The Quintessential Fall Kale Salad!
We’re big fans of kale in any form, and this Kale Salad with apple and pecans is an absolute favorite. Crisp apples, sharp Cheddar, and toasted walnuts are tossed with hearty kale massaged in a bright, lemony vinaigrette made with tahini. Every bite delivers a perfect balance of creamy, crunchy, salty, and sweet flavors. (If you’re reading this in warmer months, try my grilled chicken kale salad with fresh veggies next!)
Plus, this salad holds up beautifully for hours, making it a great choice for meal prep, holidays gatherings, or casual entertaining. 💯 It’s elegant enough for a fall or winter dinner party starter, but easy enough to pack for weekday lunches.
If you’re craving more of a classic twist, don’t miss my lemon kale caesar salad with crispy chickpeas — it’s another guaranteed favorite!
For more hearty homemade salads, check out my fall Cobb salad with butternut squash or this kale and shredded Brussels sprout salad next!
Ingredient Notes
- Lacinato kale, also called dinosaur kale or Tuscan kale: I prefer this to curly kale, as it has a softer texture and milder flavor, though of course you can use any variety you like. Remove stems and slice leaves into thin ribbons.
- Apple: I recommend Honeycrisp, Gala, or Fuji apples (anything crisp and sweet). You can cut them into any shape you like — I love the look of matchsticks!
- Pecans or walnuts: To add some crunch!
- Shaved Parmigiano Reggiano: We always have Parmesan cheese on hand, but Pecorino Romano is great too.
- Breadcrumbs: Either fresh breadcrumbs or store-bought, toasted in a little bit of extra virgin olive oil. This adds the best crunch! To make gluten-free, either omit the panko breadcrumbs or simply use a gluten-free panko instead.
You can toss this kale apple salad with any dressing you love. We think it pairs particularly well with our Lemon Tahini Dressing (made with fresh lemon juice). It would also be delicious with Creamy Green Goddess Salad Dressing, {5 Minute} Shallot Vinaigrette, or our classic Kale Salad Dressing.
Easy Instructions
- Choose the right dressing! We love this Lemon Tahini Dressing, but you can easily switch it up. Check out all of our easy salad dressing recipes for inspiration. Most dressings without mayonnaise will keep for at least 1 week in a fridge, so these are great for prepping ahead of time.
- Toast the breadcrumbs. Heat a little oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the panko breadcrumbs then cook for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown and toasted.
- Toss with dressing. Place the thinly sliced kale leaves in a large bowl, along with apple matchsticks, toasted pecans, Parmesan cheese, and breadcrumbs. Pour as much of the dressing on top as you like, then toss well to evenly coat. Taste, adjust seasoning with Kosher salt (or flaky sea salt) and black pepper, then enjoy!
Substitutions and Variations
- Cheese: Instead of Parm, try Pecorino Romano, which has a similar texture. For a totally different experience, consider using goat cheese, feta cheese, manchego, pan seared halloumi, gorgonzola, or blue cheese. To make dairy-free, consider adding cubed ripe avocado.
- Nuts: I love pecans here, but sliced almonds, toasted walnuts, pine nuts, or marcona almonds (my personal favorite) are great options.
- To enjoy nut-free, consider using pumpkin seeds or roasted sunflower seeds. Great crunch!
- Salad dressing: Not feeling up to making a dressing? This is totally delicious with a simple drizzle of balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil or honey mustard dressing. We’ve all been there; sometimes easiest is best.
- Grains: Love a grain salad? Me too! Feel free to add quinoa, farro, or even brown rice.
Expert Tips
- If not enjoying immediately, wait to dress the salad! While kale leaves hold up better than arugula, spinach, or other softer lettuces when dressed, you still don’t want them to get soggy. If making in advance, wait to toss with salad dressing until ready to eat.
- Apples not in season? Consider swapping them out for pears or dried fruit. You want a mild sweetness. Dried cranberries are a little tart, chewy, and delicious!
- Be sure to toast the nuts and breadcrumbs: These add depth of flavor and a crunchy texture.
- If you’re using curly kale, you may want to massage the kale with the dressing before adding other salad ingredients. It’s less tender than lacinato kale.
Make-Ahead, Leftovers, & Storage
- To make-ahead: You can make this raw kale salad ahead of time and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Add the dressing just before serving so that the kale leaves don’t get soggy. To prevent the apples from oxidizing and browning, we recommend tossing them with a little lemon juice.
- Leftovers and storage: If you have leftover kale salad, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Note that the kale may lose some of its crispness over time, but it will still be delicious!
- To freeze: Do not freeze this salad. Enjoy it fresh or within a few days!
