonfuls at a time and mix until all the ingredients are lightly coated. Add more dressing to your liking. Freshly grinding or sprinkling black pepper over the top of the finished salad adds subtle spice. 
    Blended lemon and honey vinaigrette in a blender cup.
    blend the dressing
    Lemon-honey dressing drizzling off of a grey spatula.
    taste and season it
    A single leaf of lacinato kale cut away from the stem on a cutting board.
    remove the kale leaves from the stems
    A hand pinching together kale leaves with a section of the leaves shredded.
    shred the kale
    A bunch of kale leaves shredded finely on a cutting board.
    aim for thin strips
    A chef's knife in the middle of a bunch of shredded lacinato kale.
    slice down the middle for smaller pieces
    Chopped Honeycrisp apple on a cutting board next to the core.
    chop the apple
    Toasted pine nuts that are golden brown in a pan.
    toast the pine nuts
    Shredded lacinato kale, chopped apples, toasted pine nuts, dried cranberries, and blue cheese in a large ceramic mixing bowl.
    combine the salad components
    A hand holding a tiny portion of kosher salt.
    season with flake or sea salt
    Lemon-honey vinaigrette drizzled over the ingredients for a kale-apple salad.
    drizzle with dressing
    Tongs mixing a kale-apple salad with a lemon, honey, and apple dressing.
    toss and mix to coat
    Kale-apple salad on a gray plate next to a yellow napkin.

    Chef's Tips

    • On buying and storing kale. Look for unblemished, perky leaves without too many holes (that means pests sampled your meal first). To keep kale as fresh as possible wrap the leaves in damp paper towels and seal in an airtight food storage container or bag.
    • Salt the salad. Professional chefs never miss one step: seasoning salad greens with salt before mixing in the dressing. Yes, salt on salad greens. You don't need a lot, and if you use coarse kosher or sea salt it's really hard to overdo it.
    • Taste the vinaigrette. Do this before dressing the salad. You can't fix a lackluster salad dressing after it's already coating the greens. Taste a tiny spoonful and if it falls flat, whisk in a pinch more salt and taste again. Too oily? Add more lemon juice. But if it's too sour, a little more honey or oil may be needed.
    • Store leftover dressing in a squeeze bottle. A plastic squeeze bottle is any chef's favorite toy (beside's their knife). And it's one that can make cooking from scratch at home a lot easier. Storing leftover vinaigrette in a food-safe squeeze bottle allows for a quick shake to recombine any separation. And it's a really fun way to play with your food by making fun designs on the plate.
    A hand holding a squeeze bottle of lemon vinaigrette over a plate of kale-apple salad.
    A kale and apple salad with the dressing plated in a pattern of small dots.

    Variations

    • Kale and Brussels sprouts. Replace half of the kale with shredded Brussels sprouts. The sprouts are still plenty crunchy, but much less bitter.
    • Sprinkle in quinoa. Mix in half a cup of cooked quinoa for a true meal of a salad and added protein.
    • Butternut or acorn squash. For a colorful vegan delight, peel and cut up an acorn or butternut squash into cubes. Then coat them in oil and salt, and roast the squash at 400° F until it's golden brown and fork tender. Cool (or don't), and add to the salad.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Do you have to massage kale?

    Kale is a card-carrying member of the cabbage family and a fibrous, cold-weather crop. But unless you're attempting to eat it straight outta the garden box, massaging the leaves is unnecessary (unless it sparks joy). The oil in salad dressing will encourage the leaves to soften. And so will slicing or chopping the leaves. So I say let the food handle itself. Nature deserves more credit than we often afford it.

    How long does kale last in the refrigerator?

    If wrapped in damp paper towels and sealed in an airtight container or the crisper drawer, kale can last up to seven days in the refrigerator. Kale sourced from a farmer's market or local co-op will be fresher and last longer than bunches from a national grocery chain.

    Can you eat kale stems?

    Why, yes you can! Kale stems are great candidates for roasting and grilling. Or you can slice the stems thinly crosswise and simmer the pieces in soups and stews. Stems are (of course) the most fibrous part of the plant, so long-simmering or braising and high-heat cooking methods work best.Kale stems from lacinato and red russian kale.


    Print

    📖 Recipe

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    Kale and apple salad with cranberries and lemon vinaigrette in a wooden bowl.

    Kale-Apple Salad with Cranberries and Pine Nuts

    ★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews
    • Author: Chef Christina
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 5 minutes
    • Total Time: 20 minutes
    • Yield: Serves 2 to 4 1x
    • Category: Salads
    • Method: Easy
    • Cuisine: Mediterranean
    • Diet: Vegetarian
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    A crunchy, salty, and sweet kale and apple salad perfect for winter months. Substitute in any variety of apples, tree nuts, and cheese you like. I recommend reaching for sweeter, crisper apple varieties such as Gala, Honeycrisp, Fuji, Braeburn, Ambrosia, or Cosmic Crisp.


