Healthy Kale Apple Salad

This healthy kale apple salad combines tender kale, crisp apples, broccoli, feta, cranberries, and pepitas with a sweet and tangy apple cider vinaigrette. It is an easy no-cook salad that is ready in 30 minutes.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings people

Calories 307kcal

Author Katie G.

Ingredients

For the Salad

8 cups kale chopped
1-2 tsp olive oil
1 pinch kosher salt
2 cups broccoli florets chopped
1 ½ cups apples chopped
½ cup crumbled feta
¼ cup red onion diced
¼ cup carrots shredded
¼ cup pepitas
¼ cup dried cranberries

For the Apple Cider Vinaigrette

¼ cup olive oil
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1-2 tbsp maple syrup or honey to taste
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ tbsp Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove minced
¼ tsp sea salt
¼ t tsp black pepper

Instructions

Add the vinaigrette ingredients to a jar and shake for about 20 seconds. When it is ready, the dressing should look uniform and lightly thickened, with no large pools of oil remaining.
Transfer the kale to a large bowl and add the olive oil and kosher salt. Work the leaves between your hands for 30 to 60 seconds, until they look glossy, shrink slightly, and feel more flexible.
Add the broccoli, apples, feta, red onion, carrots, pepitas, and dried cranberries. Toss gently to distribute the ingredients throughout the kale.
Give the vinaigrette another vigorous shake. Toss the salad with about one-third of the dressing, then add small amounts as needed until everything is lightly coated. Serve any remaining vinaigrette on the side.

Notes

Remove the thick kale stems and dry the leaves thoroughly before massaging.
Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Fuji, and Granny Smith apples all work well.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
For the best make-ahead texture, store the apples, pepitas, feta, and dressing separately.

Want more details? Scroll up for step-by-step instructions, tips and variations.

Nutrition