I’m in love. The dressing alone on this Apple Dijon Kale Salad was enough to make me swoon. It’s just a very simple Dijon vinaigrette, but it’s so good that I kept dipping my spoon in for taste after taste. And because kale is so sturdy, it stands up well to being pre-dressed with the vinaigrette, making this salad great for weekly meal prep. In fact, I’m sure that as the juice from the apples begins to mingle with the dressing, it will only make it even better.
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I love that this salad combines so many flavors and textures in one bowl. You have the slightly bitter flavor of the curly kale, the sweet and crispy apples, crunchy walnuts, and super sweet raisins. Then, all of that is topped off with a tangy dijon vinaigrette. It just all works.
How to Serve Apple Kale Dijon Salad
Eat this Apple Dijon Kale Salad with a cool glass of crisp white wine, some awesome crusty bread, and maybe some cheddar cheese. That’s what I call the perfect summer dinner.
See this recipe used in my weekly meal prep.
Apple Dijon Kale Salad
Servings 4Ingredients
- 1/3 cup olive oil ($0.69)
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar ($0.24)
- 1 clove garlic ($0.08)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard ($0.14)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 10-15 cranks freshly cracked pepper ($0.05)
- 1/2 lb chopped kale (about one bunch) ($2.32)
- 1 medium granny smith apple ($0.79)
- 1/4 cup raisins ($0.27)
- 1/2 cup walnut halves ($0.80)
Instructions
- Rinse the kale well in a colander under cool running water. Allow the kale to drain as you prepare the rest of the salad.
- In a blender combine the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, clove of garlic, salt, and pepper. Blend until the garlic is minced and the dressing is smooth.
- Wash the apple and slice it into thin wedges, or dice it into cubes. Roughly chop the walnut halves. Make sure the kale is as dry as possible and then add it to a large bowl along with the apples, walnuts, and raisins. Starting with just half, drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Add more dressing as desired (I used the whole batch).
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Nutrition
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How to Make Apple Dijon Kale Salad – Step By Step Photos
Pre-chopped bagged kale is pretty easy to find these days and fairly inexpensive (since it doesn’t wilt quickly), so I usually pay for this convenience. I used roughly 1/2 pound, or about what you’d get from one large bunch of kale.
I like to chop the kale into even smaller pieces for use in fresh salads because it makes the kale easier to chew and eat (if cooking the kale I generally leave it in larger pieces). Place the chopped kale in a colander and rinse well under cool running water. Let the kale drain as you prepare the dressing.
Now it’s time to make the AH-MAZING dressing. Just add 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1.5 Tbsp Dijon mustard, one clove of peeled garlic, 1/4 tsp salt, and some freshly cracked pepper to a blender.
Then blend the dressing until smooth. Taste the dressing and adjust the salt or pepper if you’d like. If you find the dressing too tangy for your liking, you can add a small amount of honey or sugar to help tone it down, but I suggest leaving it really tangy because it creates a nice juxtaposition of flavors in the salad. I love this little $15 Hamilton Beach blender, BTW! (affiliate link)
Now chop the toppings. I sliced the apple into thin wedges, but you could also dice it. Roughly chop 1/2 cup walnuts because smaller pieces mean more in every bite… but pieces that are *too* small means not enough texture. Find the happy medium. The raisins are already the perfect size.
Before you build the salad, make sure that kale is as dry as possible. Shake the water off and if you’re feeling like an over achiever, get in there with a paper towel to absorb some more. Put the kale in a large bowl, add the apples, walnuts, and raisins. Pour the dressing on, starting with just half, then toss to coat. Add more dressing if desired. I desired ALL OF IT. ;D
And now you’re ready to eat this epic Apple Dijon Kale Salad. Seriously, add a glass of some dry riesling or something else crisp. You won’t be sorry. Oohh, this would be great with some grilled meat. I LOVE SUMMER.
This was easy and delicious! I added extra firm tofu cubes and made this a main dish for 2 people.
I love your short and easy recipes
Thanks
I am OBSESSED with this salad. It’s so good and so easy. I also buy pre-shredded, pre-washed kale and I use salad topper from Costco that has dried cranberries and nuts and seeds. So all I have to do is slice the apple and make the dressing, then throw it all together. I make a big batch a couple times a month and keep in tupperwares in the fridge as a side salad for my work lunches. The dressing is EVERYTHING!
Delicious! I subbed pecans and craisins since I had those on hand.
