Shaved Kale Apple Almond Salad (Printable)
Crisp shaved kale tossed with apple, toasted almonds, and bright citrus dressing in 15 minutes.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Salad
01 - 6 cups kale, stems removed and leaves finely shredded
02 - 1 large apple (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith), thinly sliced
03 - 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
04 - 1/4 cup dried cranberries
05 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
06 - 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
→ Citrus Dressing
07 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
09 - 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
11 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
12 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
13 - 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
# How-To Steps:
01 - Place the shredded kale in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt and massage the leaves firmly with your hands for 1 to 2 minutes until they soften and turn a deeper, vibrant green.
02 - In a small bowl or mason jar, combine the olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, sea salt, and black pepper. Whisk vigorously until the dressing is fully emulsified and creamy.
03 - Add the thinly sliced apple, toasted almonds, dried cranberries, crumbled feta cheese if using, and chopped red onion to the bowl with the massaged kale.
04 - Pour the citrus dressing over the salad and toss thoroughly using tongs or your hands, ensuring every leaf and topping is evenly coated.
05 - Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 1 hour to allow the flavors to develop further before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Massaging the kale transforms it from tough and bitter into something silky and almost sweet, a trick that changes everything about eating raw greens.
- The citrus dressing pulls double duty, tenderizing the kale further while adding a sunny acidity that makes each bite feel alive.
02 -
- Skip the massaging step and you will be chewing tough, bitter leaves that no amount of dressing can rescue.
- Toasting almonds in a dry skillet takes only three to five minutes but they go from golden to burnt in seconds, so stay by the stove and shake the pan often.
03 -
- Dress the salad up to an hour before serving but no more, because the kale will eventually release water and dilute the dressing.
- Shave the kale as thin as you possibly can, because finer cuts mean more surface area for the dressing and a more tender bite.