This Kale and Apple Slaw is the perfect bridge from late summer to fall, with crunchy and sweet apples, healthy kale and a tangy maple Dijon dressing. It's delicious as a side salad or you can top it with chicken, pork or a meat alternative for a hearty and healthy dinner salad.
We love a delicious and healthy salad, slaw or chop salad for lunch or dinner. And this Kale and Apple Slaw, which is essentially a finely chopped kale salad, is packed with healthy kale, crisp fresh apples and crunchy pecans and sunflower seeds. We toss it all with our homemade Maple Dijon Dressing and let it sit for about 10 minutes to let the flavor meld.
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Ingredients that Matter
A handful of pantry staples with some fresh ingredients are all you need to make this delicious fall slaw.
- Kale. We typically use curly leaf kale or lacinato kale (that's what we grow in our garden) for this recipe. Use a head of any kale variety you grown or can find in the store. You'll need about 8 cups of finely chopped kale for the slaw.
- Apples. A couple of apples cut into matchsticks blend well into the chopped kale and provide a sweet and tangy flavor. We suggest using whatever apple looks and tastes best, or simply pick your favorite variety. For these photos we used a Granny Smith apple and an Empire apple.
- Pecans. Crunchy and fatty pecans add great texture and flavor to this slaw. Be sure to toast them first to release their natural oils and make them taste, well, more nutty!
- Sunflower Seeds. We keep the hippie, healthy food vibe going with unsalted toasted sunflower seeds. They add a nice pop of flavor and texture without overpowering the slaw.
- Maple Dijon Dressing. The dressing is simply made with apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Then slowly whisk in the oil until well combined.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This slaw comes together quite easily. There's only a few steps and we'll show you how it all comes together.
Start by making the dressing. Whisk together the vinegar, maple, mustard, salt and pepper in a medium bowl then slowly drizzle in the oil while continuing to whisk. The dressing may be made 1 week in advance.
Finely chop the kale. Remove the leaves from the stems and roll the leaves together tightly, like you would to chop basil. Thinly slice the rolled stacks of kale until thinly sliced.
Cut the apples into matchsticks. Cut thin slices, about ⅛-inch thick, place these planks on top of each other, then slice them into ⅛-inch thick strips. Store in a bowl of acidulated water (cold water with lemon or vinegar) if you need to hold them apples. The apples may be cut 1 day ahead and stored in the acidulated water in the refrigerator. Drain and rinse before using.
Add the kale to a large mixing bowl and either gently massage or toss with tongs for about 5 minutes. This will break down the cell walls of the kale slightly, making for a more tender slaw. Now add the apples, pecans and sunflower seeds and drizzle on the dressing. Toss well then set aside at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.
Hint: If you want a very tender slaw, massage the kale for a full 10 minutes and squeeze out as much liquid as possible (discard this liquid).
Substitutions
This recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan/vegetarian. It is, however not nut-free. Here are some simple substitutions depending on your dietary needs or personal preferences:
- Nut-Free- Simply omit the pecans to make this recipe nut-free.
- Pumpkin Seeds- Try swapping in toasted pumpkin seeds for either/or the pecans or sunflower seeds.
- Baby Kale - You can turn this recipe into more of a kale salad by simply swapping in 4 ounces of baby kale (no need to chop) for the thinly chopped curly leaf kale.
Variations
This recipe is delicious as is, but it's also pretty straight-forward. There are some simple ways to make significant changes to this recipe based on how you intend to serve it:
- Dinner Salad - Turn this simple slaw into more of a dinner salad by adding chopped protein, like chilled chicken or crispy tofu. Or add blue cheese or goat cheese and some torn pieces of toasted bread or pita.
- Creamy Slaw - This recipe is a slaw without mayonnaise, but you can still make this a creamy coleslaw by adding a couple tablespoons of sour cream, yogurt or non-dairy yogurt.
- More Fall Flavors - If you are making this in the height of fall, try adding a couple cups of roasted (and chilled) butternut squash, matchstick pears and
See our Maple Dijon Dressing recipe for more recipe ideas using this delicious dressing.
Storage
You can make this slaw ahead of time, either the individual components or the slaw itself. If you want to maintain the crispy, fresh texture, we suggest serving it soon after it's first made. To do this:
- Start by making the dressing and storing in the refrigerator for up to 1 weeks.
- Chop the kale and store in a zip-top bag or airtight containter in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Cut the apples and store in acidulated water in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
- When ready to assemble, drain and rinse the apples, then toss the kale, apples, pecans and sunflower seeds with the reserved dressing.
Or, you can simply make the slaw a day ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The more it sits, the less crunchy it'll become, so we suggest only making it up to 1 day ahead if serving at a party, but it will still taste delicious for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Top tip
We suggest letting the slaw sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld and the kale continue to soften, but you can let it sit at room temperature for up to 30 minutes before serving. Any longer than that and we recommend storing in the refrigerator.
FAQ
Yes, you can make the slaw a day ahead of time and store in the refrigerator. Or, prep the dressing, kale and apples separately, store in the refrigerator and dress with the maple Dijon dressing when ready to serve.
We suggest using curly leaf or lacinato kale for making slaw. Thinly slice by removing the stems, and rolling the leaves up like you would when slicing basil.
The best apple is the freshest, most delicious apples. But if you are making this in the peak of apple season, pick a crisp, tangy and sweet apple like Honeycrisp, Macoun or Empire. Or, better yet, choose a couple varieties that have different qualities
Related
Looking for other salad or slaw recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Kale and Apple Slaw:
Print
Recipe
Kale and Apple Slaw
- Total Time: 20 min.
- Yield: 8 cups 1x
Description
This Kale and Apple Slaw is the perfect bridge from late summer to fall, with crunchy and sweet apples, healthy kale and a tangy maple Dijon dressing. It's delicious as a side salad or you can top it with chicken, pork or a meat alternative for a hearty and healthy dinner salad.
Ingredients
Dressing
- 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ Tbsp. maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp. table salt
- ⅛ tsp. black pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
Slaw
- 1 bunch kale (about 8 oz.)
- 2 medium apples
- ½ cup chopped pecans, toasted
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds, toasted
Instructions
Dressing
- To make the dressing, whisk together the vinegar, maple, mustard, salt and pepper in a medium bowl then slowly drizzle in the oil while continuing to whisk until well combined. Use immediately or store in an airtight container or mason jar for up to 1 week..
Slaw
- To assemble the slaw, remove the stems from the kale, then places leaves on top of each other and roll up tightly as you would to chop basil. Thinly slice the stacks of leaves to shred the kale. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Cut apples into matchsticks. To do so, cut ⅛-inch planks from the apples, stack the planks on top of each other, then cut the stacks into ⅛-inch slices. Add the apples to the bowl with the kale or store in acidulated water (cold water with an acid like vinegar or lemon juice) for up to 1 day in the refrigerator. Drain and rinse when ready to use.
- Add the pecans and sesame seeds to the bowl and toss with tongs or hands for about 5 minutes to massage the kale. This will break down the cell walls of the kale and make it a bit more tender. Add dressing and continue to toss until well combined. Set aside for 10 minutes at room temperature to let the flavors meld. Then serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Use curly leaf or Lacinato kale, or your favorite variety.
- Similarly, use your favorite variety of apples. We suggest a sweet, crisp and tangy apples or a couple different varieties.
- All components may be made in advance. Store separately in airtight containers. We recommend only storing the apples in acidulated water for up to 1 day.
- Prep Time: 20 min.
- Cook Time: 0 min.
- Category: Salads
- Method: no cook
- Cuisine: American
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