The Best Kale Salad Recipe for Autumn

This kale salad recipe came to me one autumn when I was experimenting with ways to introduce acorn squash into my eating plan (without drowning it in maple syrup). After a few iterations, it quickly became a household favorite. Now, we make this kale apple salad recipe at least once a month when acorn squash is readily available–namely in the fall and winter.

The three main ingredients: roasted acorn squash, granny smith apple, and curly kale all come together with a simple homemade dressing that balances the flavors while providing a diverse array of nutrients.

Not only is this kale salad recipe easy to make and delicious, it’s also versatile. It goes just as well with pan seared salmon as it does with a chicken breast or crispy turkey bacon. If you’re vegan, avocado, hemp and pumpkin seeds add protein and satiating fats. Chickpeas are another tasty protein source when you want something lighter. I’ve even eaten if for breakfast with fried eggs! I love that it’s easily adaptable to suit your body’s needs on a given day. With this kale apple salad, you really can’t go wrong.

Key Ingredients for Kale Apple Salad

The key ingredients in this kale salad recipe are all in season during autumn when the temperatures begin to cool. As our bodies start to crave different nutrients to prepare for winter there’s a tendency to gravitate toward warm foods with lots of protein and complex carbohydrates. Here’s a high-level break down of the health benefits you’ll enjoy.

Curly Kale – Kale is considered a superfood with good reason. It’s loaded with vitamins, such as vitamin K1, and vitamin A, and several minerals including calcium and manganese. Vitamin C is among the list of antioxidants found in kale, and it also contains polyphenols to support whole body health. Kale is also a great source of fiber, which aids digestion and overall gut health when eaten appropriately.

For this kale salad recipe, I use raw kale, but it took several years before I was healthy enough to tolerate it. Due to the high fiber content, raw kale can be difficult to digest, especially with active inflammation present. It also contains compounds called goitrogens, which may interfere with thyroid function if consumed excessively. Those with active gut inflammation or thyroid problems should avoid eating raw kale. Luckily, I’ve developed this recipe to reduce the potential of these negative effects and offer alternatives if raw kale is a no-go for you.

One large bunch of curly kale or two smaller bunches will work for this recipe. Green and red kale have similar nutritional properties, so use whichever is available.

Granny Smith Apples – While any variety of apple will work, Granny Smith apples are firm, so they hold up well in salads. Their slightly tart flavor compliments the subtle sweetness of the squash and dressing and doesn’t add as much sugar as other varieties. Like kale, apples are a great source of fiber, polyphenols and antioxidants such as vitamin C. The peels contain more antioxidants than the pulp, so leave the skins on. This also adds a nice bright pop of green to your kale apple salad.

Acorn Squash – At the risk of sounding like a broken record, acorn squash is also high in fiber, vitamin A and vitamin C (do you sense a theme here?). When cooked, the skin becomes quite soft, so leave it on for added fiber and nutrients. It’s also a nuisance to peel, so save yourself the time and effort. Look for medium sized squash about the size of a grapefruit, but if it’s smaller or larger that’s fine.

SHOULD I BUY ORGANIC?

Maintaining optimal gut health is critical for longevity and quality of life for everyone. Unfortunately, both kale and apples consistently show up on the EWG’s Dirty Dozen List year after year. This means they contain higher concentrations of residual pesticides, which damage the gut lining and disrupt the gut microbiome (among other scary effects). When purchasing kale and apples of any variety, organic is a safer choice if available.

How to Make this Kale Salad Recipe

CONVENTIONAL OVEN: Preheat the oven to 375° F on bake mode. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

MIELE STEAM OVEN: Preheat the oven to 375° F on surround mode. Use the dark Universal Tray. No parchment paper or oil is necessary.

Cut squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds with a spoon, and remove the stem. Slice each half into 3/8” thick slices. Cut each slice into 3/4”-1” long pieces and place in a large stainless steel or glass mixing bowl.

PREPARE THE SQUASH SAUCE:

1. Combine all the ingredients (except for the monk fruit drops) for the squash sauce in a small bowl and whisk together until combined. Add monk fruit drops or raw honey to taste. 10-15 drops of monk fruit does the trick. You don’t want it to be overly sweet, it’s more to bring out the flavors of the natural sugars found in the coconut aminos and acorn squash.
2. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the squash sauce on the squash pieces and toss until evenly coated. Set the remaining sauce to the side.
3. Place the squash on the baking sheet, spreading evenly so the pieces aren’t touching. Cook until the pieces are slightly golden and are easily pierced with a fork (avoid overcooking as this will make them mushy). In a smaller oven such a Miele steam oven, 12-15 minutes is sufficient. In a traditional oven cook for 18-20 minutes. The smaller the pieces the faster they’ll cook.

While the squash roasts, prepare the kale apple salad and dressing.

PREPARE THE SALAD & DRESSING:

1. To the remaining squash sauce, add the raw apple cider vinegar and whole grain mustard seeds. Set aside.
2. Tear and wash the kale leaves, discarding the stems. Finely chop the leaves one large handful at a time and place in the same bowl you used for the squash. Drizzle the kale with the dressing and thoroughly massage it into the leaves with your hands. Massaging the kale allows the dressing to tenderize the leaves and reduce the goitrogens mentioned above.
3. While the kale rests, chop the shallot and sauté in 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil on medium low. Add a pinch of sea salt. Cook until translucent and slightly golden brown (about 3 minutes), then add to the kale salad and stir to evenly combine.
4. While the shallots cook, chop and core the apple (leaving the skin on) and add it to the kale salad.

