I just walked into my closet, tugged on the little string that dangles from the ceiling for light and counted fourteen pairs of boots. Fourteen pairs. That’s twenty-eight individual boots. Most are black, a few pairs have heels, one pair of riding boots covers my knees, and all but the rain boots are made of leather. Needless to say, I love boots. They are my footwear of choice in the cold weather months and I will never have enough of them. At this rate, they will soon require a closet of their own.
I harbor the same deep affection for kale salads. Kale salads make me happy. They are a staple in my diet in the same way that boots are a staple in my wardrobe and I will never tire of them. Kale salads, I tell you, are the answer to all sorts of problems.
Too hot outside to cook anything? Kale salad. Tight jeans? Kale salad. Feeling sickly? Kale salad. Hung over? Wanna eat all your troubles away? Kale salad. Don’t know what to bring to a potluck with paleo, gluten-free and vegetarian attendees? Put on your best announcer’s voice and shout, “kaaaale salaaaaaaaad!”
There are a few tricks to making a kale salad taste really great, which I’ve elaborated on here. Every time I’ve heard from a real-life friend or commenter that one of my kale salad recipes turned them on to kale salads in general, I’m thrilled.
This salad is the fourth kale salad to appear on my blog and surely not the last. It’s hearty and holiday worthy, full of crunch from crisp apple, radish and pecans, studded with sweet, ruby red cranberries and tangy crumbled goat cheese, and tossed in a zippy honey mustard dressing. What’s not to love?
Watch How to Make Deb’s Kale Salad
The recipe came from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perelman, from which many more recipes are to come. I would imagine that if you’ve found your way to this food blog, then surely you are familiar with Smitten Kitchen.
Deb’s blog is, simply stated, the best. Honestly, I sometimes wonder why anyone (myself wholly included) bothers with food blogging when Deb has so clearly mastered the medium. Her writing is captivating and witty. Her recipes are unfailingly stellar in both concept and execution. Her photos make you want to quit whatever it is that you’re supposed to be doing when you find yourself drooling at her blog and hop into the kitchen immediately.
I had been eagerly awaiting the release of her cookbook for months and now that I have my own copy resting on my coffee table, I can say that it is magnificent. Every recipe has been meticulously tested and illustrated in photographs by Deb herself, and Deb never lets you down. If you like to cook, you are going to want this cookbook. If you’re not sure what to buy as gifts this holiday season, make it this cookbook. Seriously. Did I mention that she has a full vegetarian section and 90 pages of desserts in there?
I made a few alterations to Deb’s kale salad recipe, given the season and what I had in stock in my pantry. I added a chopped Granny Smith apple and traded dried cranberries for the dried cherries. I also used apple cider vinegar instead of white wine vinegar, though I’m not sure I can really taste the difference in the end result.
I’m making this salad again this evening for girls’ night with Downton Abbey and will be making it again for my family’s Thanksgiving. It’s a winner.
PrintDeb’s Kale Salad with Apple, Cranberries and Pecans
- Author: Cookie and Kate
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Salad
A hearty, holiday-worthy raw kale salad with chopped Granny Smith apple, cranberries, toasted pecans and goat cheese, tossed in a zippy honey mustard dressing. It’s both vegetarian and gluten free.
Ingredients
Salad
- ½ cup pecans
- 8 ounces kale (I used regular curly green kale, but Deb recommends Cavolo Nero or Lacinato, Dinosaur or Tuscan Kale)
- 4 to 5 medium radishes
- ½ cup dried cranberries (or dried cherries)
- 1 medium Granny Smith apple
- 2 ounces soft goat cheese, chilled
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
- 1 tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard
- 1 ½ teaspoons honey or maple syrup
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spread the pecans on a baking tray. Toast them until lightly golden and fragrant, about 5 to 10 minutes, tossing them once or twice to make sure they bake evenly. Remove the tray from the oven and set them aside to cool.
- Pull the kale leaves off from the tough stems and discard the stems. Use a chef’s knife to chop the kale into small, bite-sized pieces. Transfer the kale to a big salad bowl. Sprinkle a small pinch of sea salt over the kale and massage the leaves with your hands by lightly scrunching big handfuls at a time, until the leaves are darker in color and fragrant.
