This kale salad with apple is made with a few simple ingredients in about 15 minutes. There’s hearty kale, crisp apple, pumpkin seeds, cranberries, shaved parmesan and onion all tossed in a buckwheat honey vinaigrette. So good!
You may remember me telling you about all the kale growing in my parents’ garden.
Hubby and I have yet to grow kale, but maybe next year.
Because they were overflowing with the stuff and super insistent that I take some (don’t have to tell me twice), I’ve been using kale in all the ways.
Today I’m bringing you this simple raw kale salad with apple (the apple comes from hubby and my garden or, um, tree).
Tips for Making this Kale Salad With Apple
- Cut the kale into bite-sized pieces or ribbons. Nobody wants a huge piece of kale.
- Granola as a garnish is highly recommended (I have to thank hubby for this idea).
- I used buckwheat honey for this honey lemon vinaigrette because it has such a rich molasses-like flavour, but feel free to use whatever honey you enjoy, or even maple syrup.
- Use whatever apple variety you like or have on hand.
More Easy Salad Recipes
If you make this raw kale salad with apple, be sure to leave a comment below!
Kale Salad With Apple
Ingredients
Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons buckwheat honey, or your favourite variety
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Kale Salad With Apple
- 6 cups chopped kale (bite-sized pieces, leaves only, no stems)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- pinch salt
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced red onion
- ¼ cup unsalted pumpkin seeds
- 1 apple, cored removed and apple sliced (variety of your choice)
Instructions
- Make the vinaigrette: Place olive oil, honey, lemon juice, salt and black pepper into a small jar, cover, and shake to combine.
- Place kale into a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle over a pinch of salt. Using your clean hands, massage the kale leaves for a few minutes by scrunching/squeezing the kale until it starts to break down a tad and become more tender (this makes it more pleasant for eating).
- Assemble the salad: Toss kale with dried cranberries, red onion, pumpkin seeds, apple and vinaigrette until well combined. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Cut the kale into bite-sized pieces or ribbons. Nobody want a huge piece of kale.
- I used buckwheat honey for this honey lemon vinaigrette because it has such a rich molasses-like flavour, but feel free to use whatever honey you have on hand, or even maple syrup.
- Use whatever apple variety you like or have on hand.
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
© Girl Heart Food Inc. Photographs and content are copyright protected.
Tried this recipe?
If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking says
Love that you kept this simple Dawn! And with fresh, local ingredients, no need to make it complicated! Apple and kale are a great pair, and that dressing sounds delicious! And I like your hubby’s idea for granola as a topping! Brilliant! Hope you had a great weekend!
Girl Heart Food says
Thanks Leanne 🙂 Sometimes simple is best! Hope you had a great weekend too!
Mimi says
This is beautiful. Love everything about it!
Girl Heart Food says
Thanks Mimi 🙂 Happy to hear that!
Girl Heart Food says
Thanks so much Mimi 🙂 Happy to hear that!
Kelly | Foodtasia says
How lovely to grow your own apples! And it’s so beautiful! This salad is just bursting with flavor – so delicious! I love salads like this with that perfect combination of textures and flavors 🙂
Girl Heart Food says
Thanks Kelly! It really is pretty awesome grabbing an apple from our very own tree 🙂
Girl Heart Food says
Thank you Kelly! So fun picking apples from our own tree 🙂
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop says
I love adding fruit to salads. They add a whole different level of texture and taste. This salad looks absolutely delicious – and healthy! That’s a win, win!!!! 🙂
Girl Heart Food says
Totally! Thanks so much, Kathy!
Katherine | Love In My Oven says
It’s the best when parents offload their garden produce, haha! My in-laws gave us a bunch of kale this summer from their garden that I would have loved to use in this salad! I love the granola idea – I never would have thought of that. Cheers, chicka!
Girl Heart Food says
Right?! Yes, the granola is so good in here. Thanks Katherine 🙂
Milena says
I am not the world’s biggest raw kale fan, much prefer it cooked…but….looking at this salad..You may have changed my mind. Like the massage tip:) And the vinaigrette rocks! I am a fan of buckwheat honey. Great job on growing those apples!
Girl Heart Food says
I sure hope so 😉 Thanks Milena!
Ben|Havocinthekitchen says
Apples make an excellent addition to fall salads, and I often use them either fresh or slightly caramelized in honey/maple syrup. This combo of kale, cranberry, pumpkin seeds, apples, and granola (great idea indeed!) is just perfect. I would have probably added just a bit of crispy bacon too. Very well done!
Girl Heart Food says
Mmmmm…bacon added sounds lovely too! Thanks so much Ben 🙂
Kevin says
A crisp and crunchy salad with flavors of fall that will be a must try. From prep to table in just minutes, even better!
Girl Heart Food says
Thanks Kevin! Gotta love easy and tasty recipes 😉
Bill says
Those are beautiful apples! This seems to be the year I learn about different varieties of honey, they seem to be everywhere, and that’s a good thing :). The granola is a cool idea, kudos to him.
Girl Heart Food says
Thanks Bill! Yes, the granola really adds something special 🙂
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
I love all the crisp fall ingredients in this salad Dawn! And the dressing if nice and light, just the way I like it. I’ll be adding this one to my fall salad lineup!
Girl Heart Food says
Thanks Mary Ann! Enjoy 🙂
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says
This looks WONDERFUL! I love kale salads because, even if I load them with ALL the toppings, I feel like I’m being healthy. This vinaigrette sounds soooo good–I’ve never tried buckwheat honey but the molasses flavor intrigues me so I’m going to have to find some. And then make this salad :). Love it! Have a great weekend, Dawn!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
Such a perfect Fall salad and even better with home grown goodness 🙂 Love the vinaigrette, too!
David @ Spiced says
I’m so impressed with the apples you grew, Dawn! Seriously. We have 2 apple trees, and they’re getting big enough (finally) to produce a handful of apples. But the apples just look janky and misshapen…nothing like your perfect apple in that photo! I probably need to go read about how to take care of the trees in the summer growing season so that our apples look better in the Fall. In the meantime, though, this salad. You’ve been killing it with some fun Fall recipes lately! I need to put this one on the menu….and kudos to your husband for the granola idea, too!
annie@ciaochowbambina says
The first word that comes to mind as I look at this salad is crisp! And that’s really what I want from my fall salad – all the flavor with that wonderful crispy crunch of the apple and seeds. Your dressing’s a winner too! Thanks for sharing, Dawn! Have a great weekend, my friend! XOXO