I added honey to the dressing – our preference. I also added a spoon of plain Greek yogurt to the dressing. Makes it so much easier to emulsify without dragging out the blender.
So good and also a beautiful dish. Might make for Christmas dinner!
I really like this salad, very powerful flavor and the different textures was great. My parents, alas, were not impressed though. More for me!
I wasn’t a fan of using the blender but I couldn’t find my garlic press. If you suck at using the blender like me and have a press, use that instead and then just whisk the dressing ingredients together by hand.
Since discovering this dressing, it has become my go to. I don’t make the salad as described but rather half kale half mixed greens, roasted red pepper, tomatoes, cukes, walnuts or chicken for protein…and then this glorious dressing. I make a big batch as I find it lasts well in the fridge for a couple of weeks at least.
I made this as part of my work-from-home meal plan and had expected to get a good weeks worth of lunches from it. Well last night we had leftovers for dinner, my kids discovered it and now I have to make another batch! Delicious, simple and healthy. Another Budget Bytes winner 🏆.
Hello! This is part of the Vegan Meal Plan, but I’m allergic to apples. Any suggestions as to what could be a good substitute for the fresh apple?
Pears would be fantastic!
Thanks Beth!
I made the salad last night and it was a great hit! I made two modifications. I made the dressing ahead of time and ran the garlic through a garlic press. Then I just had to whisk the ingredients together. I also used candied walnuts rather than plain. Everyone at book club raved over it.
Delicious!
This salad was on point an extremely flavorful. I do agree with some posts that the vinegar cpu,d be scaled down a bit as well as the olive oil. But, outside of some minor changes it’s awesome.
I mean could be scaled down.
Hands down my FAVORITE, go-to fall or winter salad. I crave it all the time! The kale stays crisp, the acid from the dressing keeps the apples fresh and the combo of all the flavors is delish! Instead of raisins, I add dried cranberries for a little more color. Sometimes I add rotisserie chicken to make it a full meal. I often serve this salad with Thanksgiving to lighten up the table. You have to try this salad!
This is probably my all-time favorite salad – I’ve been making it almost every week for the past…year or thereabouts? A while, anyway. XD
This is everything I need from a salad – robust enough to hold up over several days in the fridge (and even gets better as it rests), hearty enough to be a meal by itself, full of interesting textures and flavors (although I tend to leave out the raisins, as I find the apple is plenty sweet for me), and full of hearty, nutritious ingredients. I like that the acids keeps the apples from going brown or soft over time, and that the kale gets mellower and less earthy as it melds with the dressing.
The only thing I do differently is, instead of using a blender, I mince the garlic ahead of time and shake everything up in a jar until it emulsifies – another trick I learned from Beth, and one that has saved me a lot of time and effort over the years. Plus, it’s fun! :)
Amazing Salad! I picked up kale from my CSA at the beginning of the summer and wasn’t quite sure what to do with it. Now I make this salad literally every week and sometimes even more often to have on hand as a healthy side to meals. I will say I prefer it the day after as the kale softens and it becomes less vinegar-y, but that’s just personal preference. Beth you never fail to impress!
Why did the dressing emulsify? Woke up to gooey clump. :(
When you say “woke up to” that means you refrigerated it overnight, correct? (It does need to be refrigerated, just making sure that’s what you meant.) Olive oil does often thicken up and partially solidify when refrigerated, so that’s probably what you experienced. It’s still 100% fine, just let it warm up a bit at room temperature, give it a stir or shake, and you’re back in business. :)
You are correct lol, put leftover dressing was in frig overnight. It’s fine now after your suggestions.
I know I’m late to the party (shelter in place and having to prepare meals at home, just discovered Budget Bytes) but this salad is so good, hearty and easy.
Stay safe and healthy Beth!
While I like the ingredients for the salad, the dressing calls for way too much vinegar.
Many recipes say to “massage” raw kale. I’ve only ever made cooked kale. No massage required?
You certainly can massage it and trim from the stalks if you prefer.
I loved this salad. And dressing was so easy. Definitely putting in my rotation.
I crave this salad when I’m coming back from a vacation and I need something healthy and simple! The dressing is a delicious staple!
Any suggestions for a vegetarian protein source to go with this? I was going to add some feta or goat cheese, because, well, cheese, but maybe chickpeas or something?
There are a lot of great options Steph! Have you seen our post on 5 Plant Based Proteins?