- Thinly slice the radishes (this is easier to do if you first chop off the root end so you can place the base of the radish flat against your cutting board). Add them to the bowl.
- Coarsely chop the pecans and cranberries (or cherries) and add them to the bowl. Chop the apple into small, bite-sized pieces and add it to the bowl as well. Crumble the goat cheese over the top.
- In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together and pour the dressing over the salad. Toss until the salad is evenly coated with dressing. Serve immediately, or for even better flavor, let the salad marinate in the dressing for 10 to 20 minutes beforehand.
Notes
Recipe adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perelman.
Make it vegan: Omit the goat cheese, and use maple syrup instead of honey in the dressing.
If you love this recipe: Be sure to check out my kale salads roundup here!
Nicole
Boots, kale salad and Downton Abbey? All of my favorite things, too! I love the sound of this fall-inspired salad and I was just thinking my family’s Thanksgiving menu was a bit carb-heavy. Thanksgiving menu too carby? Kale salad. :)
Kate
Kale salad is totally the answer to your carb-heavy Thanksgiving, Nicole. :)
Grace
I love this post for so many reasons. Let me share:
1. you compared kale salad to boots
2. you listed so many awesome and comical reasons you love kale salads
3. i read the “kaaaale salaaaaaaaad!” part in an Oprah voice
4. Smitten Kitchen was the first food blog I came across
5. I too love kale salads
I will be making this!
Kate
Thanks, Grace. This kale salad is a winner, I tell you! Oprah would agree.
Sandra
I’m loving your recipes Kate! I just had the pumpkin alfredo fettucine and your vegetarian chili is now my go-to recipe! For this recipe, I’m thinking of substituting the swiss chard for the kale. What do you think?
Kate
I’m so glad you’re enjoying my recipes, Sandra! On this salad, I would go with kale if you can find it because kale’s texture is what makes the salad so great.
Katrina
I could eat this for every meal!
sara
so gorgeous. love big bowls of this kind of salad. Don’t wonder why you do this when there are others who seem to have mastered it. You have a GREAT space here! Love your photos and sweet words.
ashley-bakerbynature
I just bought another pair of boots today – so addicted! I think you need to come to NYC soon for boot shopping (aka as my closet – I’m guilty of owning over 50 pairs!) and some salad making!
Kate
50 pairs! How do you fit them all into an NYC apartment?!
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
Love this salad and a Downton Abbey girls’ night sounds just about perfect!
haniela
This is my kind of salad, I make a similar dressing, love it!
I Wish I I had some right now.
claire @ the realist
This looks incredible, Kate!So fresh and healthy. Perfect to offset all the gravy I’m going to drink/eat. haha.
Laura Nicolaisen
I love your reasons why everybody should eat kale salad. I totally agree with you. And this really looks amazing. Gonna try that one out!
Ashley
Ahh, such wisdom. :) Although I don’t have the boot collection {jealous!} I have to agree about kale salads. Love the “Tight jeans…kale salad.” I have one to add. Too much doughnut making? Definitely, kale salad. — And now all I hear is Oprah after reading the comments! I will be making this today!
Kate
Ahaha, I think you could balance out those donuts with kale salads, no problem. I stuffed myself silly while on vacation in Belize this summer. I came back and ate a ton of kale… pants still fit!
Riley
I recently made Deb’s Gingerbread Spice Dutch Baby, but I was definitely eyeing this recipe. I’ll have to give it a shot!
Ala
Add another kale salad junkie to the list–I’d never eaten it before, and now there will be plenty of post-Thanksgiving decompression (of the stomach) happening by way of it. Thank you for sharing this! And yes, Deb is fantastic.
Kate
I’m loading up on cream and butter until Thanksgiving ends, then bring on the kale salads! I’ll be making this one again and again, for sure.
Katherine Sacks
I can’t wait to get this book and this salad looks delicious. I’ve just made the move to Berlin, and sent all but a few of my boots in boxes, to arrive at a later date. It’s frigid here, and I’ll have to make do with the few pairs I managed to bring on the plane. Hopefully finding kale here will be easier then packing my suitcases was! Once I do, I’ll try this recipe out. And I love your ZipList addition – I’ll have to look into that!
Kate
Berlin! Fun! Hope your boots get there soon. I’ve heard kale is really hard to find in Paris so I sure hope you can find some in Berlin.
