I know, I know. I’m always jabbering on about my new favorite kale salad and waxing poetic about kale salads in general. This salad, though! It’s crisp, sweet (but not too sweet) and features seasonal fennel and apple, which is a new-to-me pairing that you will definitely see again. I’ll admit that licorice-flavored fennel was a bit of an acquired taste for me, but now I can’t get enough of it.
I’m not-so-secretly plotting to convert all visitors into kale salad enthusiasts, so I’m crossing my fingers you’ll give this salad a shot. It definitely went over well at girls’ night last week. I served it with a cheese plate, crackers, grapes and wine, of course.
One final selling point before I go. Kale salads keep well in the refrigerator for a couple of days, which means this salad is a great candidate for your lunchbox!
Benriner mandoline, for slicing feathery strips of fennel. (Be careful!)
Microplane zester, for removing zest from lemon.
Autumn Kale Salad with Fennel, Honeycrisp and Goat Cheese
- Author:
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 large salads or 4 side salads 1x
- Category: Salad
Healthy kale salad featuring shaved fennel, chopped honeycrisp apple, toasted pepitas, dried cranberries and goat cheese, tossed in a lemony dressing. This recipe yields 2 large, full-meal salads or 4 side salads.
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 very large bunch of kale
- 1 medium Honeycrisp apple
- 1 medium bulb of fennel
- 3 ounces chilled goat cheese, crumbled (to yield about ⅓ cup crumbled goat cheese)
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds) or chopped pecans
Dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Several twists of freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- To prepare the kale: Use a chef’s knife to remove the tough ribs from the kale, then discard the ribs. Chop the kale leaves into small, bite-sized pieces. Transfer the chopped kale to a big salad bowl. Sprinkle a small pinch of sea salt over the kale and massage the leaves with your hands by lightly scrunching big handfuls at a time, until the leaves are darker in color and fragrant.
- To prepare the remaining salad ingredients: Chop the apple into small, bite-sized pieces. Use a chef’s knife or mandoline to slice the fennel as thin as possible. Transfer the prepared apple and fennel to the salad bowl. Use a fork to crumble the goat cheese over the salad. Roughly chop the cranberries and add them to the bowl.
- To toast the pepitas: In a skillet over medium-low heat, toast the nuts, tossing frequently, until fragrant and starting to make little popping noises, about 3 to 6 minutes. Transfer the pepitas to a bowl to cool.
- To make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients until emulsified.
- To prepare the salad: Add the cooled pepitas to the salad bowl. Drizzle dressing over the salad, just enough to lightly coat the kale once tossed (you might have some leftover dressing). Toss the salad well. For best flavor, let the salad rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Make it dairy free/vegan: Skip the goat cheese. Diced avocado is nice with this salad if you want to make up for lost creaminess.
Storage suggestions: This salad keeps well in the fridge, covered, for a couple of days. It’s a great pack-for-lunch option.
Change it up: Trade other fall/winter produce for the fennel and apple. I think cubed and roasted butternut squash would be delicious.
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Leah Faye
This looks absolutely delicious! Does it keep well for left overs? It looks like it would make a really yummy lunch for me to take to school and show off in the teachers lounge:)
Kate
Hi Leah, yes, it sure does!
KIM
I made this for a potluck at work today and everyone loved it and asked for the recipe. I had to substitute a few ingredients and used what I had. I used blueberries instead of cranberries. Substituted the pepitas for sliced almonds and shredded parmesan for goat cheese. Still came out delicious. Thank you!
★★★★★
Erica
What a lovely combination! I’ve never tried fennel (anything licorice-like scares me away) but I’d totally be willing to give it a try in this salad. Kale is one of my absolute favorites. Who doesn’t love a good kale salad?
Kate
Thanks, Erica! I have never been big on licorice, but I love finely sliced, raw fennel.
Cris
This salad looks absolutely gorgeous! Although I am not a big fan of Fennel, I will give it a shot and let you know how it goes :) P.S. Did I tell you yet how much I love your blog?! Yes, it’s beautiful and you have got so many useful tips in here. Thanks for everything! Cheers, Cris
Kate
Thank you, Cris! Hope you enjoy the salad. It might just change your mind about fennel. :) Thank you for your kind words about my work!
