You will love this autumn-inspired Kale Apple Salad Recipe with cranberries and toasted pecans and honey lemon dressing. It’s so easy to prepare, and it’s one of the few green salads that can be made ahead.
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Kale Salad with Apples and Pecans
We love seasonal autumn salads, like our Pear Salad, Roasted Sweet Potato Salad, and this Kale Apple Salad because it is loaded with all of our favorite Fall ingredients: crisp apples, pears, pecans, and kale of course! The simple honey-lemon dressing coats every bite of this kale salad and makes it completely fresh, nutritious, and delicious!
This salad and a bowl of Roasted Butternut Squash Soup are all we need for the perfect Fall meal.
Is Kale Apple Salad Good for You?
This Kale Apple Salad is a nutritional powerhouse with tons of fruits and veggies. Kale is the star ingredient here, and it’s known for its nutrient-dense profile. It is high in Vitamin K, Vitamin A and Vitamin C. It’s also the star ingredient in this salad! See the nutrition content estimates in the recipe card label below.
Kale is more versatile than you think. It’s also great in soups like Zuppa Toscana and our Sausage Kale Soup. It’s also great in Tortellini Soup!
How to Make Kale Salad Dressing
Combine lemon juice, olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper in a measuring cup and stir until dissolved.
Pro Tip: If your honey doesn’t dissolve readily, you can place the bottom of your dressing container into a bowl of hot water to warm it slightly, which should do the trick!
How to Strip Kale Leaves
- Strip kale leaves (hold the stem in one hand and pull the leaves off with the other). Discard the stems as they are fibrous and tough.
- Chop leaves into bite-sized pieces and double rinse the chopped leaves to catch any trapped dust in the curly leaves then thoroughly dry in a salad spinner.
Why Should You Massage Kale?
Raw kale is naturally a tough, leafy green and massaging it helps to soften it up so you can enjoy it without having to cook it. Be sure not to over-massage it so you don’t end up with mushy kale. Rub the kale and dressing together just until the kale starts to soften and wilt.
How to Make Autumn Kale Salad with Apples and Pecans
- Place kale in a salad bowl, add cranberries, and drizzle with all of the dressing. Use your hands to massage the dressing into the kale, just until the kale starts to wilt. This will help to soften it. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
- Before serving, top with sliced apples, sliced pears, thinly sliced onions, and toasted pecans. Toss to combine.
Can I Make Kale Apple Salad Ahead?
We completely LOVE that this Autumn Kale Salad is a make-ahead salad. Most green leaf salads like our Autumn Chicken Salad must be eaten soon after they are made but this one just gets better with time! I recommend letting the kale marinate with the dressing for 4 hours or overnight. We’ve enjoyed this salad after 2 hours but the leaves are softer and just right after marinating 4 hours.
PS. The lemon dressing preserves the fruit so leftovers of this kale salad are still very tasty the next day – perfect for a work or school lunch! 🙂
This kale salad is loaded with the good stuff. Every bite is so satisfying! The make-ahead option makes it perfect for serving up at your next party.
What to Serve with Kale Apple Salad
There are some recipes that end up on the regular rotation during the cooler months. These are the dishes we love to cozy up with and they pair perfectly with Kale Salad. Check out more of our favorite Fall Recipes Here.
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Whole Chicken
- Smashed Potatoes
- Loaded Potato Soup
- Creamy Sweet Potato Soup
- Juicy Roast Turkey
Kale Apple Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients for Salad Dressing:
- 4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp honey, or sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
Ingredients for Kale Salad:
- 1 bunch kale, (8 cups loosely packed) well rinsed
- 1 cup craisins, dried cranberries
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 apple, (I used a crisp fuji apple)
- 1 pear, (firm)
- 1 cup pecans, toasted on a dry skillet
Instructions
- Combine all dressing ingredients and stir together until honey dissolves then set aside.
- Rinse and strip kale leaves. Chop in bite-sized pieces. I rinse the chopped leaves a second time to ensure there isn’t any dust hidden in the curly leaves then dry in a salad spinner.
- Place kale in a salad bowl, top with 1 cup craisins and drizzle with dressing. Use hands to stir well and massage lightly until kale just starts to wilt. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
- Before serving, add sliced apples, sliced pears, thinly sliced onions and toasted pecans. Toss to combine.