    Ingredients

    Scale

    Lemon-Honey Apple Vinaigrette

    • 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
    • ¼ cup of olive or avocado oil (or 2 tablespoons of each)
    • 1 medium apple or ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons of unsweetened apple sauce, optional
    • ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
    • 1 tablespoon of raw honey
    • 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
    • ¼ teaspoon of kosher or flake salt (⅛ teaspoon of table salt)

    For the Salad

    • 1 large or 2 small bunches of kale, sliced thinly (5 ounces of shredded kale)
    • 1 red apple, cored and diced, peeling optional
    • 2 tablespoons of dried cranberries
    • 3 tablespoons of pine nuts, toasted
    • Kosher or sea salt
    • 2 ounces of Roquefort, optional
    • Ground black pepper, optional

    Instructions

    For the Vinaigrette

    1. Blend or whisk. In a small-capacity food processor or blender, combine all of the vinaigrette ingredients and blend until smooth. If you don't own either appliance, you can omit the apples or substitute applesauce and whisk it all together in a bowl. 
    2. Season and taste. Once the vinaigrette is blended, taste it and add salt a little at a time until it is seasoned to you liking. 
    3. Store chilled. The dressing keeps in the refrigerator for up to a week. Whisk or shake it vigorously if it separates. 

    For the Salad

    1. Toast the nuts. In a small sauté (shallow) pan over medium heat toast the pine nuts shaking the pan occasionally. Once the nuts are fragrant and lightly browned, remove them from the heat immediately.
    2. Wash and slice the kale. Remove the kale leaves from the stems, then wash and dry them well. Stack the kale leaves and pinch them together towards one end with your non-dominant hand. With a sharp knife, slice the kale into very thin strips, called chiffonade. 
    3. Core and chop the apple. Core and chop the apple into quarter-inch pieces. You don't need an apple corer. Simply cut large pieces of the apple flesh away from the core and chop them with the cut side down for the most stability. 
    4. Dress and serve the salad. Combine the kale, chopped apples, toasted pine nuts, cranberries, and any cheese in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle a pinch of salt evenly over the ingredients. Add the vinaigrette to the bowl a few spoonfuls at a time and mix until all the ingredients are lightly coated. Add more dressing to your liking. Freshly grinding or sprinkling black pepper over the top of the finished salad adds a subtle spice. 
    5. Store chilled. In an airtight container, the salad keeps in the refrigerator for up to three days. The kale will soften as it sits but will maintain texture. I like to refresh the salad on days two and three by adding a new round of chopped apples. 

    Notes

    Substitution for Apple Cider Vinegar

    If you don't have or don't like apple cider vinegar, you can replace it with the same amount of lemon juice. 

    Chef's Tips

    On buying kale. Look for unblemished, perky leaves without too many holes (that means pests sampled your meal first). To keep kale as fresh as possible wrap the leaves in damp paper towels and seal them in an airtight food storage container or bag. 

    Salt the salad. Professional chefs never miss one step: seasoning salad greens with salt before mixing in the dressing. Yes, salt on salad greens. You won't regret it. 

    Taste the vinaigrette. Do this before dressing the salad. You can't fix a lackluster salad dressing after it's already coating the greens.

    Keywords: kale salad, kale apple salad

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    More Vegan & Plant-Based Recipes

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    Filed Under: Gluten Free, Keto, Paleo, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegan Tagged With: easy kale salad, kale recipes, kale salad ideas, kale salad recipes

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    1. J.J.

      January 18, 2023 at 8:02 pm

      Tastes so good, I especially like the apple in the dressing. Makes it more substantial and haven’t seen that anywhere else. Thanks for sharing!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Chef Christina

        January 18, 2023 at 8:09 pm

        My pleasure, glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    2. Carla

      January 18, 2023 at 5:51 pm

      Can’t get enough of this, but I keep adding more blue cheese! 😊

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Chef Christina

        January 18, 2023 at 5:59 pm

        100% Carla! I’m sure I add more than is listed in the recipe.😅

        Reply
    3. Minneapple Pie

      January 10, 2012 at 3:01 pm

      Beautiful photos! This looks like a fantastically clean salad, perfect for January clean eating. The apple vinaigrette looks so versatile. Thank you for sharing this. Keep 'em coming!

      Reply
      • Edible Times

        January 10, 2012 at 8:45 pm

        Thank you for coming by ET! I've noticed everyone is on a post-holiday health kick, so I am brainstorming more healthy yet tasty salads. Cheers!

        Reply
    4. Joan Woodlief

      January 09, 2012 at 5:48 pm

      Thanks! It looks yummy and I can't wait to try it.

      Reply

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    I'm here to empower you in the kitchen. I share way more than delicious, chef-tested recipes. I explain the professional formulas, ratios, and techniques, too. To read about me and my food philosophy, follow this.



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