Julia | Orchard Street Kitchen
I love fennel and bet it is wonderful combined with apple! I actually made a fennel salad with orange this week – you’re right that the fennel is an acquired taste, but I think shaving it makes it a bit more delicate. I’ll definitely be trying this out soon with all my remaining fennel :)
lynn @ the actor’s diet
Still learning to love fennel…I do like it roasted on burgers though!
Ellen Pollak
I love fennel and have for years. In the winter I sometimes eat a whole fennel (minus the tops) between lunch & supper. (In summer I eat plums, nectarines, apricots & all kinds of berries but they are no longer available, especially organic which is what I normally buy so I start with Apples; Pears spoil too quickly so I only buy what I can eat that day.I wait a while before I buy citrus (except for lemons and limes),).
I haven’t seen organic fennel except once on Fresh Direct. I tried out Fresh Direct when they offered me two months no delivery charge. Now I know what to do if I can’t get to the store. They carry organic but not the selection I get at Wild By Nature (a King Kullen division)which is 5 minutes from my house.
BTW, your recipes, photos & chatter plus America’s Test Kitchen have reawakened my interest in cooking which after cooking for almost 64 years 7/24 was pretty much gone. Who’ve thought? I bought a new chef’s knife, a NuWave oven and cook top, a tiny blender (I cook for 1 after years of cooking for 7) and all kinds of gadgets most of which are great, and some go back! Years back I regularly baked bread using 4 or 5 different recipes, splitting each loaf in half and freezing them. When I had company I would defrost several half loaves and offer a selection of homemade breads! But then my Mother, my best bread eater who lived with me her last 16 years, passed away and then I was told I was gluten intolerant so no more bread making. Before that I even taught bread-making in my own kitchen with no more than 6 students. Everyone went home with a loaf.
I am about to try your recipe, but until I do I am not going to rate your recipe!
Ellen
Kate
Thank you, Ellen! I’m impressed that you can polish off a whole fennel between lunch and supper. I love eating sliced, raw fennel with a dash of salt! I’m so glad you’re back in the kitchen again. Hope you love this salad!
Eileen
More people should absolutely be eating kale salads! Especially since they stay viable as leftovers. This one sounds excellent — you have to love cranberries & goat cheese. :)
lisa @Garlic+Zest
It looks fantastic! I’m a little reticent to eat raw fennel (love it cooked) because of the anise flavor, but I’m willing to try. Thanks, Kate!
Kate
That’s interesting! I’ve always thought the anise flavor is more pronounced in cooked form.
Sam @ PancakeWarriors
love kale salad. I haven’t tried fennel raw before but I am willing to try anything once!! I love that you can dress a kale salad in the morning and it won’t be soggy at lunch! Perfect if you ask me!
Kate
I really love raw fennel! Hope you give it a try soon!
Brittany
Looks delicious lady!
bev @ bevcooks
Yep. This salad is FAB.
Ella
This is the fall I try fennel for the 1st time (I KNOW)! This salad looks super yummy… How much would you say it makes (2 people, 3 people)? Thanks for the recipe!
http://www.youtube.com/sparklesandsuch26
Kate
Hey Ella! I’m sorry, that was totally an oversight on my part. The salad yields enough for two large, dinner-sized portions or four side salads.
Ella
No problem! :) I might try to make this as a Thanksgiving side dish… yum! BTW as I type this, potatoes and carrots are roasting in my oven for your carrot/lentil/miso/parsley/red potato recipe because 1) today is my mom’s birthday 2) She is OBSESSED with anything involving potatoes and 3) never have I ever made one of your recipes that I was 100% in love with. Hooray!
http://www.youtube.com/sparklesandsuch26
Kate
Awesome! I hope you all enjoyed that dish. Happy belated birthday to your mom!
thefolia
I’m making this for the kiddos lunch tomorrow…still need to invest in a madoline. Happy Nesting!
Kate
Hope you all enjoy it! Sounds like your kids have quite a palate. I never would have touched kale, fennel or goat cheese before age 20!
Liz @ Floating Kitchen
I absolutely love fennel and apple together. I make a raw fennel and apple shaved salad that is so crisp. Can’t wait to try your version with kale and of course, goat cheese! YUM!
Catherine @ foodiecology
So many wonderful things in this salad! I can’t wait to make this. I’ve had fennel in salads in restaurants, but I’ve never tried it myself. Of course I’m nuts over Honeycrisp, but I think the addition of goat cheese makes this salad even more mouthwatering!
