Kale Salad with Apples is a kid-friendly healthy salad recipe! Crunchy sweet apples balance out the harsh flavor of the kale. Tossed with a sweet vinaigrette, this Gluten Free Kale Salad with Apples is simply delicious!
If you love salad with dinner as much as we do, check out all of my delicious gluten free salad recipes.
This is an amazing kale salad.
Yup, I said that…my family originally thought I was crazy! Honestly, I owe this all of this kale love to Chef Lopez at California Cafe in Los Gatos, CA. (Sadly, California Cafe closed a couple of months ago. This was a wonderful place to dine when you are eating gluten free.)
This is the first kale salad that my family will eat. My kids went nuts over this salad, and they HATE kale!! I think it’s because the apples add a bit of sweetness to balance out the slight bitterness of the kale.
You can enjoy this salad as a side dish, or toss in some grilled shrimp or chicken for a delicious light meal. If you love recipes with fruit, you will love this collection of gluten free recipes for Tu Bishvat.
This easy kale salad recipe has romaine lettuce, kale, apples, and raisins…feel free to add other fruits, the dressing really works with the different flavors.
(*If you love apples as much as I do, try out some of my favorite gluten free apple recipes!)
How to use kale
I love how healthy kale is, but my kids HATE when I cook it. Using raw kale in recipes can be challenging, but there are MANY ways to use kale beyond a healthy salad.
- Make a batch of fresh kale pesto
- Incorporate some raw kale into a healthy smoothie
- Toss a handful of kale into your favorite soup or stew recipe.
- Season the kale with your favorite spices and create oven-baked kale chips
- Place several leaves of raw kale under a cooked fish filet for a pretty and delicious presentation
In addition to finding a recipe to make with lactino kale (Tuscan kale), it helps if you know how to prepare kale properly.
What is kale massage?
One tip I must share from Chef Lopez is to massage your kale. It softens the kale leaves and I know this sounds weird, but it reduces the bitterness a bit as well.
Another great tip to making kale taste good is to make sure you remove the vein that goes down the middle of the leaves. This is where the bitter flavor comes from, so try to remove as much as you can.
Let me know what you think of this salad recipe. 🙂
How to make Kale Salad with Apples:
Mix up the dressing ingredients.
Pour the dressing into the salad ingredients. Mix and allow to sit for 10 minutes so the flavors can blend together.
More Delicious Salad Recipes To Try:
- Daikon Salad with Apples and Pepitas
- Awesome Kale Green Sauce
- Feta Raspberry Apricot Salad
- Orange Fennel Salad
California Cafe's Gluten Free Kale Salad with Apples
Kale Salad with Apples is a kid friendly healthy salad recipe! Crunchy sweet apples balance out the harsh flavor of the kale. Tossed with a sweet vinaigrette, this Gluten Free Kale Salad with Apples is simply delicious!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 bunch kale, stems removed and massaged
- 2 apples, chopped
- 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chopped basil
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix lemon juice, avocado oil, vinegar, dijan, basil, and garlic. Whisk and allow to sit.
- In a large salad bowl, add all salad ingredients.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Allow to sit for 10 minutes for flavors to blend.
Notes
To make your kale kid-friendly, you will want to massage the kale to remove the bitter flavor. To massage kale, put it into a bowl and use your hands to rub the leaves. Continue until the leaves soften and lose some of their stiffness.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: gAmount Per Serving: Calories: 89Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 29mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 3gSugar: 9gProtein: 2g
(*Original recipe Oct 2013. Photos edited 8/29/16)
Janey
I have a question…the description of the dressing indicates that it is sweet. I don’t see any type of sweetener in the ingredient list so I’m wondering whether an ingredient is missing.
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Janey, The sweetness comes from the apples and massaged kale, which takes the bitterness out.
Debi
Loved it.I had to modify it a little as I was out of a couple of things, but it was delicious
Sandi Gaertner
I am so glad you liked it Debi 🙂
Ashley @ Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen
Fruit and kale go so well together. This salad looks great!
allie
Gorgeous kale salad! Thanks for all the great kale tips – I massage mine too!
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you so much Allie 🙂
Ashlyn @ Belle of the Kitchen
I love this combination! I use a lot of kale in smoothies and need more good salad ideas. Definitely have to try this one!
Sandi Gaertner
I didn’t think to massage kale before a smoothie, but if it makes the kale sweeter, it is worth it 🙂
Jen @ The Weary Chef
I love all the greens in this salad! So healthy!
Brandy | Nutmeg Nanny
So great for lunch! Yum!
Sandi Gaertner
Agreed, thanks for stopping by 🙂
katerina @ diethood.com
What a gorgeous salad!! YUM!!
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you Katerina 🙂
Maryanne | the little epicurean
Love the combination of apple and kale. I’ll have to try massaging kale next time! Thanks for the tip!
Sandi Gaertner
I thought massaging kale sounded silly, but it really works to make the kale sweeter.
Meg @ With Salt and Wit
I love this salad! I love trying new and healthy salads!
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you Meg 🙂
Michelle De La Cerda
What a beautiful salad, and would be a great salad to bring us into the fall.
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you so much Michelle 🙂
Raia Torn
This sounds delicious, Sandi! Thanks for sharing it at Savoring Saturdays!
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you Raia. This is the only way my kids will eat kale willingly 🙂