Alissa
KAAAAALE SALAAAAD!
Jill
Looks delicious! Can’t wait to try. Jealous of all your boots and that you have access to more than one variety of kale. (I take whatever my lame small town grocery store puts out.) Checked out the link and now I know that I’m supposed to massage the kale. Who knew?
Kate
Massaging the kale makes all the difference, I swear. At least you can find kale where you are. I’ve heard that it’s impossible to find in Paris, of all places!
Lindsay
Thanks for sharing this recipe- it sounds great
Kaleena
I’m hosting a dinner party tonight and I’m so excited to make this and the pumpkin fettuccine you posted the other day! I’ve been looking forward to the pasta all week and I think this will be a perfect accompanying salad. Thanks for the good stuff! :)
Kate
Hope the recipes were a big hit at your dinner party, Kaleena. :)
Sophie
Downton! Deb! KALE SALADS! yessss, this post rules, Kate ;) Also, I really like how your name and the name of this wonderous green, leafy food are so similar! And I will add that you did turn me on to kale salads. I will be serving one at my Thanksgiving this year. THANK YOU! hurray!!
Kate
Ha! I never thought of the Kate/kale similarities. I’m so glad you’ll be serving a kale salad at Thanksgiving… I’m sure you will convert some of your guests into kale lovers. Oh, I can say with certainty now that Downton with a kale salad is a stellar combination.
sarah
I always wonder the same thing when I visit The Smitten Kitchen – the writing, photos, recipes are so spot on. And Deb is always one step ahead of everyone on recipes. She’s amazing.
But! I’m glad you are blogging, your space is lovely. And, I’ve never eaten a kale salad [should I be admitting this?] but all your reasons to eat one convinced me. And your pretty photos. So it’s on my grocery list for the week.
Kate
Thank you, Sarah. I’m so glad you added the kale salad ingredients to your list. I think you will love it.
jamie @ GB&G
Kate, I love that you compared boots to kale. I can totally relate!! Still haven’t seen the SK ccokbook yet but hopefully that will change soon!
Vanessa
Always looking for new ways to eat kale! This looks very promising. =)
Kate
If you like kale, you’ll l-o-v-e a good kale salad, promise. :)
Crystal Clark
I just stumbled upon your blog. Your photos and food look amazing! I’m definitely bookmarking so I don’t miss anything. :)
Kate
Thanks for commenting, Crystal. I’m glad you found my blog! Please let me know how the recipes turn out if you get a chance to try any of them.
Stephanie Cummins
I’m SO going to make this salad for Thanksgiving! I, too love kale salads, and I have been struggling with the decision of what to make this year. Each Thanksgiving I become more and more disappointed with traditional thanksgiving fare, as I continue to grow more accustomed to fresh, raw, healthy food rather than the cheesy, creamy, overprocessed casseroles that are so prevalent in most Oklahoma cuisine from our parent’s generation (sorry mom!). I really wanted to bring something healthy to offset all the other casserole’s around and this one totally fits the bill! And the icing on the cake is that I just received a ton of fresh kale from the Ok food co-op, from which I also have a bunch of organic pecans. I’ve been itching to try my new cranberry pear balsamic vinegar I got on my recent trip to San Diego… do you think it will be good on this salad?
Speaking of thanksgiving… will you be making it back to Oklahoma for the holidays? I’d love to see you!
Kate
Hey Steph! Thanks for the great comment, I’m sorry I didn’t answer it sooner. I’m totally with you on the Oklahoma Thanksgiving food. Standard Thanksgiving dishes are nothing to get excited about. I do think that dressing would go well on this salad. Let’s hang out after Thanksgiving. I should be around for a few days! Talk to you soon.
Megan Gordon
Yes, I keep reassuring my boyfriend Sam that it is, in fact, quite normal for a lady to have a closet full of shoes. He thinks I’m crazy and can’t discern the differences between most of them. Glad to read you have a boot problem, too :) I still don’t have Deb’s cookbook and I don’t know what’s wrong with me! Need to get on it … thanks for the delicious-looking recipe. Can never have enough kale.
