Harvest Kale Salad With Apples, Pears and Honey Dressing
45 min
|
easy
|
clean eating,
gluten-free,
Mediterranean diet,
vegetarian
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
This is the salad that actually eats like a meal: crunchy kale and Brussels sprouts, juicy apples and pears, tart cranberries, toasty pecans, and salty feta all glossed in a tangy honey Dijon cider dressing with a hint of cinnamon.
It is fall on a plate and built to last, perfect for Thanksgiving, potlucks, or make-ahead lunches because it stays crisp, nails the sweet-savory-tangy balance, and refuses to go limp.
Ingredients (4 servings)
Get Ingredients →Order the ingredients from your local store for pickup or delivery. You’ll check out through Instacart.
Ingredients for the Salad
- 4 cups kale, chopped and stems removed kale 4.8 oz
- 3 cups Brussels sprouts, halved Brussels sprouts 0.71 lb
- 1 large, crisp Fuji apple, thinly sliced Fuji apple 1 ct large, crisp
- 1 ripe Bartlett pear, thinly sliced Bartlett pear 1 ct ripe
- ½ cup dried cranberries dried cranberries 2.82 oz
- ½ cup raw pecan halves, lightly toasted raw pecan halves 2 oz
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese crumbled feta cheese 1.67 oz
Ingredients for the Honey Dressing
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil extra-virgin olive oil 2.64 fl oz
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar apple cider vinegar 1 fl oz
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard Dijon mustard 0.57 oz
- 1½ Tbsp honey honey 1.11 oz
- ½ tsp sea salt sea salt 0.11 oz
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper black peppercorns (for freshly ground black pepper)
- pinch ground cinnamon ground cinnamon 0.01 oz
How to Make Harvest Kale Salad With Apples, Pears and Honey Dressing
-
Heat the oven and prep produce
Preheat the oven to 425 F and line a sheet pan with parchment for easy cleanup.
Strip the kale from its stems, chop into bite-size pieces, rinse, and spin completely dry so the dressing clings.
Halve the Brussels sprouts and pat them very dry to help them caramelize.
-
Roast the Brussels sprouts
Toss sprouts with 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, and a few grinds of black pepper.
Arrange cut side down on the hot sheet pan and roast 18 to 20 minutes until the cut sides are deeply golden and the leaves are crisp at the edges.
Let them cool 5 minutes on the pan to set their texture.
-
Lightly toast the pecans
While the sprouts roast, toast pecans on a small pan in the same oven for 4 to 6 minutes until fragrant, then cool.
Watch them like a hawk, because nuts go from perfect to burnt while you blink.
-
Make the honey dressing
In a jar, combine 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon Dijon, 1 1/2 tablespoons honey, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and a pinch of cinnamon.
Seal and shake hard until glossy and emulsified, then taste and adjust salt or vinegar to your liking.
-
Massage the kale
Add the kale to a large bowl and drizzle on 2 to 3 tablespoons dressing with a pinch of salt.
Massage firmly for 45 to 60 seconds until darker, silkier, and reduced in volume.
-
Slice the fruit
Thinly slice the Fuji apple and Bartlett pear just before serving for max crunch.
If you need to slice ahead, toss the slices with a teaspoon of cider vinegar from the dressing to prevent browning.
-
Assemble the salad
Add the roasted Brussels sprouts to the bowl with the kale and toss with another 2 tablespoons dressing.
Fold in the apple, pear, dried cranberries, and toasted pecans, then drizzle on more dressing to taste.
Finish with crumbled feta on top so it stays pretty and does not disappear into the greens.
-
Final seasoning and serve
Taste and adjust with a pinch more salt, a splash of vinegar, or a thread of honey if your fruit is very tart.
Serve slightly warm from the roasted sprouts or at room temperature.
Substitutions
- Honey -> Maple syrup
- Maple keeps the silky body of the dressing while adding deeper caramel notes and makes the salad fully vegan without losing balance.
- Feta -> Goat cheese
- Goat cheese brings a creamy tang that pairs beautifully with apples and pears, and its soft texture melts into the greens for luxurious bites; use vegan feta for a dairy-free option with similar salt and crumble.
- Pecans -> Toasted pumpkin seeds
- Pumpkin seeds deliver the same roasty crunch with a toasty green nuttiness and keep the salad nut-free for anyone avoiding tree nuts.
Tips
- Roast sprouts cut side down on a hot pan
- That flat-side contact is where you get the deep golden caramelization that makes Brussels irresistible in a salad.
- Massage kale with salt and acid
- A little dressing and a pinch of salt break down kale’s toughness fast, giving you tender greens without losing that satisfying chew.
- Keep fruit icy crisp
- Slice apples and pears last, or hold them in cold water with a splash of vinegar for 5 minutes, then dry well so the dressing does not slip off.
- Season in layers
- Lightly season the sprouts before roasting, the kale while massaging, and the final salad to taste so every bite is properly seasoned, not just the top leaves.
- Shake the dressing, do not whisk
- A sealed jar gives you a tighter emulsion that clings to hearty greens better and also stores cleaner in the fridge.
- Play with temperature contrast
- Toss warm sprouts into the massaged kale to slightly wilt it, then add cool fruit for a very addictive hot-cold crunch.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 325 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 5 | g |
| Total Fat | 21 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 32 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- Can I make this salad ahead of time?
- Roast sprouts and toast nuts up to 2 days ahead, store sprouts covered and nuts uncovered at room temp, massage kale up to 1 day ahead, and slice fruit right before serving; toss everything with dressing just before eating.
- How do I prevent the apples and pears from browning?
- Toss slices with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice and keep chilled, or hold in cold water with a splash of acid for up to 1 hour, then drain and pat dry.
- My kale is still tough, what went wrong?
- You likely under-massaged or did not use enough salt and dressing, so massage another 30 to 60 seconds with a teaspoon more dressing and a pinch of salt until the leaves soften and darken.
- Can I skip roasting and use raw Brussels sprouts?
- Yes, shave them very thin with a knife or mandoline, toss with a pinch of salt, and let sit 10 minutes so they soften, then proceed with the recipe.
- What if my dressing tastes flat?
- Add a pinch of salt first, then adjust acidity with a splash more vinegar or sweetness with a few drops of honey or maple until it pops.
- How should I store leftovers?
- Refrigerate in a glass container for up to 2 days; the kale holds up, but keep nuts separate so they stay crunchy and add more dressing right before eating if needed.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this with roast chicken or seared salmon, or keep it meatless and add crispy chickpeas for protein and extra crunch.
If you want a little heat, sprinkle a pinch of Aleppo pepper in the dressing, and for a pretty finish, add pomegranate seeds for sparkle and a juicy pop.
More pairings:
Reviews
We haven’t received any feedback on this recipe yet.
Made this recipe? How did it go?
Please leave your feedback below. We’d love to hear from you!