Wendy
Made this beautiful creation tonight–thank you!! I loved the combo of flavors and textures. The fennel was much softer in flavor than I remembered, and I’m thrilled to find a delicious way to eat it raw. I really appreciate that our palates are similar, so I can always count on the fact that I will LOVE your recipes. You make my meal planning so much simpler.
Kate
Wow, you are quick, Wendy! I’m so glad you enjoyed the salad. Sounds like we are palate twins (is that weird?).
Kasey
Kale, fennel, and apple are a favorite combination around these parts. I say: bring on the kale! x
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
Honeycrisps are the bessssssst!! Love this salad girl!
Christine @ My Natural Kitchen
What a beautiful salad! I often try to convert my guests to kale-lovers too ;) I think this would be lovely at Thanksgiving to lighten things up!
Kate
Oh good call, this would be a great Thanksgiving option!
Jenny @ BAKE
This salad looks delicious! I love that is keeps in the fridge, that’s really handy.
Alessandra // the foodie teen
I love that you used fennel – it’s one of my favourite ingredients and it’s so under-utilised! I’m definitely going to try with avocado – I already can’t wait for lunch tomorrow!
Kate
Thanks, Alessandra! Hope you love it!
Sandy
Once again I have everything this recipe needs, already stocked in my pantry. I’ve always got pepitas on hand, and this week the local orchard was selling huge boxes of apple “seconds” for $7 a box, fennel and lovely dark kale was on sale at Kroger, and as I wandered Aldi’s I spied logs of goat cheese from across the produce bins. Somebody had given me a 2 pound bag of dried cranberries and I wondered what to do with them. Now I know!
★★★★★
Kate
How perfect! Enjoy, Sandy!
Heidi @foodiecrush
Hail to the mighty kale! Personally, I’m a total fan of fennel, especially in salads. Digging this!
Joanne
Guuuurrrlll, you know I’m a MAJOR kale enthusiast, so you don’t have to tell me twice! This is a looker, it is. I might be in love.
Gaby
Love this!!! Perfect lunch idea!
Blair
Looks great! How many people does it serve?
Blair
Nevermind! Just saw the other comments!
Teti Konstantinidou
A lovely salad to eat on the spot (for the vitamins). To carry in my lunchbox, I prepared the dressing the night before and cut the apple, kale and fennel just before leaving for work. I also love using the green part of the fennel.
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks, Teti! I’m glad you enjoyed the salad!
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
Love the textures, perfect autumn salad!
dervla
the kale … yum … i really need to start making salads with kale at home – so delicious.
Kate
Thanks, Dervla! And yes, I think it’s time! Love me some homemade kale salads.
Erin
This salad is delicious! Loved the subtle lemon overtones in the dressing. The fennel was a surprising, but delicious, addition. Thank you for this recipe!
★★★★★
Kate
Hooray! Thank you, Erin! Glad you enjoyed it.
Brandon @ Kitchen Konfidence
Just the recipe needed to switch up my kale salad routine!
Kate
Ah-mazing!! I loved your idea of roasted buatternut squash and added it in with the apples and it was delightful.
As alwars, you knocked this salad out of the park, thanks Kate!
p.s. I am baking a batch of your Maple Pumpkin muffins as I type, haven’t tasted yet but they smell devine… Two C&K recipes in one night!
★★★★★
Kate
Love it! Thank you, Kate!
Cynthia
I can’t believe I JUST found your blog. I’m absolutely loving your quick salad recipes and can’t wait to try some of them out. Everything looks amazing!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Cynthia! Welcome to the blog. :)
Jena
I made this salad last night for dinner and had the leftovers this afternoon for lunch and both were absolutely delicious! Love this salad, plan to make it many more times and it’s a great salad to make over the holidays!
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks, Jena! Glad you’re loving the salad!
Denise
Have you seen the apple cheat sheet at Splendid Table? 7,000 varieties. Who knew.
Kate
Wow, no, I haven’t! That’s a lot of apples!
Carrie Zinnecker
I’m with you on your love for kale salads! Still trying to convince the husband :) Fennel sounds perfect in this salad. Can’t wait to try.