Kate
Oh boy, you really need a copy of Deb’s book, Megan! And more boots. Always more boots.
kari
also made this last night and totally fell in love. i cannot get enough of kale salads either and it is so tempting to add add add to them but when you keep it simple like this i am always happier. i was going to substitute ricotta salata for the goat cheese (i didn’t have any at home… sad for a cheese shop owner) but i actually forgot to add even that and loved the salad just the same! thanks for sharing!
Kate
Oh, to own a cheese shop! Glad you enjoyed it as a vegan salad anyway.
Kristen
Eating this badboy right now. It’s definitely a keeper and my new favourite salad.
Cheers to you and Deb!
Kate
Happy to hear you enjoyed the salad, Kristen! Thanks for commenting to let me know.
marla
Such a tasty looking salad!
Jaycee
This recipe is DA BOMB! Easily one of my new favourite salads. It has been added to the meal rotation! Also loving this site :) Thanks so much for putting all this together!
Kate
Hooray! Thanks, Jaycee.
Fork and Whisk
This looks like it could be a great, healthy side dish on the Thanksgiving table. Nice post. Thanks.
Alexis @ Hummusapien
This is definitely my kind of salad! It would be lovely on the Thanksgiving table :) Stunning pictures!
Dao
Hi
Just discovered your blog and must say that as soon as I finish this mail I’ll go and prepare some kale salad! :) love the dressing idea..
I live in Paris and travel a lot to Asia, miss the US a lot, not been there for a while.. so guess that your blog will give me flavours of it before my next trip.. Thanks for that!
And if you’re interested in twisted Asian modern salads check my FB page (mostly in French though..), cheers
https://www.facebook.com/CarnetDeSaveursEtSenteurs
Michelle
I made this as one of my vegetarian contributions to my family Thanksgiving. I followed it exactly, except I replaced the dried cranberries with pomegranate. It was so delicious!
Kate
I’m happy to hear that, Michelle! Thanks for the comment. Pomegranates sound like a beautiful substitution. I made the salad for my family on Thanksgiving and realized that my grandmother had never tried kale before! She liked it.
Yen-Ning
We made this for Thanksgiving and it was a hit! We followed the recipe exactly like we always do with Deb’s recipe. :) It is so good! Thank you Kate for sharing this! I put the leftover pecans in my oatmeal with your applesauce for breakfast. Oh, I love your blog. :)
Kate
I’m delighted to hear it, Yen-Ning! If you haven’t gotten a copy of Deb’s cookbook yet, definitely add it to your Christmas list. :) Really happy to hear that you enjoy my blog, thank you.
Imen McDonnell
Hurrah, this sounds perfect! Am going to make and bring to a festive girly luncheon tomorrow. Yoooooom! xx
Gracie Fred
Delicious! Made this tonight for my annual family cookie party. What helps to offset the copious consumption of sugar, butter, and sprinkles? Yup! Kaaaale salad! ;)
The wow factor for me in the salad–what took it from yum, to omg–was properly toasting the nuts! Wow! I usually cut corners on that step. Never again!
I made a few changes based on what I had on hand. No radishes or goat cheese, and also substituted fuji apples for granny smith.
I will be making this salad again, and again! Thanks for sharing friend!! :)
Kate
Hey friend. :) I’m so glad you enjoyed the salad. I think that kale with that zippy honey mustard dressing would go well with a variety of toppings. Toasted nuts are totally the way to go!
Helen
Wow, I never comment on recipes I find online, but this was AMAZING! By far the best salad I’ve ever had, have to agree with the other reviewer on the toasted pecans, they add just the right flavor. I omitted the radishes, but otherwise kept everything the same. So delicious, thank you for sharing!!
Kate
Thanks, Helen! I’m so glad to hear that you loved the salad. Toasted pecans/nuts in general really do make all the difference!
Jeff
I LOVE kale and especially all of the benefits from it. I usually saute my kale in olive oil first makes the texture easier to chow on.Cranberries are a must on salads…it adds just enough sweetness to the saltiness.
Jewlzie
Salad sounds fantastic! However i don’t really care for goat cheese. What can i substitute it with?
Kate
I think the salad would be really good without any cheese! You could just omit it altogether. If you like gorgonzola cheese, I think that would be good as well.
Darby
Made this last night, skipped the cheese, it was delicious! A hit with the whole family!
Kate
Glad to hear it, Darby!