FINISH & SERVE:

1. Once the squash is cooked, add to the kale apple salad and toss to distribute. Add 2 tablespoons of hemp seeds and 1 tablespoon of sprouted pumpkin seeds and toss to combine.
2. Plate the kale apple salad and serve with avocado slices and a protein of your choice if desired. A sprinkling of finishing salt such as Colima Sea Salt rounds it out perfectly.

Store any leftovers in a glass airtight container for 2-3 days.

Kale Salad Recipe Substitutions

If raw kale doesn’t work for you:

• Tear the leaves with your fingers instead of finely chopping and then steam it for about three minutes. Let it cool to the touch before adding the dressing. Sometimes if my digestion feels a little sensitive, I’ll steam most of the kale and add a small handful of raw for texture.
• Organic spinach is another option.

Instead of acorn squash, two medium delicata squashes or one small kabocha squash work just as well for this kale salad recipe. The skins of both varieties are edible, so leave ‘em on to feed your gut microbiome!

The Best Kale Salad Recipe for Autumn

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• Author: Chelsea L. Allard
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: about 4 servings 1x
• Category: Salad
• Method: Roast and Sauté
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

This delicious kale salad recipe is perfect for autumn and winter. Our flavorful combination of roasted acorn squash, granny smith apple, and curly kale makes for a unique, nutrient-packed dish that pairs well with a variety of protein options to suit your specific needs. Try it today!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

SQUASH SAUCE:

3 tablespoons high-quality extra virgin olive oil [Get 10% off your first order at Pour Olive]

2 tablespoons gluten-free coconut aminos (such as Coconut Secret)

1/2 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

10–15 drops pure liquid monk fruit drops or 1 teaspoon raw honey

SALAD:

1 acorn squash, chopped to roughly 3/8” x 1” pieces

1 large bunch organic curly kale (or 2 small), leaves removed from stems and very finely chopped

1 organic granny smith apple with skin on, cored and chopped

1 large shallot, chopped

1 tablespoon high-quality extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons hemp hearts/seeds

1 tablespoon sprouted pumpkin seeds

SALAD DRESSING:

Left over squash sauce from above

1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

FINISH WITH (OPTIONAL):

Avocado slices

Protein of choice

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from sleeping while you cook

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Instructions

Preheat a conventional oven to 375° F on bake mode. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

MIELE STEAM OVEN OPTION: Preheat the oven to 375° F on surround mode. Use the dark Universal Tray. No parchment paper is necessary.

 

PREP THE SQUASH:

Cut squash in half lengthwise, deseed and remove the stem. Slice each half into 3/8” thick slices. Cut each slice into 3/4”-1” pieces and place in a large stainless steel or glass mixing bowl.

 

PREPARE THE SAUCE FOR THE SQUASH:

Combine all squash sauce ingredients (except sweetener) in a small bowl and whisk together until combined. Add monk fruit drops or raw honey until slightly sweet.

Drizzle 2 tablespoons of sauce on squash pieces and toss until evenly coated. Set remaining sauce to the side.

Place squash on the baking sheet, spreading evenly so the pieces aren’t touching. Cook until pieces are slightly golden and are easily pierced with a fork, approximately 12-15 minutes in a Miele steam oven, or 18-20 minutes in a traditional oven. Overcooking will make them mushy. The smaller the pieces the faster they’ll cook.

While the squash roasts, prepare the kale apple salad and dressing.

 

PREPARE THE SALAD & DRESSING:

To the remaining squash sauce, add the apple cider vinegar and mustard seeds. Set aside.

Tear and wash the kale leaves, discarding the stems. Finely chop the leaves one large handful at a time and place in the same bowl you used for the squash. Drizzle the kale with the dressing and thoroughly massage it into the leaves with your hands. Massaging the kale allows the dressing to tenderize the leaves and reduces the goitrogens mentioned previously.

While the kale rests, chop the shallot and sauté in 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil on medium low. Add a pinch of sea salt. Cook until translucent and slightly golden brown (about 3 minutes), then add to the kale salad and stir to evenly combine.

While the shallots cook, chop and core the apple (leaving the skin on) and add to the kale salad.

 

FINISH & SERVE:

Once squash is cooked, add to the kale apple salad. Add 2 tablespoons of hemp seeds and 1 tablespoon of sprouted pumpkin seeds and toss everything to combine.

Plate the kale apple salad and serve with avocado slices and a protein of your choice if desired. Sprinkle with finishing salt such as Colima Sea Salt.

Store any leftovers in an airtight glass container for 2-3 days.

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Notes

SUBSTITUTIONS FOR RAW KALE: Steam the kale for about 3 minutes. Instead of chopping, tear the leaves with your fingers before steaming. Let it cool to the touch before adding the dressing. If my digestion feels sensitive, I’ll steam most of the kale and add a small handful of raw for texture.

• Organic spinach is another option.

SUBSTITUTIONS FOR ACORN SQUASH: 2 medium delicata squashes or 1 small kabocha squash. Both varieties have edible skin, so don’t peel them.

MORE AUTUMN RECIPES:

Chai Spiced Turmeric Oatmeal (High Protein)

Za’atar Chicken with Sautéed Collard Greens & Orange Vinaigrette

Don’t forget to pin this recipe so you can refer back to it again later!