Kale Apple Salad

This Kale Apple Salad is so delicious, with a crunchy texture and flavorful dressing that can't be beat. You can enjoy this dish as a light meal or serve it on the side of your favorite entrees.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Total Time 15

Servings servings

Calories 395kcal

Author Tania Sheff

Ingredients

4 oz. kale
½ tsp. sea salt
1 medium semi-sweet apple, diced
1 cup cooked quinoa (heaping ¼ cup of uncooked)
½ cup toasted walnuts
¼ cup hemp hearts

For the Dressing

¼ cup olive oil
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. pepper

Instructions

Remove the stalks from the kale and discard. Roll the kale up into a bunch and then slice the leaves.
Place the kale into a large mixing bowl, and then add the salt. Massage it with your hands for a few minutes. Set aside.
To make the dressing, shake the olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small jar.
Add the sliced apples, cooked quinoa, toasted walnuts, and hemp hearts to the bowl with the prepared kale. Pour the dressing on top and mix everything well. Serve.

Video

This Kale Apple Salad is so delicious, with a crunchy texture and flavorful dressing that can't be beat. You can enjoy this dish as a light meal or serve it on the side of your favorite entrees.

Notes

Tips for the best Kale Apple Salad

Cut off the kale stalks. These pieces are not only a little bitter, but also very tough. They won't taste good in your salad so discard them before slicing the leaves.
Massage the kale leaves. Kale is notoriously tough and fibrous, so massaging the leaves with salt will break them down a little so they are more tender and easier to digest.
Use a homemade dressing. Whether it's this dressing I've detailed or another, homemade dressings are super easy and add more flavor to your salads. They also tend to be healthier.
Cut the apples when you're ready to assemble the salad. Since apples will brown quickly after cutting, don't do this ahead of time. Cut them when you're ready to assemble and dress the salad.

How to Store

To store it, place the Kale Apple Salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. While kale is very hearty, the apples will become mushy as they sit, so try to eat this salad the day you make it.

Nutrition