Natalie
OMG this is the second kale salad recipe I’ve tried from this blog and I think I had a new favourite vegetable! This is the perfect blend of crunchy, sweet, tart! Thanks for yet another awesome recipe (that my meat eating husband will even eat!)
P.S. I did substitute celery for radishes (had to work with what was in the fridge) but I bet the radishes add a great peppery crunch!
Kate
Thanks, Natalie! I’m so glad you’re loving the kale salads (I never tire of them).
Katie
We made your kale salad for dinner tonight – it was so good! It went great with our pork chops. Thank you for sharing!
Kate
Thanks, Katie! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Terri
Enjoyed this immensely!
Kate
Thanks, Terri! So glad to hear it.
Maia
I’m trying this recipe with my mom and it’s very good. I told her to put the oven at 350 degrees for the pecans but she put it at 500 degrees and burnt them! Haha
Michael
I found your site a few months ago and peruse it often. I’ve finally began making recipes and am LOVING them. This was the first I made and I’ve went back to it several times – my first kale salad and I’m a total convert now. The crunching it with your hands makes it so vibrant and alive. I’m not sure if I’m allowed to say this but the last time I made it I added a bit of chicken, baked some bread and turned it into chicken salad sandwiches for a picnic. Thank you for the recipes, beautiful photos and for turning this carnivore on to more vegetarian fare.
Kate
Thank you very much, Michael! I’m so glad you’re enjoying my recipes, even if you’re adding chicken to them. ;)
Cam
I love this recipe, however I do have several twists to it that I use to make my ultimate comfort food:
ingredients – kale, honey crisp apple, dried cranberries, walnuts, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, raw honey, sea salt. I rub the oil and salt in, then leave it overnight and add the rest of the ingredients just before serving. I have been eating this for the last month almost daily and still can’t get enough! (normally, I get bored of the same dish after 3 servings)…
Kate
I’m delighted to hear that you enjoy the salad so much, Cam. Your variations sound terrific!
Aqiyl Aniys
Yes, this is what I am talking about! I would like 2 servings please.
Erin
This recipe is fantastic! I substituted grape tomatoes instead of radishes and did add chicken. Both my husband and I loved the salad! Thank you for the tips on how to use kale (never knew about “massaging” it).
I’m so glad I found your blog! I’m very excited to try more recipes!
Kate
Erin, I’m glad you both loved the salad! That massaging trick makes a big difference. I have lots of other kale salads on the blog if you want to try something different next time! :)
Tessa | Natural Comfort Kitchen
Lately I’ve been feeling the need to switch over to healthier lunches, instead of [often cheesy] leftovers from the freezer or night before. I’ve always found kale a little rustic, but I’m about to pin this and am going to give it a shot this week. I also have most of the ingredients so I’m excited it’s not going to double the grocery list!
Cindy Herr
I have never eaten kale before in my life but I am trying to make healthy choices so I made this today. It was so good I could have eaten the whole bowl! Thanks for a delicious recipe, I look forward to many more.
Kate
Cindy, I’m delighted to hear that this salad made you a kale convert! I have quite a few kale recipes if you’re in the mood for more. :)
Cynthia Herr
Thank you Kate, I will check out some of your other recipes!
Cynthia Herr
Thank you Kate, I will definitely check out your other Kale recipes.
Teri
Hi Kate…first, a disclaimer: I am in no way domestically competent. You could even call me the anti-Martha. ;) So anything I do whip up needs to be SIMPLE and EFFORTLESS. That is what I discovered in your delicious kale salad recipe! With a few ingredients on hand for a casual potluck I was hosting, I searched Google and this recipe matched them most closely. I made it without radishes or pecans (which I didn’t have on hand), and I forgot to add the goat cheese (whoops!). Even so, the 4-5 people who actually tried salad before it disappeared praised it to the heavens. That dressing is to die for and SO easy!!! I will definitely be serving this again, with the goat cheese and perhaps the radishes (not a big fan of nuts in my salad). Thank you for sharing this…I am a new fan!
Kate
Hey Teri! Thank you very much for your comment! I’m delighted to hear that you all enjoyed the salad! It’s one of my favorites.
Andrew
There are cherries in the method, but not in the ingredients. Can you clarify? Thanks.
Kate
Sorry about that, Andrew. I just fixed the recipe. I mentioned a couple of times that you can use dried cranberries or dried cherries, and I accidentally specified dried cherries in the method.
