Description
A warm, cozy, and satisfying weeknight dinner salad featuring roasted Honeycrisp or Fuji apples, toasted candied pecans, and massaged kale with a tangy apple cider vinaigrette. Ready in under 20 minutes with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 medium apples (Honeycrisp or Fuji), peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
- ½ cup (60g) raw pecans, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 6–8 cups kale (lacinato preferred) or sturdy mixed greens, stems removed and chopped
- ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- ¼ cup dried cranberries or raisins (optional)
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Peel and cube apples, tossing them with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- While the oven heats, melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add pecans and toast for 1-2 minutes until nutty. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon, stirring for 30 seconds until coated. Remove from heat and set aside on a plate to cool and crisp.
- Place chopped kale in a large bowl. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Massage the kale with your hands for 2 minutes until tender and darker green.
- Roast apples in the oven for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway, until tender and slightly caramelized.
- In a small jar or bowl, whisk together apple cider vinegar, olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
- Immediately toss the warm roasted apples into the bowl with the massaged kale. Add feta, dried cranberries, and candied pecans. Drizzle with vinaigrette and toss gently to combine.
- Serve immediately while the apples are still warm.
Notes
Massage the kale thoroughly to break down tough fibers. Watch the sugar closely when toasting pecans as it burns quickly. For a dairy-free version, substitute butter with coconut oil and feta with nutritional yeast or dairy-free cheese. Do not freeze this salad as the texture of the greens and apples will be ruined.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the total sal
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 22
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 6
Keywords: fall salad, weeknight dinner, roasted apples, candied pecans, kale salad, healthy dinner, quick recipes, vegetarian main course