Rhonda
We were a bit skeptical about the fennel, and I admit I only added a bit at first… then I had a test bite…. WOW! I ended up adding the rest of the sliced bulb! This salad is our new favorite and we’re making it again tonight. Thank you so much for your creative ideas!
★★★★★
Kate
Hooray! Thank you, Rhonda. Glad you appreciated the raw fennel.
Jen @ sweetgreenkitchen.com
I too am a lover of kale salads and especially like that leftovers last so well in the fridge. I’ve never made a version with fennel before but now it’s all I can think about. The rest of the ingredients are favorites of mine so I know this will be delicious, can’t wait to give this one a try. BTW, your photos are gorgeous!
Kate
Thanks, Jen! Hope you get a chance to try this salad soon. Fennel and kale and goat cheese is super tasty!
Kara
Just wanted you to know we make this salad like weekly. New favorite salad- my husband claims it’s the best he as ever eaten! Even the toddler tried it! Thank you!
Kate
Yes! I’m amazed that your toddler tried fennel—I didn’t eat fennel until I was probably 25 years old!
Kelsey
This recipe is excellent! I made the salad for a dinner party, and it was a big hit. I substituted pomegranate seeds for the cranberries since they’re in season.
Rebecca
Amazing salad with a phenomenal dressing! You’re right – it did keep very well in the fridge. I ate half one day and half the next.
★★★★
Cassie
We really enjoyed this salad tonight. I didn’t have any cranberries so I chopped up a few dried figs. Delicious! Great recipe.
Kate
Thanks, Cassie!
Deb
I love this salad. I,Ve made it every week since I found it
Kate
Thank you, Deb! Happy to hear it.
Ginny
I am growing kale for the first time and trying all the recipes I can find. This one is a keeper! Since it is summer I substituted a gala Apple and can’t wait for fall to try the honey crisp. Thank you so much for this recipe.
Kate
Thank you, Ginny! Glad you found my salad!
Brianna
I made this salad tonight for a weekly roommate dinner my apartment has been doing this summer, and it was so delicious! My roommates loved it, and we are all planning to bring leftovers for lunch tomorrow! Thanks for the recipe :)
★★★★★
Kate
Happy to hear it, Brianna! Thanks for letting me know! :)
Cleft Beard
made it with Butternut Squash roasted and cubed per Bittman and it was amazing! Likely going to reprise it with avocado for a vegan Thanksgiving dinner salad.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you! Love your Thanksgiving idea.
Stacy
Love this recipe. I omitted the cranberries because I usually find them too sweet, and the goat cheese because I was serving it with something cheezy- but I’m sure it’d be fantastic with it in there. Massaging the kale is where it’s at. I will feel more confident making kale salad in the future.
Kate
Thank you, Stacy! Glad to hear there are more kale salads in your future. :)
Mallory
This salad was DELICIOUS!!! My boyfriend sometimes makes faces at my kale salads and he loved it! And your tips to prepare the kale helped a TON!!!
Kate
Woohoo! Thanks, Mallory!
Paige
This salad was delicious! My whole family, including the kids, ate it all up. You just feel good serving it to them. So good for us! Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
Awesome!!! Thanks for letting me know, Paige!
Emily
Not sure why I waited so long to try this one – just exceptional. Made it for a supper club last night and it was such a hit. The fennel is such a perfect touch – cannot wait to use it more often. Luckily, I have enough ingredients to continue whipping this up throughout the week. Can kale salads please be your biggest chapter in the upcoming book? My absolute favourite!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Emily! Happy to hear it! I thought this salad would be too “out there” for people to try, but it’s been a big hit. I think I have four kale salads on my cookbook list, all new! :)
Beth
Your kale salads are absolutely delicious. I’ve made 2 so far and love them both, can’t wait to make them all.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Beth!
Erika
Beautiful, fast, easy recipe! I’m writing a post about cooking with whole foods on my own blog, and I’d like to share this with full credit. Please let me know if that’s alright with you! Thanks!
★★★★★
Kate
Hi Erika, thanks for asking! I’m sorry, I don’t allow other websites to publish my full recipes. If you’d like to share one of my photos and link over to my post for the recipe, that would be fine!
Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health
I agree with you, the sides are where it’s at! All of these look so good. I actually just made your apple, fennel and kale salad (with smoked gouda in place of goat cheese) and it was phenomenal. My first time eating raw fennel and I loved it! Thanks for the recipe! I’m thinking about making it again for the holiday. :)
Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health
For some reason I thought this comment was on your Thanksgiving sides post, lol. While I’m here, I’ll give it a proper rating. ;)
★★★★★
Kate
Well, I’ll take it! Thanks, Sarah. Glad you enjoyed this one.
Pip
Believe or not I’ve been avoiding Kale for the last 5 years thinking it was a ‘fad’ but this recipe changed my mind. I love fennel & cranberries so decided to try it. Yum does not describe how good it is. Thanks Kate (& Cookie) – another great recipe.
★★★★
Nancy J
I tried this salad when I visited my son (and family) in San Diego. It was amazing. So, now here in Ohio I have grown Kale in my raised beds so I can make it myself. Today.
★★★★★
Kate
Hi Nancy! I’m so glad you enjoyed this salad with your family. I bet it will be extra tasty with your home-grown kale. Thanks for saying hi!
Liz
This has to be the best salad I’ve ever had. I used slivered almonds instead of pepitas (laziness – I had almonds in the cupboard, but not pepitas). There were some leftovers, so the next day I added a chopped avocado to bulk them up. Simply divine. I think some roasted and cooled asparagus would be good, too. A definite keeper.
Kate
Thank you so much, Liz! Happy to hear it!
Kathleen
Made this salad tonight and absolutely loved it! So many interesting flavors and it couldn’t have been easier to prepare. Thanks!
★★★★★
Nicole Wagner-Moore
This was deeeelish! I made it and added a little cold quinoa for a bit more protein as this was my post-run meal. Just fabulously filling and palate-pleasing! Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Nicole! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Bet it was tasty with quinoa.
Joanna
I made this and it is a great salad! I had never had fennel before today and it tastes great!
I ate it as a solo large salad for lunch. Very satisfied.
If eating as a dinner salad or small lunch salad, I would pair with great toasted garlic bread or bruschetta. Or chicken on this (if you eat meat) would be great too.
★★★★
Joanna
I also wanted to add the idea to list your comments from most recent to least recent. It is nice to see suggestions of people who just made the salad last week, rather than 2 years ago. Or even including an upvote downvoting system for us home chef’s to see the top comments with extra suggestions of toppings, adding quinoa or other bases, etc.
Love the layout of your site though, and photos, and the name… Your site is a winner amongst many plant based recipe blogs. Thank you for your hard work I make one of your recipes at least once a week!
Kate
Hi Joanna, I’m so glad you enjoyed your first fennel experience! Thanks for the note. That is a good suggestion for the commenting order. I will look into it!
Lindsay
I don’t want to sound dramatic, but this salad could possibly be life changing. No, ya know what, I’m going to say it….. this is the best salad I have ever had in my entire life, and I have had A LOT of salad. Thank you so much!
★★★★★
Kate
Victory!! Thanks, Lindsay! Your comment made me smile.
Vernon Miller
Made this for a dinner party.
Everyone loved it!
★★★★★
Audrey @ The Thrifty Traveler CA
This salad is SOOOOOO good! I made it as a test run the Saturday before Thanksgiving and my father-in-law ended up having seconds and said he doesn’t even think he has had kale before! ha! I made it again on Sunday and plan on doubling the recipe for Thanksgiving. So tasty!
★★★★★
Bridget
This salad is delicious and to my surprise it was devoured by my 2 and 4 year olds, who rarely eat salads. Thank you
★★★★★
Kate
Hi, Bridget – I’m happy those picky eaters enjoyed it!
Stephanie
This salad is so so delicious! I made it recently to bring to a family get together. My family cooked a bunch of meats in a smoker and, being a vegetarian, I wanted to bring something healthy and tasty. Everyone raved about it! I also made and brought along your corn bread and it was a hit too! I love following your blog and making your recipes! Thanks :)
Kate
So happy it pleased a bunch of meat eaters! Thanks for reading, Stephanie. This stuff makes me smile.
Emily
This salad is fantastic and my new favorite. I usually add more syrup and less mustard to the dressing because I like it sweeter and it’s perfect.
Thanks again for another wonderful, healthy recipe!
★★★★★
Kate
Best thing about making your own dressing, is adjusting it to your taste. Thanks for your comment and review, Emily!