Theresa Capri
This is an absolutely delicious salad and I make it at least once a week!! The only thing I haven’t put in yet is the radishes, but everything else you have listed. Thanks from the Oregon coast for the great idea of combining delicious ingredients to make this scrumptious salad!!
Kate
Thanks, Theresa! Glad to hear you’ve been enjoying the salad!
Deb
One of our family brought this for Thanksgiving Dinner and it was absolutely wonderful. I’m making it this weekend. Planning to use the cranberries and put in everything. I’ve never heard of massaging the kale, but looks like that will bring out the best in the kale. Thanks for this recipe.
Kate
Thank you, Deb! I’m glad your family member introduced you to this salad. It’s one of my favorites!
Caroline Waters
I make this recipe ALL the time, it’s so delicious! Perfect for gluten free gals like me and great for a potluck!
Sharon
I made the kale salad for Christmas dinner. It was awesome! Even those who turned up their noses at the idea of kale loved it.
I used pension lime infused olive oil and cranberry pear white balsamic vinegar, and honey from my brother-in-laws beehives. I used much less dressing, the recipe made enough for three salads. I used the dressing to massage the kale with and then added the oceans apples etc.
Wonderful, my husband says make it all the time.
Thank you!
Sharon
Persian lime infused olive oil!
Janet Miller
This looks wonderful! As do your other kale salad recipes. The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook was on my Christmas Wish List… I got it! I’ll definitely be making this one (AND some of the other kale salad recipes). By the way, Trader Joe’s sells chopped, roasted pecans… love saving a few steps without compromising a recipe.
carlyn
This salad is awesome! I am so happy to learn about black Kale. It is so much tastier than regular kale. Great new healthy lunch idea for me. Thank You!!!
Kate
Thank you, Carlyn! Glad you enjoyed it!
Josie
OMG!!! I made this salad today. Had no idea kale could be this delicious. I didn’t have radishes so i substituted in purple onion and it was delicious! Great recipe. So glad I discovered this site today.
Kate
Awesome! Thank you, Josie. I have quite a few kale salad recipes you might enjoy! https://cookieandkate.com/2014/12-favorite-kale-salads/
Sharian
I HAVE MADE THIS SALAD AT CHURCH FUNCTIONS FAMILY FUNCTIONS,FOR MY FAMILY AND IT GETS RAVE REVIEWS NOTHING IS LEFT IN THE BOWL.I LEAVE OUT THE FETA CHEESE BECAUSE EVERYONE DOES NOT LIKE BUT THE REST OF THE INGREDIENTS MAKE TO THE T. PSST.MY FIRST LADY OF OUR CHURCH JUST CALLED AND ASKED FOR THIS RECIPE FOR OUR JEWELRY PARTY TONIGHT SEE WHAT I AM SAYING.
Kate
Sharian, so glad you enjoy this recipe! Thank you for sharing it with your friends!
Anna Erishkigal
Yum! Just made this. Thank you!
Kate
Glad you enjoyed it, Anna!
Ruth Shepherd
Fabulous salad that my book club LOVED! However, I substitute celery for the radishes. Can’t imagine it with the radishes. I’ve got Smitten Kitchen, and I haven’t tried anything from that book that we haven’t loved.
Kate
Thank you, Ruth!
Cara-Lee
Delicious salad. Five stars. It is now my house salad as it is delicious, healthy and takes a second to make if I keep a stash of toasted pecans in my fridge. Am having it tonight as a matter of fact :-)
Kate
Yay! Thank you, Cara-Lee.
Elaine
This salad was excellent. I liked it and the best part was it was still excellent the next day! It wasn’t all soggy like most salads get with regular lettuce and dressing on them. On another note, I wish people would only comment after they tried a recipe, not “oh this looks good, I’m going to try it.” People, like me who are searching for recipes want to read reviews not previews (just a pet peeve of mine). Thanks again!!
Kate
Thank you, Elaine! You’ll probably find the most genuine feedback about the recipes if you scroll all the way down to the bottom of the comments and skim upward from there.
Kecia
Such a tasty salad! I have made this salad every week now for the past 4 weeks and it never gets old to me! Ditto what Elaine said about the freshness. The kale was crunchy and flavorful to the last bit. The pecans added such a smooth yet bold aroma and crunch. Just all around yummy! A great staple for my iron deficiency! Thank you!
