Looking for a simple seasonal salad? Try this kale and apple slaw featuring tender kale, crisp apples, dried fruit, toasted nuts, and salty cheese. Perfect for holiday meals or easy lunches!
If you’re looking for a simple seasonal salad to serve with your holiday meal or everyday lunches and dinners then you can’t go wrong with a kale and apple slaw.
Filled with hearty kale, crisp apples, dried fruit, salty cheese and toasted nuts it’s a refreshing addition to traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas menus where heavy comfort foods abound while still remaining seasonal and satisfying. It’s easy to pull together at the last minute with just a handful of ingredients which is always nice this time of year when time is in short supply.
Massaging Kale for Salads
The beauty of kale is its ability to compliment a variety of flavors. Tender Lacinato (also know as Tuscan kale) works best in salads but any variety will work as long as sliced very thinly and given a good massage. The basic technique for any kale salad or slaw is a good massage. Gently rubbing the raw leaves in oil or a bit of dressing tenderizes them, making them silky and less bitter. Once the greens are properly softened you just add your toppings and serve.
This kale and apple slaw features thin ribbons of finely shredded kale tossed with apple slices, in a light, lemony vinaigrette that's topped with dried fruit, toasted sliced almonds and salty shavings of Manchego cheese. Here’s what you’ll need:
Ingredient Notes:
(Here are a few notes about the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. As always find the full list of ingredients and directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- Kale – Choose Lacinato (also know as Tuscan kale) if possible but any kale will do.
- Dressing – You’ll need fresh lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of fine sea salt for the dressing.
- Apples – The best apples to use for this slaw are crisp/tart apples like Honeycrisp or Fujis.
- Dried Fruit – I’m using a combination of tart cherries and deglet noor dates but you can use your favorite combination of dried fruits.
- Nuts – Use sliced almonds and toast them lightly in the oven or substitute walnuts or pecans.
- Cheese – You’ll need a salty hard cheese that can be easily shaved. I particularly like the flavor of Manchego in this slaw but you could also use Pecorino if you’d prefer.
How to Make a Kale and Apple Slaw:
(Here are the basic steps and some helpful tips on how to make the recipe. Find the full directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- Prepare the kale by removing the stems, rolling up the leaves and thinly slicing into a chiffonade with a sharp knife like you would basil.
- To make the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil and salt in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
- Place the shredded kale in a large bowl and add a spoonful of dressing over the top. Using clean hands gently rub the dressing into the kale leaves until the leaves have softened.
- Add the apples, dried fruit and the remaining dressing and toss to coat. Top with the toasted sliced almonds and shaved cheese and serve!
Variations:
- Use any variety of kale or a combination of varieties.
- Use a mixture of apples.
- Use the dried fruit of your choice.
- Use toasted walnuts or pecans instead.
- Use Pecorino instead of Manchego or the cheese of your choice.
More Slaws:
Kale and Apple Slaw
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 bunch lacinato kale, very thinly sliced
- 1 large or 2 small crisp apples, cut into matchsticks
- ⅓ cup/40g dried cherries, roughly chopped
- 4-5 deglet noor dates, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup/28g sliced almonds, lightly toasted
- 2oz/56g Manchego cheese, shaved with a Y-peeler
Instructions
- Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil and salt, set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine sliced kale and a Tablespoon of the dressing. Using clean hands, massage the dressing into the kale leaves until tender.
- Add the julienned apples, dried cherries and dates to the bowl along with the remaining dressing and toss to coat.
- Top with toasted almonds and shavings of Manchego and serve.
Notes
Variations:
- Use any variety of kale or a combination of varieties.
- Use a mixture of apples.
- Use the dried fruit of your choice.
- Use toasted walnuts or pecans instead.
- Use Pecorino instead of Manchego or the cheese of your
choice.
Dietary Info:
Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan Option (omit cheese or replace with vegan cheese), Egg-Free
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Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
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