Erin
I know this comment chain is an echo chamber, but I want to throw in my own, “I LOVE THIS FANTASTIC SALAD!!” comment. (Also, it takes a really special salad for my husband to go in for seconds.)
Thank you for knocking this out of the ballpark.
★★★★★
Kate
I love hearing it. So, thank you Erin!
Samantha
Yummy! Loved this salad! All the flavors complimented each other perfectly, great texture and crunch from the fennel and pumpkin seeds. The creamy goat cheese added a nice element of decadence :)
★★★★★
Kate
I do think the goat cheese adds a lot too! Thank you, Samantha for sharing. I appreciate the review.
Catherine Keith
This salad is wonderful and such a good keeper. I’m not a big fennel fan, but the shaved fennel has a mild fennel flavour that is perfect in this salad. I served it to friends who also choose not to eat fennel and they were pleasantly surprised to discover how good this salad is with the fennel in it.
I like to add some of the lemon juice and olive oil to the kale when massaging it.
Also, the salad is nice served on individual plates with the goat cheese sprinkled over the top.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you tried it anyway, Catherine! Thanks for the review.
Diari
THIS SALAD OS EVERYTHING. My picky father and sister ate this salad like it was the best thing ever. I eat this weekly now. I always sub the goat cheese for feta, however, and it is amazing!!! This recipe has also revealed the beauty of the honeycrisp appleton me. Perfectly sweet and juicy!
★★★★★
Kate
Wonderful, Diari! Thanks so much for the review.
Janice Stultz Pierce
Made this salad for a dinner with my parents. It was a big hit.
★★★★★
Kate
Wonderful, Janice! Thanks for your review.
Jacklyn Campbell
I made this salad exactly as written. Absolutely delicious. Ate it three days in a row.
Kate
I’m really happy to hear that, Jacklyn. Thanks for commenting!
Eileen
My husband and I really enjoyed this salad! I replaced the dried cranberries with sliced fresh strawberries for a lower sugar alternative and it tasted great! I’m making this for my in-laws tonight :)
★★★★★
Kate
Great to hear, Elieen! Thanks so much for your review.
Freddy
I made it, great salad!
★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Freddy!
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Freddy!
Margaret
This salad is a show stopper when entertaining, but is also super easy to pack for lunch. This recipe is the whole reason I bought myself a zester : )
★★★★★
Kate
Great to hear, Margaret! Thank you for your review.
Taylor
Loved this recipe! Easy to make and super delicious.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Taylor! I appreciate your review.
Alicia in Brooklyn
This was fantastic, and was a great make ahead. I made this for two of us and we delighted on eating it for three days. Next time I might sub out walkouts for the pepitas for a bit more crunch, but this was great exactly as written. Thank you!
★★★★★
Shirley C
Question’ does the kale need to be washed before rubbing with the salt?
★★★★★
Kate
Hi Shirley! I always pre-wash my produce. I hope this helps!
Jaimee
Wow, this was so good! Even my kale-averse partner had two helpings. It reminded me a little of Waldorf salad (which I love) with the apples and sweet dressing. My fennel was pretty chunky, but the goat cheese and apples were the dominant flavors anyway. I used a Pink Lady, btw, and it worked fine. As for keeping overnight, it was possibly even better. If you know you’re going to eat it the following day, though, I’d hold off on adding the pepitas, lest they lose their crunch.
★★★★★
Jessica Flory
This was yummy! Loved the lemon dressing. Our first time trying fennel and it worked so well in this salad. Thank you, Kate!
★★★★★
Jools
This was delicious! I used sultanas as I couldn’t get a hold of dried cranberries and added avocado as well. I’ll definitely be making this again. I was hoping to have some leftovers for the next day but the whole lot got gobbled up!
★★★★★
melissa rogers
This turned out delish! Definitely considering adding this to my thanksgiving sides lineup!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m excited you loved it, Melissa! I appreciate your review.
Alison Kalinski
this was a delicious and healthy and refreshing fall salad! my 4 year old helped me make it and gobbled it up!
★★★★★
Sneha
This looks delicious and perfect in the winter too! Any way you might suggest adding more protein to this salad?
