Kale and Apple Salad with Candied Pecans
A kale and apple salad with candied pecans. Kale, cranberries, Honeycrisp apples, crumbled goat cheese, candied pecans, and pepitas with a creamy dijon dressing.
Ready for a fall-inspired salad? This kale and apple salad is a very loose take on Panara’s Orchard Harvest salad. I love the combo of crisp apples, kale, creamy goat cheese, Dijon dressing, and—the best part—candied pecans with pepitas.
See below for more details and tips for success, or scroll down for the full recipe below.
Ingredient Notes
- Kale: I prefer a tender kale for this one, like a curly kale or Tuscan kale for best results, though purple kale will also work.
- Dried Cranberries: I like the sweet addition of dried cranberries, especially with more bitter kale! I love this paring in my roasted cranberry and kale salad, too.
- Goat Cheese: A little creamy cheese in this salad adds so much flavor and texture. If you want to keep it vegan, then use a dairy-free cheese option, like Violife’s feta. Cheddar cheese or parmesan cheese can also be substituted.
- Honeycrisp apples: Honeycrisp apples are my favorite apples and they are great in this kale and apple salad. They are juicy and sweet and just divine– totally worth the price! If you want to use other apples, then you can. Gala, Cosmic Crisp or another sweet apple will work.
- Pecans and Pepitas: You’ll combine these with a little maple syrup and cinnamon to make candied nuts. You can also substitute walnuts or another nut!
How to Make this Kale and Apple Salad
Prep the Ingredients
Chop the kale, slice or chop the apples, and make the dressing
Make the Candied Nuts
Toast the nuts in a small skillet over medium heat until golden brown and toasted. Add in the maple syrup and cinnamon until the maple syrup bubbles, then remove from heat. Place the nuts on parchment paper and let cool completely.
Massage the Kale
Place the kale in a large salad bowl and add some of the dressing. Using your hands or tongs, massage the kale until broken down and tender, about 2 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients, tossing together until combined, and serve immediately.
Tips for Success
I love kale salad, but if you are still unsure, here’s how to make it successful. First, use tender kale, like curly kale or Tuscan kale (also called lacinato kale or dinosaur kale.)
Next, very finely chop the kale. This helps the kale taste more tender and is a game-changer for kale salads. I remove the rib, then lay the leaves on top of each other and roll tightly, like a cigar. From there, thinly slice from the edge to create thin ribbons. You can chop again for smaller pieces.
The final key for a better kale salad is to massage kale with a little of the dressing before adding the rest of the ingredients. This helps to break down the tough cell walls and make for a more tender salad.
These pecans are a must-make. A must for holiday parties, for snacking, this salad and everything in between. The hardest part about this salad is not eating all of the pecans while you are prepping the rest of the ingredients. They are addictive to say the very, very least.
If you’re looking for a healthy way to start the week, this salad is it. Prep the kale, pecans and dressing ahead of time for easy assemble throughout the week. You know how I feel about week-day lunches (and dinners) — make them as easy as possible on yourself. With simple ingredients like this, you can mix and match healthy meals whenever you need them.
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!
Kale and Apple Salad with Candied Pecans
Ingredients
- 6-8 cups shredded kale leaves, about 1 large bunch or 2 smaller bunches
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1 large honeycrisp apple, chopped or thinly sliced (about 1 heaping cup)
- 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese
Dijon Dressing
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons honey, or maple syrup
- pinch ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup olive oil
Candied Pecans and Pepitas
- 1/4 cup pepitas, hulled pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Make the dressing: whisk together the garlic cloves, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, honey, cinnamon and salt until well combined. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, then taste, adding more salt as desired.
- Place the kale in a large bowl and add 2 tablespoons of the dressing. Using your hands or tongs, massage the dressing into the kale for 2 minutes until it starts to wilt. Let it sit for 10 minutes while you make the pecans.
- In a small saucepan or skillet over medium-low heat, add the pepitas and pecans and toast until nutty and fragrant, stirring often and taking care not to brown. Add the honey, red pepper flakes, and cinnamon and let bubble, then remove from heat and let cool slightly. Transfer to a piece of parchment paper and let cool completely without touching. This will allow the nuts to become brittle-like as they cool.
- Add the cranberries, apple, and goat cheese to the kale salad along with the rest of the dressing and toss well. Garnish with the pepitas and pecans and serve immediately.