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Best Harvest Kale Apple Salad with Cranberries & Pecans

harvest kale apple salad with cranberries & pecans - featured image
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This Harvest Kale Apple Salad with Cranberries & Pecans is a crowd-pleasing, make-ahead salad featuring massaged kale, sweet and tart apples, toasted pecans, dried cranberries, and a tangy maple-Dijon dressing. It’s the perfect side dish for holiday gatherings or any fall meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 large bunch curly kale (about 10–12 ounces), stems removed and chopped
  • 2 medium apples (1 Honeycrisp and 1 Granny Smith), cored and thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup pecan halves or pieces, toasted and roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion, soaked in cold water for 10 minutes and drained
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced (about 1/2 teaspoon)
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

Instructions

  1. Wash the kale thoroughly and pat dry. Remove tough stems, stack leaves, roll tightly, and slice crosswise into thin ribbons (about 1/2-inch wide).
  2. Place chopped kale in a large bowl. Drizzle with 1-2 teaspoons olive oil and a pinch of salt. Using clean hands, massage the kale by squeezing and scrunching for about 3 minutes until tender and reduced in volume by half.
  3. Toast pecans in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes until fragrant and slightly darkened. Remove from pan and set aside to cool, then chop roughly.
  4. In a mason jar or small bowl, combine olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Shake vigorously or whisk until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  5. Core and thinly slice apples (about 1/4-inch thick). Toss with a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent browning if not serving immediately. Soak sliced red onion in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
  6. Pour about half the dressing over the massaged kale and toss well. Add toasted pecans, dried cranberries, apple slices, and drained red onion. Drizzle remaining dressing and toss gently. Add crumbled feta cheese and toss lightly.
  7. Let salad sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld. If making ahead, cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. Give a final toss and adjust seasoning before serving.

Notes

Don’t skip massaging the kale—it transforms the texture from tough to tender. Toast pecans fresh for best flavor. Use one sweet and one tart apple for complexity. Dress kale first, then add toppings to ensure even coating. This salad improves with time; make it a few hours ahead for better flavor. Add pecans and feta just before serving to keep them crunchy.

Nutrition

Keywords: kale salad, harvest salad, apple salad, cranberry pecan salad, fall salad, Thanksgiving salad, make-ahead salad

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