Kate
Hi! You could add beans or tofu if you like.
elise chan
I made this for dinner tonight and doubled it for the two of us. It was delicious. I excluded the cheese because we are dairy-free. Such a nice change of pace. I used green apples because it’s all we had. Very tart and lovely.
elise chan
So good. I made this for dinner tonight and we loved it. I can’t have dairy, so I will use avocado instead. Thanks!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Elise! I appreciate your review.
elise chan
I doubled the recipe, but did not have enough kale, so I used romaine as well. Turned out really well.
LB
This is perhaps the BEST kale salad recipe I’ve ever had. I cannot stress enough how good this recipe is. I’ve made it several times now and I’m always floored by just how good it is. The recipe does keep well overnight (never saved for longer than 24 hours… it’s so good that the leftovers don’t last long). I’ve been tempted to sub out ingredients for others, but the recipe is just perfect as-is so I haven’t done so. One note: if you slice the fennel really thin, it softens quite a bit and doesn’t have as much crunch as if you leave it a little thicker. If you want a little crunch and like the anise flavor, leave the fennel a little on the chunkier side. If you don’t, go thin. Also, I’ve used honey crisp and pink lady apples. I’ve been impressed at how well both hold up over night. The dressing must have enough lemon in it to keep the apples from browning. DELISH!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, LB! I’m delighted you loved it.
PJ
I really liked this salad. It was a nice change from our “usuall” salads.
I used Feta instead of goat cheese and used pecans.
★★★★★
Victoria
We were very sad when the bowl was empty. I added a little fig balsamic to make it a bit richer. I think that the kale massage is life changing. It takes kale salad to a new level. I only had apples oranges blue berries and dried cranberries in the house so that’s what went in it. I cant wait to add fennel and goat cheese. Who knew kale salad could he this decadent?!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Victoria!
Keri P
I made the Autumn Kale salad for Thanksgiving to take to my in-laws. It was a big hit! Everyone loved it (17 people)! Not only is it healthy and delicious, it’s also beautiful! All of the flavors go together really well! I will be making this again very soon! I’ve already shared the recipe with others whom I knew would enjoy it! Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
Hooray! That’s great, Keri.
Barbara Havrot
My girlfriend made this for me this summer but didn’t use kale. It was delicious, but being a big fan Of kale myself I made it this evening … wow … I used laccitano or black kale and the flavours were amazing. It will definitely be the salad I take to a dinner party. Thanks!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Barbara!
Patti Sosdian
Making this salad tonight even though it is the heat of summer here in Texas. Do you think there is much of a difference using baby kale instead of the mature stem kale?
Thanks,
Patti
Kate
It should still be delicious! Let me know what you think, Patti.
Bailey
I never remember to take the time to comment on recipes but I’m finally remembering- I have been making this salad for years now and it will always be a favorite of mine. I love it with some roasted butternut squash on top and toasted pecans in place of the pepitas. Thank you so much for bringing this joy into my life!!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you did, Bailey! Thank you for taking the time to review.
Hannah
Made this pretty much exactly like the recipe, amazingly delicious and the fennel amount was just the right balance
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great to hear, Hannah! I appreciate your review.
Nancy Scoggins
Holy. Moly. I saw this recipe and ran to Whole Foods. This is one amazing salad. I’ve been trying to incorporate more greens and fruits into my diet. This simple and hearty recipe made it so easy. I did not include fennel (didn’t have any in stock) and subbed the pepitas for toasted pecans. IT WAS AMAZING. I cannot wait to eat it for lunch again tomorrow.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Nancy! I appreciate your review.
Shelly
Such a great tasting and versatile salad with a bright and tasty dressing! The real key to the dressing is the lemon rind- don’t skip that step! It takes the whole thing from good to great. We have made this salad twice in the past two weeks and got baby kale for next week already. I’m excited to try it with roasted delica squash to add some autumn/winter roasted veggies. It’s easily made vegan by skipping the cheese or using an almond cheese, for example.
★★★★★
Morgan
I’ve made this salad about 10+ times in the last couple of months and I LOVE it so much! I’ve made it just for myself or for a crowd, and it’s always a hit. Maybe my favorite salad of all time.
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great to hear, Morgan! Thank you for your review.
Stephanie
If I made just the dressing, how long would that last in the fridge? I’ve made this and several of your other salads and I love them all. I ADORE the Kale Quinoa Salad with Tropical Pesto-absolutely wonderful!!!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Stephanie!