Winter Kale Apple Cheddar Salad (Printable)
A hearty winter salad with kale, crisp apples, sharp cheddar, dried cranberries, and toasted nuts.
# What You'll Need:
→ Salad
01 - 1 large bunch kale (about 7 oz), stems removed, leaves chopped
02 - 1 large crisp apple (e.g., Honeycrisp or Fuji), cored and thinly sliced
03 - 3.5 oz sharp cheddar cheese, cubed or shredded
04 - 1.8 oz toasted walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped
05 - 1.8 oz dried cranberries
06 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
→ Dressing
07 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
08 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
11 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
# How to Make It:
01 - Place chopped kale in a large bowl. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Massage the kale with your hands for 1 to 2 minutes until tender and slightly darkened.
02 - Add sliced apple, cheddar, walnuts or pecans, dried cranberries, and red onion to the massaged kale.
03 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad and toss thoroughly to combine evenly.
05 - Adjust seasoning to taste if necessary. Serve immediately or allow to rest for 10 minutes to let flavors meld.
# Expert Hacks:
01 -
- The kale becomes genuinely soft and pliable once you massage it, making every bite feel less like penance and more like actual food.
- It tastes even better after sitting for a few minutes, which means you can make it ahead and your dinner prep is technically already half done.
- The sharp cheese and tart apples are a flavor combination that somehow feels both comforting and a little bit fancy.
02 -
- Don't underdress this salad in the name of being healthy; it needs the full amount of dressing to taste like something you actually wanted to eat.
- If you prep the kale and dressing separately, you can wait to combine them until just before serving, which keeps the kale from getting soggy if you're eating it over a couple of days.
03 -
- Massage the kale with confidence, as if you're coaxing it to show you its best self, because that's genuinely what's happening.
- Make the dressing first and let it sit while you're prepping everything else, which helps the flavors develop and mellow slightly.