I just whisked the dressing, it was fine, and I preferred dried cranberries. I love this salad!
I don’t know why but I always felt like salads were best left to the professionals. My at-home salads just could never compare to the thoughtful salads I can find at local restaurants. It’s wild, I know. But this salad has totally changed that. Tonight is my second time in a week and it is just… so delightful. Wouldn’t change a thing.
That’s awesome you found your at home equivalent Sierra!
This recipe seemed a bit out of my comfort zone (raisins and raw kale… ) but it turned out amazing! I loved it.
I didn’t feel like having to clean a blender so I just mixed the dressing ingredients with a spoon. And I used normal mustard instead of Dijon. Still tasted amazing!
This is sooo delicious and easy to make ! Thank you for this awesome recipe, Beth!
I added some shredded rotisserie chicken and a hard boiled egg to each of mine. Delicious! I’ll definitely be adding this to the rotation.
I’m not a huge salad person but man this was good! Next time I’m going to add goat cheese and consider using cranberries. I feel like I was really missing out with the walnuts, would’ve added nice taste (I presume) and texture but I’m highly allergic and had to skip them. Ended up buying some chopped kale at Aldi’s in a massive bag which made a ton more servings. I doubled the dressing and it dressed well.
This turned out great! I made it using cranberries instead of raisins because that’s what I had on hand, along with some goat cheese on top. The recipe made enough for 3 small-ish portions and kept well in the fridge overnight. This would be lovely with grilled chicken, crispy tofu, or toasted spiced chickpeas on top too.
I noticed that you didn’t massage the kale. I don’t often use kale, but have always heard it is better if you massage it! Don’t know what that does or how to do it. Any thoughts???
I personally don’t find it worth it. I find that if the kale is coated in the dressing it softens after just sitting there for a bit.
This dressing is SO GOOD!
I used craisins and pecans instead of raisins and walnuts (already had them), fuji instead of granny smith (way cheaper where I am), and added some feta to the top. I served with some broiled chicken tenders. Pro tip: if you buy a larger bag of walnuts/pecans, freeze them! The oils spoil less quickly. I put mine straight from the freezer onto a sheet pan in the oven for about 7-8 minutes to toast them for this salad.
Massaging the kale breaks it down and gives it amore tenderness to the taste. I subbed out the vinegar for lemon juice.
Made this with cranberries, goat cheese, and trader Joe’s candied pecans. IT WAS DELICIOUS (In my Oprah voice) and I know I have made this totally unhealthy
Delicious! When I first tasted the dressing plain out of the blender I was worried it was too tart, but once it blended with the salad it was just right. I used candied walnuts so that also added a bit of sweetness
I made this as part of Christmas dinner and it was delicious! (I used dried cranberries to make it more “Christmasy.”) I had some left over, so I brought it to work for lunch the next day. Even with it fully dressed, the kale was hearty enough not to wilt and the vinaigrette kept the apples from turning brown. This is my new favorite salad!
I made this for lunch today and it was seriously one of the best kale salads I’ve ever had. I left out the raisins because I don’t like them. Thanks for the awesome recipe. Yum.
Made this tonight and it was great. Just added some feta cheese. Thanks for the recipe!
This is so good! I’m not usually a big fan of raw kale, but the dressing made it one of the best salads I’ve had, kale or not. And thanks for the tip on cutting up kale; I’m not very experienced with food prep, and those kinds of details have made the recipes on your site so much easier for me!
This salad is amazing! I serve it at dinner parties and my guests ask for the recipe every time. You’re getting lots of traffic from my circle of friends. :-) Thanks for creating and posting this one! I make it almost weekly and take it for lunch, add grilled chicken and more. What a versatile dish.
Tart and tangy! I have been looking for a good dijon recipe and thought I would check out what BB has to offer. This (like every other recipe) didn’t disappoint! I just made the dressing, but I can see how the added sweetness of the raisins would be amazing. I can’t wait to make this salad in its entirety!
I made this salad when it was first published…I made it with 1/3 c mayonnaise instead of olive oil. Now I’m seeing that is says olive oil…did I just make a mistake in using mayonnaise, or has the recipe changed since it was published?
Nope, it was always olive oil (see the step by step photos). :) But I can see how mayonnaise would work well, too!
This was great, not sure why I’ve waited so long to try it! I sent some in my 8 year old’s lunch box, and he was disappointed that I didn’t give him any for today’s lunch.
