Kale, Apple, & Celery Salad with Maple Dijon Dressing

This autumnal kale salad is made with massaged kale leaves, apple, celery, pecans, and a simple and flavorful maple Dijon dressing. Enjoy it as a side dish or top it with your favorite protein for a quick and filling meal!

I have a confession to make…I LOVE KALE. But more specifically, lacinato kale. Known by other fanciful names like dinosaur kale, Tuscan kale, or cavolo nero, this is probably my very favorite leafy green (if I was forced to pick just one). It makes the perfect kale salad but only if you treat it right! In other words, you can’t just chop it and throw it in a bowl. You have to give it a massage first. This helps soften it, making it easier to chew and digest.

I paired massaged lacinato kale with thinly sliced apple, celery, toasted pecans, and a maple dijon dressing for a quick and flavorful autumnal side dish. You can easily elevate it to a main dish by adding your favorite protein. If I go that route, I usually top it with some vegan chicken tenders or grilled/baked tofu. The great thing about this salad, other than the fact that it’s incredibly delicious, is that you only need 10 ingredients and about 15 minutes. Sounds pretty perfect, right?!

What You Need to Make this Kale Salad

For the salad portion, you’ll need 1 bunch of lacinato kale, 3 ribs of celery, 1 crisp and sweet apple, and some toasted pecans.

For the dressing, you’ll need extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, garlic powder, and sea salt.

How to Make this Kale Salad

Strip the kale leaves away from the stems (you can save the stems for another recipe). Roughly chop or tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces then add them to a bowl with a pinch of sea salt. Using your fingers, massage the kale until it softens and begins to glisten. Set your kale aside while you chop your apple, celery, and pecans.

Add the chopped apple, celery, and pecans to the bowl with the massaged kale. Then, add all of the ingredients for the dressing to a small bowl and whisk until emulsified and smooth.

Start by pouring half of the dressing over the salad, then gently toss it. Taste, and add more dressing if you like. You can also season with more sea salt to suit your taste. Now you get to enjoy your salad!

Recipe Success Tips

• Make sure you massage your kale until it glistens! It should look shiny and a little more vibrant than it did before.
• I prefer to slice the apples and celery on the thinner side to fill out the salad a little more and ensure there’s a little of something in every bite.
• Don’t forget to toast your pecans! It really helps to bring out their beautiful, nutty flavor.
• Make sure to whisk the dressing until it is smooth and emulsified. This simply means that you don’t see a separation of the oil anymore and that the mixture is homogenous.

Other Kale Favorites to Try

If persimmons are in season where you live, try this kale and persimmon salad. Or, if you want something cozy and warm, try this fonio bowl with garlicky kale and roasted carrots.

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