Description
A vibrant and flavorful Apple Cranberry Pecan Salad featuring crispy bacon, tender kale, sweet apples, dried cranberries, tangy feta, and crunchy candied pecans tossed in a tangy apple cider vinaigrette.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 3 slices bacon, diced
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 medium shallot, diced
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 large bunch kale, stems removed and leaves shredded
- 1 medium apple, diced
- ½ cup sliced celery
- ½ cup dried sweetened cranberries
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
Candied Pecans
- 1 large egg white
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 2 cups pecan halves
Instructions
- Cook Bacon: Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 8 minutes. Drain excess fat and transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Prepare Dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together apple cider vinegar, diced shallot, and Dijon mustard. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes to meld flavors.
- Complete Dressing: Whisk in extra virgin olive oil and honey into the vinegar mixture. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Massage Kale: Add shredded kale to the dressing and massage for 1 minute until the kale softens and is well coated with the vinaigrette.
- Assemble Salad: Top the kale with cooked bacon, diced apple, sliced celery, dried cranberries, crumbled feta cheese, and candied pecans. Gently toss to combine all ingredients.
- Prepare Oven for Pecans: Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Mix Pecans: In a medium bowl, whisk the egg white until frothy, about 1-2 minutes. Whisk in sugar, kosher salt, pumpkin pie spice, and optional cayenne pepper until combined.
- Coat Pecans: Stir in pecan halves until they are evenly coated with the egg white mixture.
- Bake Pecans: Spread the coated pecans in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through baking to ensure even cooking.
- Cool Pecans: Remove pecans from oven and let them cool completely before adding to the salad.
Notes
- Massaging kale softens the tough leaves making it more palatable and easier to digest.
- Candied pecans can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container for up to a week.
- For a vegetarian version, omit bacon or replace with smoked tempeh.
- Adjust cayenne pepper amount or omit based on spice preference.
- Use honey substitute like maple syrup to make the recipe vegan, and omit bacon.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