Made this for dinner tonight to balance out our seafood chowder dinner. I just swapped out baby kale and spinach for the kale, but it was still delicious. Oh! And I added shredded carrots. Can’t wait to eat the leftovers again tomorrow!
This was really nice! I used pecans and cranberries because that was what I had. I added a bit of herbed goat cheese. The dressing is great, I like that you could toss this ahead of time w/o worry about it getting soggy.
Thanks!
Have made this several times, and yes, it keeps very very well. The apples don’t get brown at all the the kale gets more tender (but not gross or wilted) as time goes on. I find the dressing a little bit harsh so I add a blob of honey to mine.
Hi,
I’m Elisa, a writer for Spoon University, and I’m writing a story about vegan diets. If it’s okay with you, I’d love to use this photo in the article and of course give you proper photo credit.
If you could let me know as soon as possible, that would be great.
Thanks so much ahead of time.
Yes, that is fine Elisa. :)
The dressing was fabulous and the toppings – apples, walnuts, and raisins – are always great on a salad. It turns out that I don’t like an all-kale salad, though. I think a little kale mixed with lettuce or other greens would make for a nicer salad. Add a little goat cheese and it would be perfect!
SO healthy and nourishing, but also unbelievably delicious! I got an entire bag of 12 apples for 1.29 at a local market, and this was a great way to use them. I’m starving in grad school, but I love healthy food and this was PERFECT (as are all these recipes.) I added some crumbled feta and served with fresh oat flour/flax bread. It made 3-4 servings, easy. Tasty, affordable, and I feel like I am glowing with nutrients. THANK YOU BETH!
First time visitor, came by from the HuffPost article and—-AAAAHHHHH tossing kale stems??? Really? Chop em up and stir fry them, throw them in soup, but please don’t throw them out!
Thank you, Mary! I had the same thought!
I made this the night before for my lunch the next day. This is an awesome salad. I added goat cheese, and wow. So so so good. The kale was perfect and I think its because I let it sit over night in the dressing. Yum!
Oooh, I love goat cheese and I bet it was spectacular with this! #jealous
Made this last night and it was DELICIOUS!! I doubled the dressing recipe and used the other half for a second salad with the same ingredients on lettuce (the men in the fam aren’t too big on kale hehe). The dressing was a big hit and I have some left over!
Does anybody know if I can still make the dressing without a blender? I do not own one D:
You can whisk the ingredients together (mince the garlic first), but it just won’t hold together quite as tightly. It may separate a little. :)
I made this and have been eating it all week, its absolutely delicious, gets better each day. I mostly stuck to the recipe although I used golden raisins and added some chopped dates because I thought they would go well. I topped it with a fillet of dijon-maple roasted salmon. Thanks for the recipe!
I made this for dinner last night along with the herb roasted pork loin. It was sooo good. This was the first time I had kale in a salad and I loved how crunchy it was. I just finished off a second serving for lunch and it stored really well overnight. I’ll definitely be making this salad often!
Oh oh so yummy!!!!! Even notoriously picky son did not verbally complain about it. :-)
LOVE this salad, it is so addicting! I use dried canberries and grainy-dijon mustard. A bit pricier but worth it :)
Delicious! Made this last night with grapes instead of raisins (I’m not a huge fan of raisins) and I will definitely be keeping this on my list of go-to recipes. I’m not a huge fan of kale but my boyfriend loves it, so I was happy to find that the dressing really helps mask the bitterness of the kale.
This salad rocks! I made it last night and it was tasty for dinner, but what was really great was today I took it for lunch and I added about a half a cup of cooked (cold) quinoa. It was even better with the quinoa once the salad had time to absorb all the flavors. I also added a few tablespoons of flax seed oil.
This is one of my favorites!! We have added all kinds of stuff to it and it still rocks. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
im going to do this tonight!!!
Wow. Tasty salad, full of flavor and excellent for you! I made the dressing and salad to a T except I’m not a fan of raisins, so I roughly chopped some pitted dates I had on hand. The flavor was out of this world!
Thank you for your wonderful recipes- with my husband job searching right now, we are closely watching out budget (especially food since that’s where I go crazy! ;) ). Your site is perfect for us.
Also, keep the vegetarian dishes coming! I don’t eat meat and was thrilled to find so many healthy meatless meals! :)
I doubled up on the apples and tore up a Babybel edam wheel for each salad. Turned out nicely. I still think I’d use a bit less dressing next time, personally. I did use a combination of white balsamic and red wine vinegar instead of the apple cider vinegar though, which may have given it a bit more bite.