Kate
Thank you, Kecia! So glad you enjoyed it!
Kecia
…I forgot to give the star rating… :D
Camille
I made this salad for a dinner party and it was absolutely phenomenal! Everyone — including my flatmates, three twenty-year-old boys — claimed that it was the highlight of our meal. Will definitely become a staple. Thanks so much!
Kate
Hooray, thank you, Camille! Glad to hear it.
Dianne
Hi Kate
Thank you for sharing your recipes. I just found your site today while looking up kale salad recipes. I would never have thought to rub kale with sea salt…WOW! I am loving the kale without adding anything else. :-)
I’ll let you know how the salad turns out once I am done munching plain kale with a small amount of sea salt! Dianne
Kate
Love that! Thanks, Dianne!
Claudia Reilly
I was looking for a good kale salad tonight and found yours. Your writing is delightful and the salad and dressing are delicious. It made me laugh that you wrote this in November of 2012, and mentioned you were going to watch “Downton Abbey.” I am making your fabulous salad in January, 2016 for a “Downton Abbey” dinner party. Oh, and I’m wearing black boots.
Kate
How perfect! Thank you so much, Claudia. Hope the salad was a hit at your dinner party!
Heidi
Could I add cooked, cooled quinoa to this successfully, do you think?? Maybe double the dressing if I did…
Susan H
You are my go-to source for salad recipes and they’re always relish! Is there any reason why it wouldn’t work to sub the cranberries for pomegranate seeds in their recipe? I’d like to make this for Rosh Hashanah (without the cheese) and pomegranates are symbolic for the holiday.
Kate
Thank you, Susan! Happy to hear that. You can pretty much always sub pomegranate arils for dried cranberries in my salads. :)
Jenny
Made this for Thanksgiving. Got rave reviews! So good that I made it again for dinner tonight! Thanks for an awesome recipe!
Jessica
I had to sub a few things for what I had on hand (mixed nuts instead of just pecans, dried cherries, and a different kind of cheese), but the salad was absolutely delicious! My husband who is always wary when I make a kale salad, was totally and completely won over. He kept saying how delicious it was.
Can’t wait to try all your other kale salad recipes :-)
Kate
Great! I hope you try some others, Jessica. :)
Terry5
Simple, elegant, and delicious salad. I followed the recipe exactly.
Kate
Thanks, Terry!
Janet Barker
I really enjoyed this salad. I switched goat cheese for feta and pecans for walnuts
Kate
Sounds delicious!
Salad lover
This salad was amazing the only thing I omitted was the radish which I don’t think made any difference.
SusieQue
Hi Kate,
Thank you for forwarding this kale recipe, it is brilliant! We had doubters at our family gathering, but everyone loved it.
We have a honey allergy. I am substituting a water/ sugar mix. It is OK, but not as good as honey. Would something else work better, possibly maple syrup?
SusieQue
Kate
Hi SusieQue! Maple syrup would be the best alternative for recipes like this.
Sonya
This salad did not disappoint! I omitted the cheese (didn’t have any) and used toasted sliced almonds instead of pecans (didn’t have pecans), and used maple syrup in the dressing. It was a side dish served along with butternut squash soup for 6 of us – our friends loved it! And it’s very healthy and low calorie. I can’t wait to make this again. Thanks for sharing!
Kate
That’s great! And, you are welcome Sonya. Thanks so much for your review.
Amelia
Could you make this ahead ?
Kate
You can make ahead, Amelia. I would recommend waiting to add the dressing until ready to serve. Also, the pecans are the best freshly toasted but you can make ahead(thinking a few hours or day).
Rachel
We made this for the first time tonight and loved it so much we are changing our Thanksgiving menu to squeeze it in. YUM, YUM, YUM! (For the record, I think cherries are perfect for this in a way dried cranberries couldn’t be.) Thank you, Kate!
Kate
Three yums, thank you! It is a great pairing salad for Thanksgiving. Great choice. Thank you, for your review Rachel :)
Evie
Hello Deb,
I made this recipe a few years ago when I started trying to include kale in my family’s diet and not only was it a success, it was a resounding success!
