Kale and Apple Slaw with Honey Sesame Vinaigrette
Turn a bunch of kale into a hearty, crisp, sweet, salty and crunchy slaw that is delicious all year round. This easy recipe combines earthy kale and sweet apples and wraps them up in a luxurious toasted sesame salad dressing. Serve kale and apple slaw as part of your holiday menu, as a side dish paired with protein, or on its own for a light lunch or hearty snack!
Erica’s thoughts:
If you know me, than you know I love kale. I know I know, how cliché, the dietitian who loves kale. And yes I also know kale is a rather polarizing vegetable. The truth is, kale just needs some love in order to be delicious. Like me, it’s a lil high maintenance. 💁🏻♀️
Here are a few of my favorite tips for a perfect kale salad:
- Massage the kale: rubbing the kale with a touch of oil and pinch of salt helps break down the tough fibers, making the kale tender and easier to eat.
- Homemade vinaigrette: kale is rather bland on its own, so dress it up with a tangy dressing (like the toasted sesame vinaigrette in this recipe) and you’re good to go!
- Add some texture: add other textural components to the kale like crunchy pumpkin or sunflower seeds, crisp apple or creamy goat cheese. We’re all about great texture.
What you’ll need to make this tasty salad:
For the kale apple salad
Kale: there are several varieties of fresh kale including Tuscan kale, lacinato kale, dinosaur kale, purple kale or curly kale. Any kale variety will work! Note: if you use baby kale you will not need to massage it.
Apple: I like sweet, crunchy apples for this recipe like honeycrisp apples or fuji apples.
Carrots: I love to buy the pre-shredded carrots from the grocery store but you can also julienne a whole carrot with a julienne peeler or sharp knife.
Purple cabbage: or red cabbage, whichever you want to call it. I like to use the slicing blade attachment of my food processor to finely shred a whole head of cabbage!
Pepitas: pepitas are the edible seeds of pumpkins. They are green, flat, rich in flavor and nutrients like vitamin E and heart-healthy fats! You can find them in the produce section next to the other ‘salad toppers’ like croutons and candied nuts or in the nuts/popcorn aisle next to the other snacking nuts.
For the vinaigrette
Avocado oil: avocado oil is a neutral oil which is important so the toasted sesame flavor can shine through. Avocado oil also provides healthy fat which is important for absorption of fat-soluble nutrients in KALE and the other veggies!
Toasted sesame oil: toasted sesame oil is a rich oil made from roasted sesame seeds. It adds warmth, complexity and a deep, nutty flavor to the dressing.
Rice vinegar: rice vinegar provides the needed tang and acidity for this vinaigrette! You can find it in the baking aisle with the other oils and vinegar or in the international foods aisle with the Asian ingredients.
Honey: honey provides a little sweet flavor to help balance the other flavors. You can find it in the peanut butter and jelly aisle. You could also use agave nectar, pure maple syrup or cane sugar.
Ginger: ginger compliments the toasted sesame flavor perfectly and provides a warming quality to the dressing. Fresh ginger root is amazing but in a pinch you can use ground ginger.
Garlic: garlic provides flavor and a garlicky bite! Use a fresh garlic clove if you can, otherwise sub jarred garlic or garlic powder.
Salt and pepper: I recommend kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
How to make kale and apple slaw:
Slaw
Remove the kale leaves from the tough stems. I like to do this by holding the tip of the stem in one hand and slide my other hand along the stem to strip the leaves away in one smooth motion. Cut the kale into thin ribbons and place in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with just a touch of oil (it can be extra-virgin olive oil, avocado oil, etc) and a pinch of salt. Use clean hands to give the kale a good massage for 3-5 minutes, until the leaves soften and darken in color. The kale should be glossy and tender. Add the carrots, apple and cabbage, tossing to combine.
Vinaigrette
Use a microplane to finely grate the ginger and garlic. Place all dressing ingredients in a mason jar, small bowl or salad shaker and shake or whisk vigorously to combine. Taste and adjust to your preference as needed (ie- pinch of salt for overall flavor, honey for sweetness, rice vinegar for acidity, sesame oil for more sesame flavor).
