Apple Kale Salad With Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Kale, apples, walnut, cranberry, and feta tossed in a fruity Apple cider Vinaigrette is a fresh salad packed with nutrition and a great lunch option.
This salad is so good and to top, it is so easy, there is a high chance it will become your go-to salad recipe for many nights. Have it with some excellent sides and you will not bore of this.
It just packs plenty of power foods. Kale, Sunflower seeds, apples, and cranberries make this a nutrient-rich meal by itself.
What is Apple Kale Salad
The best thing about this is that you cannot find a healthier salad than this. Period !
Take the king of the power foods and mix it with a sweet dressing. Add a few apple slices and cranberries for a fruity and slightly sweet taste. Don’t forget the crumbling tangy and salty feta cheese.
It is both an apple salad and kale salad mixed into one. Again it has cranberries too.
You get one of the healthiest and tastiest salads and this kale salad is one of my favorite salads. From a health point of view, it is a nutrient complete dish.
Healthy need not lack in taste. Since kale has a crunchy and strong taste, the dressing, fruits, and cheese complement it well to give a well-rounded taste. You get a bit of everything – salty, sour, crunch, and sweet from this salad.
Benefits of Kale
Kale is a superfood and the king of greens. I think this is enough for you to hear and start thinking about eating it more so often.
Rich in many vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants, kale also has cancer-fighting, anti-inflammation and weight regulating properties.
Want to get into a nutritious weight-loss diet, kale should be on the top of your list.
Kale belongs to the same family as cabbage, broccoli, and other cruciferous veggies. When it comes to cooking and eating it, think of it like other leafy greens. Add it raw to a salad or steam it. Recommended not to stir fry or sauté it.
Dressing for salad
Apple Cider Vinaigrette is a classic salad dressing. Its wonderful especially in the fall season or shall we say apple season. The tanginess it brings compliments very well the sweetness of the fruits and dry fruits used in the salad.
Homemade salad dressings are way better than store-brought ones. This Apple cider vinegar salad dressing is so good and plus, so easy to make. Trust me once you have made this on your own and tasted it, you are not going to buy it outside.
I have been using some variation of this dressing on my salads and it is easy to get creative on this recipe.
A good apple cider vinaigrette, to be called good, has to have the right amount of acidity
This kale salad dressing has a few things going for it
- It has a great tangy, sweet and sour taste
- It is versatile – works well with different salads
- Super easy to make
- You can make it ahead and store it for later use in the refrigerator
Ingredients
For apple cider vinaigrette
- Olive Oil
- Apple Cider Vinegar – Get organic
- Honey
- Dijon Mustard – You can use regular or spicy mustard too
- Garlic Clove – I use garlic because it imparts an amazing flavour to dishes and dressings. This is optional though and you may skip it
- Salt and Pepper
For salad
- Kale – superfood and the star of the salad. Choose kale leaves that are soft but not wilted.
- Apples – Sliced apples add fruitiness and sweetness to the salad.
- Toasted Walnut – Substitutes for this are almonds, pine nuts, or pecans. Roasting them improves the taste.
- Dried Cranberry – Raisins and sultanas are an excellent substitute here.
- Crumbled Feta – The original and Greece’s favourite cheese. Traditionally used in the classic Greek Salad. If feta is not available, you can use goat cheese or cottage cheese.
How to make
For Apple Cider dressing
This is very easy to make. Assembling and blending all the ingredients into a smooth viscous liquid is all that it takes.
- You may prefer a blender or choose to whisk by hand. A blender is the more convenient one as you have to just put everything in it and let it run for a few minutes.
- Every minute keep checking if the dressing looks creamy. That would be an indicator that it is done.
- Whisking by hand is not a difficult task too. Keep whisking in a jar until the dressing turns smoothy. Mine took 5 minutes so just go by the appearance of the dressing.
Salad
- Clean the kale leaves – you need just the leaves. Remove the stem.
- Cut into bite-sized pieces
- Get all into a bowl and drizzle the salad dressing
- Sprinkle extra cheese on top
Tip
- Choose soft kale. Wash them properly and cut into small bite sized pieces
- Always pour the salad dressing just ahead of serving. Adding it way ahead of time makes the salad soggy by the time you serve.
Serve with
This super healthy kale and apple salad can be a meal by itself if you want to go light for lunch or dinner. It goes very well with accompanying protein like this Thai Grilled Chicken or Grilled Teriyaki Chicken, and veggie dishes like Zucchini Stir Fry.
Store & Freeze
You can store the dressing in a tight jar for up to two weeks without garlic. If garlic is used, consume it within 7 days.
The dressing tends to become solid in the fridge. Take it out and leave it on the counter for at least 30 minutes to warm up and become a viscous liquid again.
Fresh cut leaves and apples along with the cheese can be mixed and stored in a zip-lock bag for up to a week.
Apple Kale salad with Apple cider vinaigrette
Ingredients
For Salad
- 5-6 cups Kale
- 2 Apples
- ⅓ cups Toasted Walnut
- ⅓ cup Dried Cranberry
- ½ cup Crumbled Feta
- ⅓ cup Sunflower Seeds
For Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup Olive oil
- ½ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 3 tablespoon Honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 Garlic Clove
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Make Apple Cider Salad Dressing
- Add all the salad dressing ingredients to a jar, shake well until it is creamy.
Prepare salad ingredients
- For better taste, use tender Kales. Clean, remove the stem. Tear leaves to bite sized pieces.
- Cut apple into bit size pieces or slice them.
Assemble
- In a big salad bowl, add kale, apple, toasted walnut, Cranberry, Sunflower seeds and Feta.
- Just before serving drizzle generously with salad dressing and serve.
Video
Notes
- You may prefer a blender or choose to whisk by hand. A blender is the more convenient one as you have to just put everything in it and let it run for a few minutes.
- Every minute keep checking if the dressing looks creamy. That would be an indicator that it is done.
- Whisking by hand is not a difficult task too. Keep whisking in a jar until the dressing turns smoothy. Mine took 5 minutes so just go by the appearance of the dressing.
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