A light and zesty kale apple salad that takes ordinary kale salad to another level! Transform kale with a good massage, a light poppy seed dressing and chunks of sweet, crunchy apple.
This light and zesty kale and apple slaw with poppy seed salad dressing is an incredibly easy gluten free salad to make as an appetizer or starter, and it really transforms curly kale into something else entirely! Of course, you can also use lacinato kale leaves (also known as dinosaur kale) for this salad.
To make this salad, all you do is chop the kale, massage it with olive oil, and then top it with apples. It is best when made with Cosmic Crisp Apples into an easy Cosmic Crisp recipe salad, though I've also used Fuji apples or Gala apples with great results. The crunch of the apples and their naturally attractive red skin lend a nice crunch to this healthy salad.
Then, the salad comes together with a simple vinaigrette type homemade dressing: just whisk together finely diced red onion with apple cider vinegar, honey, mustard and olive oil into an easy poppy seed dressing. Pour it on the raw kale, and you've got yourself a simple apple kale salad recipe!
You couldn't get an easier recipe for kale salad with apple even if you tried - and I guarantee you're going to love this recipe once you try it!
Ingredients you need to make this Kale and Apple Salad:
- Kale - kale is one of the healthiest dark leafy greens out there, which is why doctors are always touting the nutritional benefits of kale. Due to a little trick of massaging the kale for a bit before you mix it into the salad, this simple kale salad enables you to eat kale raw without hiding it behind a ton of other ingredients. You can use any types of kale you like for this recipe - I love to transform usually hardy, curly green kale with this easy kale recipe, though of course you can use Tuscan kale too.
- Apples - for this this kale apple salad recipe, I love using Cosmic Crisp apples. You can also use sweet and tart Gala apples, Fuji apples or Cortland apples for this recipe. You don't even need to peel the apples to enjoy them!
- Red onion - finely chopped red onion adds a contrast that is unbelievably delicious to this salad. Don't skip it, although you can use regular onions too.
- apple cider vinegar - to match the apples, I recommend using apple cider vinegar in this salad dressing.
- honey or maple syrup - to keep the recipe vegan, use maple syrup. I love the flavor honey gives to this salad, and often use it to sweeten all my vinaigrettes. You can omit the additional sugar if you'd like, but it helps balance the salad dressing.
- Dijon mustard - adds a nice depth of flavor to the dressing. You can omit if you'd like.
- poppy seeds - these seeds are the heart of the poppyseed dressing. If you omit them, it will taste different.
- olive oil - a good, fruity olive oil is best.
- salt and pepper - I love using flaky sea salt for this recipe.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
How to make apple kale slaw
Dice vegetables
Use a chef's knife to cut out the stems out of the kale with two long cuts. Remove the leaves from the tough ribs and slice them into thin, narrow ribbons. Discard the tough stems, or blend them into a pesto or a green hot sauce. Transfer leaves to a large bowl, drizzle a touch of olive oil on the chopped kale leaves, and massage the leaves for about 5 minutes.
Chop the apple into small cubes or matchsticks (you may want to use a mandolin for this). Transfer to the bowl.
Massage the kale
How to massage kale, you wonder? It means deliberately working the leaves between your fingers like you would when doing a massage on a human. Start by squeezing large clumps of leaves in your hands, and then progress to rubbing the leaves between your fingers. After about 3-5 minutes of doing this, your kale really softens and becomes pleasant to eat.
Make poppy seed dressing
Add finely diced onion and the rest of the dressing ingredients to a jar. Seal tightly and shake until emulsified. Taste the dressing - it should be tangy.
Assemble salad
Add the dressing to bowl with kale and apples, and toss until the kale apple salad is fully coated.
Why I love this salad?
- Balanced flavor
- Quick and Easy to make
- Can be adapted to suit your taste profile
- Sweet and salty
- Can be prepared ahead of time
- Gluten-Free
- Vegan
- Can be adapted to Paleo and Whole 30 diets
Make ahead and storage
Kale does well even if left mixed with the dressing, so feel free to make the salad ahead and let the kale sit in an airtight container for up to 1 day.
Leftover salad will keep for 2-3 more days.
Variations
Apple arugula salad
Substitute the kale for arugula leaves, or even sliced buttercup lettuce for a more delicate salad.
Add Cheddar
Add a bit of aged cheddar to this salad. It provides a nice contrast to the sweet apples! I also love cheddar kale salad in many variations.
Add parmesan cheese
Another cheese that goes well here is parmesan! Just grate it and crumble the
Most sweet kale salads include additional ingredients like walnuts, pecans, goat cheese, and dried cranberries. While those are all delicious, they do add a ton of extra calories to your salad, so add them with caution!