Assembly
Drizzle the dressing on the kale slaw and toss until evenly coated. Add the pepitas and serve immediately!
Variation ideas:
- Add other leafy greens or veggies: this slaw would be great with green cabbage, baby spinach, spring mix, thinly sliced Brussels sprouts or red onion.
- Switch up the dressing: feel free to use a creamy dressing (more like traditional coleslaw), a creamy honey mustard dressing or a balsamic vinaigrette like this one.
- Make it a meal: Top with some grilled chicken, pork tenderloin or roasted chickpeas and butternut squash to make this a main dish!
- Swap the crunch: sunflower seeds, candied pecans or toasted walnuts would be a great addition.
- Add cheese: cheese is never a bad idea- this kale and apple slaw would be yummy with goat cheese or feta cheese!
FAQs
I have thoughts! I love it paired with this cast iron pork tenderloin. Other amazing choices: caramelized onion and brie chicken or sweet chili salmon! This salad is the perfect accompaniment to nearly any protein. You could also serve with a simple pasta dish and bread for a vegetarian dinner.
You can prep all of the components ahead of time! Slice the kale, cabbage, carrots and apple. Spritz the apple with lemon juice or lime juice to prevent browning. Shake together the dressing. Wait until you’re ready to serve before tossing the salad with dressing and adding the pepitas.
This salad holds up well thanks to hearty greens like kale and cabbage. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Substitute ½ teaspoon each ground ginger and garlic powder if you don’t have fresh.
I’d recommend apple cider vinegar, white vinegar or champagne vinegar.
If you love this refreshing kale apple slaw you’ll these other healthy salad recipe ideas:
If you try and like this recipe please don’t forget to leave a comment and star rating down below! If you love more lifestyle, behind the scenes and ‘eating in real life’ type of content come find me over on Instagram, @itsaflavorfullife, I love connecting with you all there!
Print
Kale and Apple Slaw with honey sesame vinaigrette
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: N/A
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Chop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Sweet apples, crunchy seeds and tangy dressing make kale absolutely craveable in this easy kale and apple slaw!
Ingredients
Slaw
- 1 bunch kale, leaves removed from ribs and thinly sliced
- 1 apple, sliced into thin matchsticks
- 1/2 cup julienned carrots
- 1 cup finely shredded purple cabbage
- 1/4 cup toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1-inch knob ginger, grated
- 1 large clove garlic, grated
- 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper
Instructions
Slaw
Remove the kale leaves from the tough stems. I like to do this by holding the tip of the stem in one hand and slide my other hand along the stem to strip the leaves away in one smooth motion. Thinly slice the kale and place it in a large salad bowl. Drizzle with just a touch of oil (it can be olive oil, avocado oil, etc) and a pinch of salt. Use clean hands to gently massage the kale for 3-5 minutes, until the leaves soften and darken in color. The kale should be glossy and tender. Add the carrots, apple and cabbage, tossing to combine.
Vinaigrette
Use a microplane to finely grate the ginger and garlic. Place all dressing ingredients in a mason jar or salad shaker and shake vigorously to combine. Taste and adjust to your preference as needed (ie- pinch of salt for overall flavor, honey for sweetness, rice vinegar for acidity, sesame oil for more sesame flavor).
Assembly
Drizzle the dressing on the kale slaw and toss until evenly coated. Add the pepitas and serve immediately!
Notes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 10.2 g
- Sodium: 170.3 mg
- Fat: 19 g
- Carbohydrates: 14.6 g
- Fiber: 2.7 g
- Protein: 3.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
I made this to add some crunch, flavor and nutrition to a hot dog dinner. My husband liked it even after I told him there was kale in it. 😁 And . . . he ate it a 2 and night! This was a winner
Love this Judy! What a great way to add a pop of nutrition! Glad the hubs was a fan 🙂
I am not a huge kale person, so if I can find a way to enjoy it, I am here for it. I was afraid I would miss cheese in this salad, but holy cow did I not! Erica’s dressings always slap, but this one was extra great! The only thing I didn’t do was use purple cabbage – I only had green – but it made no difference. It was perfect!
Yaaass Brenda love this!! Thank you so much for trying! I too am a cheese girlie, but you’re right, I don’t miss it either!