Still, love it. great recipe.
I had tried kale only a few times before, and was not a huge fan – so I was entirely skeptical on trying it raw. But you were so right – with this intense dressing, there is no dreaded ‘kale’ taste! I have an allergy to garlic so I made the switch for some shallots instead, which worked out well in this case. I also dislike washing my blender (too many parts!) so I used a microplaner, which actually made a nice frothy shallot puree, and whisked the dressing until it emulsified. Paired with some avocado-quinoa and a bit of protein, this salad was a great post-workout meal!
My first time using kale in a salad, loved the kale! Great and filling. However, as sad as I am to say it, the dressing was too much vinegar for me. And if you know me, you know that I have a slight, almost obsession with vinegar anything. Next time I’ll use 1/2 as much vinegar and add more as needed. But, all around it was a great salad. Oh, and we added chicken, great!
This salad looks delicious! I will definitely have to make this. Have you heard of turnip chips they are a great alternative to potato chips and pretty tasty. Eating smaller potions is definitely key to losing weight and getting healthy. It is important to plan out your diet and fitness routine because it helps you stay focused. Choose some healthy meals and snacks there are so many options like the turnip chips or baked sweat potato fries. I have recently started eating healthy and for the first time I appreciate food and eat very little junk food.
Love kale salad but never used apple before – great idea. Can’t wait to eat this!
I made this yesterday for lunch and it was awesome! Thanks for another great recipe. :)
I made this tonight and really enjoyed it. I still have a lot of kale left because my bundle of kale was massive. I used Red Wine Vinegar because that’s what I had on hand, and the dressing still tastes fine. I will definitely make this salad again. Thanks!
I am obsessed with your blog. I’ve already made a couple recipes this past week and have printed a dozen more to make soon. Amazing!! How has no one offered you a cookbook deal yet?
delicious salad! great with goat cheese, too!
I don’t know the calorie and fat counts, but the Weight Watchers point value is 10 pts per serving, which is reasonable if it’s a main dish but a lot for a side salad (for reference, I have 26 daily points plus 49 flex points for the week). Basically all the points are coming from the olive oil and walnuts (though if you’re less worried about calories and fat and more worried about the general healthiness of it, those are both good/heart-healthy sources of fat). So if you want to keep down the calories, I’d suggest not pre-dressing the salad and having the dressing on the side and seeing how little you can have and still get the full flavor. A lot of times you don’t need that much. And it looks delicious! Can’t wait to try it.
Made it tonight–LOVE IT! Thank you for giving me something new to add to our summer rotation!
wow this looks sooo good, I’ve been on a blue cheese obsession, will definitely make this and add some blue cheese, thanks for sharing!
I’ve read recently about kale salads where you “massage” the kale and it’s a lot more edible and not so tough. Have you tried that with any of your kale dishes? Btw, thanks for so many of your recipes. My whole family watches your site for the latest and we use quite a few ideas – the chicken rice bowl is our current fave!
Just found your site and really excited to try some of these and future recipes as I follow your blog! Thanks!
The cider vinegar should help the apples keep from browning, just as lemon juice does.
I’ll update you on how long it stays good in the fridge… I made it just before posting it yesterday :D
The dressing is not low fat or reduced fat, unfortunately. It’s a traditional vinaigrette which are usually about 1/3 – 1/2 oil by volume.
Little Braveries – Thanks for catching my mistake! I always forget to change the value listed at the bottom of the table :P
I made the dressing tonight.. it is very acidic, very mustard-y, very flavorful and very satisfying.
This may be a silly question, but I am trying to diet and watch what I eat. I’m wondering how the dressing in the recipe is? Too much fat like in many other dressings or very low in fat and calories?
Oh, jeez I swear can read. It does sound delicious though!
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You can toss the apples in lemon juice before adding to the salad to prevent browning.
Question: does the apple cider vinegar prevent the cut apples from browning? It looks like an amazing salad, but I’m a little leery of day old cut apples.
Awesome,going to try this soon. Just weary of eating kale raw because it is “sturdy” but will definitely give it a try. Will pass along the recipe to my diabetic father who I’m encouraging to eat more veggies and salads. Wondering how long this will keep in the fridge with the dressing on it. Thank you!