Kale and Apple Salad

Kale and Apple Salad with pistachios and pomegranate arils is a seasonal salad that will wow your guests at your Thanksgiving meal.   It makes great leftovers for a healthy lunch the next day since the kale doesn’t wilt.  

Looking for easy-peasy impressive side salads for the Thanksgiving meal?  This is a no brainer.  It is colorful, seasonal and full of flavor. Even those kale haters will like this one.  The dressing is sweet from the fresh squeezed orange juice and maple syrup and the apples offer even more sweetness.

Have you ever massaged your kale?  You should really try it sometime. It breaks down the fibers and makes it more tender, less bitter.  All you do is remove the ribs and put a bunch of it into a bowl with some salt. Then, roll up those sleeves and dig in with your hands.  Rub each piece in between your fingers until you see a change in the texture of the kale.  It will look wilted and tender.  Taste it and see.  If it’s not yet tender, dig in again.

This salad is the perfect showcase for all those yummy seasonal ingredients calling your name.  Honeycrisp apples are a must here because of their sweet and crisp flavor.  I like to cut mine in matchsticks.  First, I core the apple, then I cut thin slices.  Next, I stack a few pieces at a time and cut them horizontally to get thin matchsticks.

The fennel adds a unique licorice flavor and lots of crunch.  I cut these in thin strips too.  To learn how to cut fennel, check out this video from The New York Times.  Don’t be afraid to top the salad with some of the fennel fronds too.

Looking for more salad recipes?

Try these on for size…

• Eat Your Greens Quinoa Salad
• Fall Salad with Pumpkins Seeds and Feta
• Summer Berry Power Salad
• Chopped Greek Salad with Sweet Parsley Dressing

Kale and Apple Salad

This Kale and Apple Salad is the perfect salad to celebrate the season. The crisp Honeycrisp apples and fennel really make a delicious combo.

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Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6

Author: Karen Kelly

Ingredients

• I bunch of kale washed and ribs removed, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1 large Honeycrisp apple cut into matchsticks
• 1 fennel bulb sliced thin
• 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
• 1/2 cup pistachios
• For Dressing:
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
• 1 tbsp orange zest
• 1 1/2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Massage the kale with 1 tsp kosher salt.
• Add all toppings to the salad.
• Put all salad dressing ingredients into a jar and shake.
• Dress salad right before serving. This salad stays well in the fridge for several days without getting soggy and apples don't brown because of acid in the oranges.

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What is your favorite way to eat kale?