Accompanying Dishes
Pair this light and zesty kale and Cosmic Crisp apple slaw with poppyseed salad dressing with a delectable main course like pan seared duck breast.
For a vegetarian main dish to pair with this salad, try my Greek moussaka. For a vegan main dish, I love this vegan pasta bake.
It would also go well with potatoes and rice.
More salad recipes
FAQ
Yes! Kale is rich in Vitamin A, C and K, as well as folate and omega 3 fatty acids which are harder to get on a vegan diet. The apple adds a bit of sugar to this dish, but it's quite reach in nutrients as well. You can omit any added maple syrup or honey from this recipe.
You can reduce the olive oil in the dressing by 1 tablespoon if you're watching the fat.
Yes, it can be made 1-2 days in advance. Leftovers will keep for 2-3 days as well.
Like this apple and kale salad recipe? Don't forget to leave a review and a star rating below, as well to pin the recipe for later use!
Tried and loved this recipe? Please leave a 5-star review below! Your reviews mean a lot to me, so if you've got any questions, please let me know in a comment.
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Kale apple salad
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Salad tongs
Ingredients
Instructions
- To make kale and apple salad: remove the ribs of the kale and slice the kale leaves thinly into narrow ribbons. Pour a bit of olive oil on the leaves, and massage them for 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a large salad bowl.
- Dice the apple into cubes or matchsticks (you may want to use a mandolin for this).
- To make dressing, add finely diced onion and the rest of the dressing ingredients to a jar. Seal tightly and shake until emulsified. Pour the dressing to bowl with kale and apples, and toss until the kale apple salad is fully coated.
Lynn Polito says
This salad was so delicious and perfect for my lunch today!
Kris says
The textures and flavors of this salad were so satisfying. I had been wondering what to do with the poppy seeds in my cupboard and this was just perfect! SO good.
Mikayla says
I loved the sweet crisp bites of apple with the earthy kale and the dressing was delicious!
Claire says
What a delicious combo! I have a friend with a prolific garden that always gifts me kale and I never know what to make with it. I'll definitely be making this salad next time!
Shilpa says
I loved this salad. And the poppy seed dressing was so so good.
Marie-Pierre Breton says
I must add some more of that kale to my diet. It seems like the ultimate healthy ingredient! Going to try this soon! Looks lovely once more!
Ann says
I have grown fond of kale. This salad sounds delicious! A great option for lunch! Excited to give it a try!
Sean says
Kale and apple salad is such a great light lunch salad. I made it for my lunch today and it was EXATLY what I needed. I added some chicken to it.
Nicole says
This salad checks all the boxes for a great salad. The combo of apples and a super simple poppyseed dressing is fab!
Kristina says
The dressing turned out amazing with perfect flavors that went really well with the kale and apples. I preferred the cubed apple pieces to make it easier to bite into, and it sure was tasty.
Jamie says
Wow! This salad recipe looks incredibly delicious and a very healthy meal for everyone to love! Love the greenish color makes it so appealing!
Sarah Walker Caron says
This reminds me of a salad I ate often while improving my health several years back. That dressing sounds perfect. Plus, I am a total lover of all things kale, so I cannot wait to give this a try.
Sherry L Ronning says
I was looking for a great side-dish recipe to serve with my main dish for dinner. Your Kale Apple Salad was super easy to make and it tasted great.
Amy Liu Dong says
I have never tried to make this kind of salad recipe but it looks good and tasty. I will definitely make this at home for tonight!
Jacqueline Debono says
My new favourite kale salad! Easy to make and full of flavour! Loved the dressing so much!
Anne says
Love this salad, it is so easy! I had all the ingredients in my fridge so I made it for lunch and my kids even ate some. The apples go perfectly with kale.
NATALIA says
My hubby and I loved this kale apple salad, especially the dressing! So tasty and so delicious! I love all the flavors this salad brings out. Definitely making it again!
Healing Tomato says
The poppy seed salad was the best part of this salad. It brought together all the ingredients in it. The kale and apple worked so well together. It was delicious and easy to make.
Moop Brown says
I'm a big fan of apples in salads and this one in particular looks tasty and healthy as well.
Ashley says
I love how simple and easy this salad is to make! It's such a refreshing combination!
Donna says
Love the salad, love the dressing even more!! Will be using it as my go to dressing from now on!
Rachna says
This salad not only looked great but was very satisfying to eat too. I loved the combination of kale and apple. Poppy seeds were a great touch.
Genevieve says
This was really lovely, fresh, sweet, creamy and crunchy. I’m bookmarking this one to make again!