Serving Suggestions
This fall kale salad goes great with crusty bread and grilled or roasted chicken for a complete meal. If you’re reading this and it happens to be warm where you live, try this summer kale salad with grilled chicken, veggies, and white beans instead!
You could also serve it alongside grilled steak, Italian sausage, roasted salmon or shrimp, burgers, or soup. I also love to serve a big green salad next to a simple pasta (doesn’t get much simpler than our quick and simple penne pomodoro!).
Kale salad lovers, you’re definitely going to want to give this one a try!
If you make this easy Kale Salad recipe, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
And make sure to sign up for our newsletter and follow along on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Facebook for more Well Seasoned recipes! Don’t forget to tag us on social channels when you make a recipe at #wellseasonedstudio and upload your photos below! We love seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!
Tell Us What You Think!
If you make this recipe, don’t forget to leave a review and rating—we value your feedback and it helps us keep creating (and sharing!) free recipes. Your support means the world!
Rate this Recipe
Crunchy Kale Salad with Apple and Pecans
Ingredients
For the Breadcrumbs
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup fresh or store-bought breadcrumbs
For the Kale Salad
- 1 bunch lacinato kale ribs removed, leaves thinly sliced into ¼-½-inch strips
- 1 medium apple such as Honeycrisp, Gala, or Fuji, cut into matchsticks about ¼-inch thick and 1-inch long
- ⅓ cup pecans or walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup shaved Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving
- Flaky sea salt for serving
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ½ cup lemon tahini dressing
Instructions
- Make the lemon tahini dressing. If you haven't already, make a batch of our lemon tahini dressing.
- Toast the breadcrumbs. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add ⅓ cup of breadcrumbs. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
- Assemble the kale salad. Place thinly sliced kale, apple, ⅓ cup toasted pecans, ⅓ cup shaved Parmesan, and toasted breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Drizzle the lemon tahini dressing on top, then toss well. Serve immediately with additional shaved Parmesan, a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, and black pepper, if wanted.
Notes
- Make the dressing ahead of time: Lemon tahini dressing can be made up to 5 days in advance. Store leftovers in a jar or sealed container in a fridge, then give it a good whisk before serving to loosen it up.
- To make-ahead the salad: You can make this salad ahead of time and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Add the dressing just before serving so that the kale leaves don’t get soggy. To prevent the apples from oxidizing and browning, we recommend tossing them with a little lemon juice.
- Leftovers and storage: If you have leftover salad, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Note that the kale may lose some of its crispness over time, but it will still be delicious!
- Do not freeze this salad. Enjoy it fresh or within a few days.
Nutrition
Photography by: Megan McKeehan
Such a delicious fall salad!! I made it tonight and topped it with roasted delicata squash. Excellent recipe and the dressing was 🤩🤩🤩
Love the addition of delicata squash! So glad you enjoyed! xo, Ari
Love your recipes, but did you know that when we print them out there’s a “grey scale screen” over the top. This takes extra toner on our printer. Any way you can fix this? Thank you!
Hm, I don’t see that on my end. I wonder if perhaps it’s the setting on the printer. I’m going to ask someone more tech savvy to help me look into this on my end. Thanks for bringing to my attention, Lindy! xo, Ari
Yes I get the gray overlay too. There is no way to change it in settings, it looks like it’s on your end. Trying this recipe tonight…will report back.
Still looking into this and trying to resolve the gray overlay. So sorry about that! I hope you love the salad, it’s truly one of my favorites! xo, Ari
This salad will become a staple! I have seen tahini recipes for years and finally made this and it’s delicious. Also, the breadcrumbs are a new fave to croutons. They spread evenly over the salad for a consistent crunch.
It seriously check’s all the boxes. Adore those breadcrumbs!! xo, Ari
This salad was so incredibly tasty! I added celery and hemp seeds to mine. The lacinato kale was great – I had never had it before. I found it at Whole Foods!
Love that you customized it! Sounds delicious! xo, Ari
not sure if i have commented on this recipe yet and also can’t understand why because I have loved this every time I’ve made it! I make croutons instead of the crumbs (tho I see lots of positives about the crumbs!) and the crunch they give is very satisfying. I love the versatility of this salad…I’ve added pomegranite seeds, red onion, subbed the parm for aged gouda and when I don’t have the tahini dressing made we use something else yummy with good results.
Thank you! This has become our go to salad!!
Carla, thank you!! I love that you’ve made it your own and tried different variations. So appreciate the feedback! xo, Ari
This salad is amazing! I just made it and can’t believe I hadn’t tried it sooner! The textures, the flavors, the crunch, the sweet, the salty…everything about this salad is just delicious! I loved it and can’t wait to make it again!
Thanks, Kristin! It’s definitely one of my favorite kale salads here too! xo, Ari