Kale Apple Salad with Cheddar and Almonds
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Kale apple salad is one of our favorite kale salad recipes. The kale is softened with a sweet salad dressing and then mixed with crunchy apples, toasted almonds, and cheddar cheese. It’s delicious!
This kale apple salad is the kind of everyday recipe that feels simple but is somehow so satisfying. Crisp apples, toasted almonds, and little cubes of cheddar give it tons of texture and flavor, and the sweet dressing ties everything together in the best way. It’s bright, crunchy, and just fun to eat — the kind of salad you make once and immediately add to your regular rotation.
What I love most about this salad is the balance. The apples bring a juicy sweetness, the almonds add a warm, toasty crunch, and the cheddar gives each bite a little savory richness. The kale softens just enough once it’s tossed in the dressing, so the whole bowl becomes tender-crisp and full of flavor without losing any of that good structure.
It’s a great side dish for almost anything, but it also holds up beautifully on its own for lunch. And since it stays crisp longer than most salads, it’s perfect for making ahead or bringing to gatherings. It’s fresh, colorful, and exactly the kind of bowl I never get tired of.
Tip: don’t toss the kale stems! Use them to make my sweet-and-spicy kale stems recipe instead.
Tips for making the best kale salad
- Curly kale tends to be the most tender, use it if it’s available.
- Remove both the inner stem and also the smaller and tough ribs that the leaves grow around.
- Chop the kale leaves so that they are small enough to get several pieces on your fork (and in your mouth) at the same time.
- Let the dressing sit on the leaves for at least 5 minutes before serving. We used to massage kale, but that was messy and time-consuming. Letting the dressing sit on the kale leaves accomplishes the same goal.
- Always opt for a sweeter dressing, like the one in this recipe. Kale is quite bitter and can handle being sweetened up.
What to serve with kale apple salad
This simple salad is versatile and goes well with so many main course recipes. Here are a few of our favorites:
Watch the kale and apple salad video
Kale Apple Salad with Cheddar and Almonds
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups well-packed kale leaves
- ½ cup diced cheddar cheese
- ½ cup toasted chopped almonds (slivered or sliced work, too)
- 1 large apple (diced)
The Dressing
- ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup honey (can sub maple syrup)
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic (grated on a Microplane or very finely minced)
- A pinch of sea salt
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Place the dressing ingredients into a 2-cup mason jar and shake well.⅓ cup apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup honey, 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 2 cloves garlic, A pinch of sea salt, ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Add the kale to a large salad bowl, pour the dressing over top and mix well. Let the kale sit for 5 minutes to soften.2 ½ cups well-packed kale leaves
- Add all the remaining ingredients and mix together.½ cup diced cheddar cheese, ½ cup toasted chopped almonds, 1 large apple
Video
Notes
- Instead of almonds, use pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts.
- Instead of apples, use pears.
- Instead of cheddar, use blue cheese, feta, boursin, or diced Havarti.
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
Best kale salad recipes
For more inspiration, check out all of our kale recipes!
What type of apple would you suggest? I see the dressing is sweet, stick with a sweet apple or go tart?
I can not wait to try this recipe along with your Cranberry Roasted Chicken recipe!
I usually buy Pink Lady, Ambrosia, or Honey Crisp apples, so I would do with one of those!
This is absolutely delicious! This is my favorite new salad recipe and will be on the holiday table this Christmas! Please note the original recipe serves 4 but the you’ll have a lot of extra dressing for the next time you make it – a big bonus! I went the pure maple syrup route for the dressing and used what I had for cheese which comprised of a little diced sharp cheddar slices and blue cheese pieces.
My teen daughter, whose never been fond of raw Kale, couldn’t get enough and pretty much devoured most of the salad 🙂 Next time I’ll at least double the recipe! Thank you for making Kale so appetizing and a pleasure to eat!
This salad was perfect. Loved the combination of flavors. Will make it again!
I’m really happy that you liked the recipe!