Raise your hand if you love fall kale salads!
I could seriously raise ten hands.
This is one of those salads that made me want to lick the bowl when I finished. It was that good. Usually that kind of reaction comes from amazing pizza, mac and cheese, or eggs and toast — not salad. But this one changed everything.
This fall kale salad is exactly what I’ve been dreaming of. I’ve been so excited to share it because the flavor is incredible: bright, nutty, slightly sweet and perfectly fall-forward.
I use lacinato (Tuscan) kale shredded thin because it’s heartier and less aggressively “kale-y” than curly green kale. It softens beautifully when massaged and holds the vinaigrette and toppings well.
This salad has a couple of special components that make it stand out: two different nut toppings and a spiced vinaigrette. Yes, two kinds of nuts is a little extra, but the combination is so worth it.
First, smoky honey pepita clusters baked until crisp add a crunchy, savory-sweet element. They can be made ahead and are great for snacking as well as topping the salad.
Second, sweet-and-spicy pecans toasted on the stovetop with honey, red pepper flakes and a touch of nutmeg create a warm, fragrant contrast. Together, the pepitas and pecans give the salad a fantastic textural and flavor balance. Of course, you can use only one nut if you prefer.
The star dressing is a cinnamon shallot vinaigrette that brings everything together. A reader suggested it, and it turned out to be the perfect fall dressing — warm cinnamon, sharp shallot, garlic and mustard balanced with red wine vinegar and olive oil. It pairs beautifully with apples and kale.
The salad also includes Honeycrisp apples for bright sweetness and a small amount of freshly grated sharp white cheddar, which complements the apples without overwhelming the dish.
Below is the complete recipe card with ingredients and clear steps so you can make this salad at home. The components are simple and straightforward, and the dressing keeps well in the fridge for a few days.
Nutty Harvest Honeycrisp Kale Salad
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Ingredients
smoky honey pepita clusters
- 1/2 cup pepitas
- 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 to 3 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- pinch salt
sweet and spicy toasted pecans
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
cinnamon shallot vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 shallot diced
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/3 cup olive oil
salad
- 4 to 6 cups chopped Tuscan (lacinato) kale
- 2 Honeycrisp apples, thinly sliced
- 3 ounces freshly grated sharp white cheddar
Instructions
smoky honey pepita clusters
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Microwave the coconut oil and honey together until melted, about 30 seconds. Toss the pepitas with the honey mixture, smoked paprika and a pinch of salt. Spread on the baking sheet, keeping clusters together so they can be broken apart after baking.
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Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until golden. Remove and toss slightly. Cool completely before breaking into clusters.
sweet and spicy toasted pecans
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Toast the pecans in a nonstick skillet over low heat, stirring often, until fragrant. Add the honey, red pepper flakes and nutmeg. Let the honey bubble and stir for a few minutes, then transfer to parchment to cool completely.
cinnamon shallot vinaigrette
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Whisk together red wine vinegar, honey, Dijon, diced shallot, minced garlic, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. Refrigerate up to a few days.
salad
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Massage the chopped kale with about a tablespoon of the dressing and let it sit 5 to 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add sliced apples, grated cheddar, pecans and pepita clusters to the kale, toss to combine, and serve with additional vinaigrette.
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Seriously — I want to eat this right now!