Kale Apple Cheddar Salad is both sweet and savory. It's the perfect side for an everyday dinner or holiday meal. It requires no cooking and is ready in just 10 minutes!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
You are going to love this Kale Salad with Apples and Cheddar. If you're like me, you love a good kale salad recipe, and this one won't disappoint. It's quick and easy, sweet and savory, and is the perfect amount of cozy to enjoy all fall and winter.
It's perfect as a side for an everyday dinner, but it's also great for a holiday salad. This Kale and Apple Salad is both gluten-free and vegetarian. You could also make it dairy-free or vegan by substituting the cheddar for a dairy-free cheese substitute.
It's topped with a tart and sweet maple cider vinaigrette. The flavor combinations in this salad will have you coming back for more.
Are you looking for more kale salad recipes? Try this Kale Crunch Salad or Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing.
Ingredients
These easy-to-find ingredients come together quickly for the most delicious cool-weather salad.
- Kale: Choose your favorite type of kale, chopped with tough stems removed. I like to use the most common green curly kale. Red kale and Lacinato kale are both great options.
- Olive Oil: A slight drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to massage with the kale leaves to soften them.
- Apple: Opt for a sweet, crunchy apple variety, like honey crisp or fuji. There's no need to peel it, just chop it into bite-sized chunks.
- Cheddar Cheese: Freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese is best in this salad. You could use pre-shredded cheese if you prefer. I like Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese.
- Sliced Almonds: A handful of sliced almonds. You could substitute for your favorite nuts and seeds like sunflower seeds and pecans.
- Maple Cider Vinaigrette: Extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, pure maple syrup, dijon, sea salt, and pepper.
*The full ingredient list with amounts is in the recipe card below.
How to Make Kale Apple Salad with Cheddar
- Massage the kale and olive oil in a large bowl using your fingertips for about 1 minute or until it starts to soften.
- Add the chopped apple, cheddar, and sliced almonds. Toss to combine. Set aside.
- Whisk or shake all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or jar until combined. Taste and adjust as needed.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and give it a good toss to combine. Serve and enjoy!
Expert Tip: Don't skip massaging the kale! Massaging the kale for just 1-2 minutes with a small drizzle of extra virgin olive oil helps the leaves become more tender and easy to digest.
Variations
- Swap out the almonds. Use your favorite nuts and seeds, like walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, or pepitas.
- Add your favorite mixins. Dried cranberries, pomegranate arils, or crumbled cooked bacon pair well with this salad.
- Use a different type of cheese. Not a fan of cheddar? Try crumbled goat cheese or feta, sliced manchego, or shredded parmesan.
- Give it even more crunch. Top it with some garlicky toasted breadcrumbs.
- Try a different salad dressing. A simple lemon vinaigrette or creamy lemon tahini dressing are both great options.
- Have a bunch of pears? Substitute a chopped pear for the apple.
- Make it vegan. Leave out the cheese or substitute for your favorite non-dairy cheese substitute.
Serving Suggestions
This Kale Apple Cheddar Salad is the perfect side salad to enjoy throughout the fall and winter. It's even suitable for meal prep for lunch, since it will hold up well in the fridge for a day or two.
For a complete meal, top it with your favorite protein, like grilled chicken or chickpeas. It even makes a delicious holiday salad for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Serve it for dinner with Turkey Meatloaf Muffins or Baked Cornflake Chicken Tenders.
Make Ahead and Storage
Make Ahead: This salad is excellent to make ahead of time, since kale holds up for a few days. Follow the steps, but add the apple, almonds, and dressing just before serving. You can prep the dressing and refrigerate in an airtight container. If it solidifies, leave it at room temperature for several minutes, then give it a good stir or shake.
To Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
Choose a sweet but crunchy apple for salads and a variety that doesn't brown as quickly. Great options include Honey Crisp, Fuji, Gala, and Cortland.
You can typically find kale in most grocery stores year-round. It's at its peak from fall through spring. Enjoy it during these times for the best flavor and freshest leaves.
To make kale less tough for salads, massage it with your fingertips for 1-2 minutes with a small drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
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📖 Recipe
Kale Apple Cheddar Salad
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salads
- Method: Toss
- Cuisine: American
Description
Kale Apple Cheddar Salad is both sweet and savory. It's the perfect side for an everyday dinner or holiday meal. It requires no cooking and is ready in just 10 minutes!
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 5 cups chopped kale, with larger stems removed
- ½ teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large honey crisp apple, chopped
- ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
For the Dressing
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon dijon mustard
- sea salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Massage the kale and olive oil in a large bowl using your fingertips for about 1 minute, or until it starts to soften.
- Add the chopped apple, cheddar, and sliced almonds. Toss to combine. Set aside.
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk or shake all the dressing ingredients until combined. Taste and adjust as needed.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and give it a good toss to combine. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
This recipe makes 2 large salads or 4 side salads.
To store, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
This recipe is inspired by NYT Cooking's Kale Salad with Apples and Cheddar Recipe.
Nutritional Values (per serving) are approximates only.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 side salad
- Calories: 269
- Sugar: 9.6 g
- Sodium: 257 mg
- Fat: 22.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 14.5 g
- Fiber: 2.8 g
- Protein: 5.4 g
- Cholesterol: 14 mg
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