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Kale Salad with Apples in a wooden bowl.
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Kale Salad with Apples and Maple Cinnamon Walnuts

My kale salad with apples is hearty, refreshing, and packed with fall flavor! Massaged kale, sweet apple slices, creamy avocado, and maple-cinnamon walnuts all come together with a tangy apple cider vinaigrette to create the perfect side or light main dish.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Calories: 294kcal
Author: Alissa Saenz

Ingredients

For the Maple Cinnamon Walnuts

  • ½ cup walnut halves
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt

For the Dressing

  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the Salad

  • 1 large bunch lacinato kale (about 1 pound)
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • Pinch salt, plus more for finishing the salad
  • ¼ medium red onion, sliced (Note 1)
  • 1 medium apple, sliced
  • 1 ripe avocado, sliced
  • Black pepper, to taste
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • To make the maple cinnamon walnuts, stir the walnut halves, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt together in a small bowl. Arrange the walnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet (use parchment paper if you're concerned about sticking), and bake them for about 5 minutes, until fragrant and lightly toasted. Place the baking sheet onto a cooling rack and let the nuts cool.
  • Place all of the dressing ingredients into a jar or small container with a sealable lid. Close and seal the container, then shake until the ingredients are well combined.
  • Wash the kale leaves, then blot them dry. Remove the stems and chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces.
  • Place the kale into a large bowl and add the olive oil and a pinch of salt. Massage the kale for 3 to 5 minutes, until the leaves are tender and wilted.
  • Add the red onion, apple, avocado, and walnuts (once cooled) to the bowl. Drizzle the salad with dressing, using just as much as you like (Note 2), then toss. Season with additional salt to taste, along with some black pepper.
  • Serve.

Notes

  1. If you normally find the flavor of raw onion to be too intense, soak your onion before using it. Simply place the slices into a small bowl and cover them with cold water. Let them soak for 5 to 10 minutes, then drain, rinse, and blot dry before adding it to your salad. This will mellow the flavor a bit.
  2. This recipe makes a generous batch of dressing, and it may be more than you need. Leftover dressing will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 2 weeks.
  3. This recipe makes 6 medium-sized servings as a side or starter. You could get as many as 8 small side servings, or about 3 servings as a main dish.

Nutrition

Calories: 294kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Sodium: 416mg | Potassium: 440mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 4563IU | Vitamin C: 48mg | Calcium: 146mg | Iron: 1mg