Kale and Apple Salad with Candied Pecans
The best Fall Harvest Salad! A kale and apple salad with candied pecans. Kale, cranberries, Honeycrisp apples, crumbled goat cheese, candied pecans, and pepitas with a creamy dijon dressing.
Ingredients
- 6-8 cups shredded kale leaves, about 1 large bunch or 2 smaller bunches
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1 large honeycrisp apple, chopped or thinly sliced (about 1 heaping cup)
- 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese
Dijon Dressing
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons honey, or maple syrup
- pinch ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup olive oil
Candied Pecans and Pepitas
- 1/4 cup pepitas, hulled pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Make the dressing: whisk together the garlic cloves, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, honey, cinnamon and salt until well combined. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, then taste, adding more salt as desired.
- Place the kale in a large bowl and add 2 tablespoons of the dressing. Using your hands or tongs, massage the dressing into the kale for 2 minutes until it starts to wilt. Let it sit for 10 minutes while you make the pecans.
- In a small saucepan or skillet over medium-low heat, add the pepitas and pecans and toast until nutty and fragrant, stirring often and taking care not to brown. Add the honey, red pepper flakes, and cinnamon and let bubble, then remove from heat and let cool slightly. Transfer to a piece of parchment paper and let cool completely without touching. This will allow the nuts to become brittle-like as they cool.
- Add the cranberries, apple, and goat cheese to the kale salad along with the rest of the dressing and toss well. Garnish with the pepitas and pecans and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 438kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 7gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 264mgPotassium: 293mgFiber: 5gSugar: 26gVitamin A: 3419IUVitamin C: 33mgCalcium: 129mgIron: 2mg