Now, any time I go to any family event, this salad is requested specifically and it never fails to get praise. At least three people will come up to me to ask for the recipe every time and even non-salad eaters tell me they look forward to it. ;)
So kudos to you for this combination of flavours and textures, it’s simply quite brilliant!
Thank you!
P.S. In one of my earlier attempts I tried making a few substitutions, cashews for walnuts, raisins for cranberries, adding pumpkin seeds, etc. but it was never as good. I just kept reverting back to your original recipe. This has been the only time in my experience when I wasn’t able to make something better! It’s just that good!
Thanks again!
Kate
Thank you, Evie! I appreciate the review.
Paul H
Really helped to “massage” the kale. Made it tender and tasty. The salad was received very well despite initial skepticism. Great discovery.
Kate
It’s the key for kale! I am happy you enjoyed it, Paul.
ANDREA BROWN
I tried this kale salad and it turned out really well. took it to my friend’s house Christmas Day and it was a hit. It is really great! Love it!
Kate
That’s great, Andrea! Thanks for the review.
Susan
I made this with the vegan variation. I’m not a big salad eater because I find them boring. This one is excellent. Such a great mix of flavors. I think toasting the pecans is what turns this from good to great! Thank you!!
Kate
You’re welcome Susan! I’m happy this salad wasn’t boring. I agree, some salads can be boring. That’s why I like to make mine loaded and colorful!
Vivi
This looks amazing and I can’t wait to make it! Does anyone know how big a serving is according to the nutrition chart?
Kate
Hi Vivi! The serving size is 1/4th of the recipe, which is a medium portion of pasta, I’d say. Hope that helps.
jen
This was the 1st kaoe salad my family ever tried. We loved it. Thanks so much for sharing!
Rita Egnor Sprenkle
Delicious! I did add bacon because why not?
How far in advance can we prep/massage the kale
before a big party? Presume the dressing can be made in advance also.
Megan
Perfect kale salad! Great mix of sweet and tang. The dressing is perfect, and just the right amount to dress the whole salad.
Kate
I’m glad you think so, Megan. Thanks for the review!
Ama
Excited to make this tonight. What is a good substitue for radish?
Kate
You could just omit it, if you don’t like radish!
Diana Sherer
I absolutely LOVE this salad. It’s good with feta, too. Last night I didn’t have pecans so I used roasted pine nuts instead, with white balsamic vinegar instead of apple cider. Even better the next day. Didn’t get a chance to take a picture, too busy enjoying it!
I’ve never been much of a cook, but you’re changing that as I’m trying to eat healthier. I also made your spaghetti squash burrito bowls, which turned me into a spaghetti squash fan. Now that I know what to do with it!
Thanks, Kate, and give Cookie and little pat for me.
Diana
Kate
You’re so sweet, Diana! Thanks for sharing. I appreciate the review. I’m happy the blog has been a great resource for you.
Cindy
Love the receipts have any others that are not salads
Kate
I have a lot of recipes that aren’t salads. Checkout the different course search option on the blog!
Maria Castaneda
Hi. I have a question about the Deb’s kale salad w/apple. Can I use Poppyseed dressing instead of making a honey mustard vinigrethe?
Kate
I like it with this dressing, but if you prefer poppyseed, let me know what you think!
Dr. Cowan's Garden
Yummy! This salad looks so healthy and fresh! Love the idea of adding the pecans for some extra sweetness and crunch.
Kate
Thank you!
Laurie O'Neill
Very nice dressing and salad! I substituted aged gouda for the goat cheese as I had it on hand. I also really appreciated your kale salad success tips and employed them all.
Kate
Thank you, Laurie for sharing!I really appreciate the review.
Vinitha
Again this is a delicious salad Kate. My friends loved it.
Kate
Great to hear!
Ali M.
This was well received! Several family members commented that it would make a good salad for Christmas lunch/dinner, given the great colors.
A feta substitution worked well.
Delicious–it will definitely be a repeat recipe!
Kate
Wonderful, Ali! Thanks so much.
Lois
How mich salad is a serving, though?
Nathalie
A classic, super good salad. Next time I will lower the honey in the dressing.
Kate
Thank you for your review, Nathalie!
Georgie
This salad is really amazing! Very tasty.
Kate
Great to hear, Georgie! Thanks for your review.