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The Best Kale Salad You’ll Ever Make

Looking for the best kale salad recipe? Try this crowd-pleasing version with fresh kale, sweet apples, crunchy nuts, and feta cheese.

During a recent girls’ trip to Sedona, we had a fantastic kale salad that we couldn’t stop thinking about. Although the chef wouldn’t share his recipe, I created my own version using fresh kale from the garden. After a few rounds of testing, this version hits the same sweet-crunchy balance we loved in Sedona. There are a few recipes worth planting a garden for, and this is definitely one of them.

Making the Best Kale Salad:

The secret to this salad is dicing everything small. This ensures you have a bit of everything in each bite. It’s a simple massaged kale salad with apples and feta that holds up beautifully for meal prep.

Make it Your Own:

The beauty of this salad lies in its adaptability. You can swap out ingredients to use what you have on hand or change up the flavor profile. No matter what you use, keeping the pieces small ensures you have a bit of everything in each bite.

• Greens: Combine kale with other greens like Swiss chard or spinach.
• Fruit: Try pears, peaches, or dried apricots instead of apples.
• Cheese: Swap out feta with goat cheese or sharp cheddar.
• Nuts: Use your favorite nuts, from pistachios to hazelnuts.
• Dressing: Experiment with balsamic vinaigrette or try a creamy poppyseed dressing.

No matter how you make it, your potluck bowl will come home empty.

Storing and Serving:

Unlike other salads that peak on day one, this kale salad improves as the flavors mingle. Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, it will maintain its taste and texture for up to 4 days. Meal prep just got easier with this make-ahead healthy salad, perfect for next week’s meal plan.

Tip: For the crunchiest apples, add them right before serving. If you’re making the salad ahead of time, toss the diced apples with lemon juice and add them just before serving.

Raid your kitchen, farmer’s market, or even your neighbor’s garden (well, maybe not that last one) and whip up a bowl of this delicious kale salad.

Frequently Asked Questions:

The Best Kale Salad

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A hearty kale salad made with tender greens, flavorful add-ins, and a well-balanced dressing. Simple to prepare and full of flavor, this salad works just as well for weeknight meals as it does for gatherings.

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Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 10

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Calories: 370

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

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Salad

• 4 bunches kale about 12 to 16 cups chopped, stems removed, loosely packed
• 2 large Honeycrisp apples, diced toss with lemon juice to preserve color
• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup nuts See note
• 1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
• 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Sweet Apple Dressing

• 1 Honeycrisp or other sweet apple, cored and roughly chopped See note
• 1/4 red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon mustard powder
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons apple juice
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Method

 

Sweet Apple Dressing:

1. Blend all ingredients except the oil together in a blender until well combined.
   
2. Pour in the oil and pulse to emulsify.
   
3. Store in an airtight jar in the refrigerator if not using right away. Stays good for 3-5 days. Shake well before using.
   

Kale Salad:

1. Soak the kale leaves to remove garden grit or tiny hitchhikers. Drain and dry well, then chop into bite-sized pieces, removing the stems.
   
2. Add the kale to a large bowl and toss with dressing. Start with 1/2 cup dressing and add more to taste.
   
3. Use your hands to gently rub the dressing into the leaves. Massage for 1 to 2 minutes, until the leaves are darker, softer, and reduced in volume.
   
4. Toast nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often.
   
5. Add apples, onion, nuts, cranberries, and feta to the bowl with the prepared kale.
   
6. Toss until ingredients are well-mixed and coated. Taste and add a pinch of salt, additional dressing, or an extra squeeze of lemon if needed.
   
7. Serve a heaping portion as a standalone meal, or pair it with your favorite protein for a more filling meal.

Notes

Apples: Honeycrisps are my favorite in this recipe, but Fuji, Pink Lady, or another sweet apple works great.

Nuts: Pecans, walnuts, almonds—or a mix of your favorites—add great flavor and crunch to this recipe.

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