Kale Apple Salad with Pecorino
Colorful and satisfying, this Kale Apple Salad is rounded out with tangy Pecorino cheese, sweet pomegranate arils, and irresistibly crunchy glazed pecans. This is a simple yet elegant way to get your greens and is as delightful for everyday meals as it is for fall and winter holiday menus.
Who says elegant can’t be easy?
This kale apple salad is gorgeous, nutritious, and supremely easy to throw together. The mix of textures and flavors are hard to resist: crisp, juicy apples, the tender pop of pomegranate, nutty and sharp bites of Pecorino cheese, and the sweet crunch of glazed pecans. Robust, dark, leafy kale is the perfect backdrop to all this, and is tenderized just enough by a quick massage with olive oil and fresh lemon juice. This is the kind of salad that makes other salads jealous.
Fortunately for the dinner-maker, it’s the combination here that feels elevated, not the complexity. This salad is easy yet delicious to toss alongside a cozy chicken skillet or glazed salmon for dinner. I’d submit, however, it also commends itself to those souls tapped to contribute “just a salad” to a holiday meal. Because, let’s talk about that — it’s easy to bring “just a salad,” but that’s also kind of the point. You’ve been assigned the entry-level task, the rookie role. Does anyone really expect your salad to compete with buttery mashed potatoes, let alone the dessert table? If you want to exceed expectations and subtly say — “I got this” — this is the salad you need to shine.
Related: Chicken Berry Pecan Spinach Salad
Ingredient & Substitution Notes:
- Curly kale. I usually buy pre-washed bags, which work well and save time. Tossed well with a little olive oil and lemon juice, as we’ll do here, kale’s robust texture gives way to a tender base of greens.
- One medium apple. Any crisp variety works well. My favorite here is the classically well-balanced Honeycrisp. For an extra sweet effect, grab a Fuji. Granny Smiths will ramp up the tartness.
- Pecorino cheese. About 2 ounces. Either ask at the cheese counter for them to cut you a very small block, or, if you don’t mind buying a larger package, use the extra for snacking or building a cheese board.
- Glazed pecans. Look for these sold with other nuts, croutons, or salad mix-ins. You can also purchase raw pecans and follow the instructions in this kale blueberry salad recipe to glaze them yourself. Substitute glazed walnuts, almonds, or another nut if you like, or substitute pumpkin seeds to make it nut-free but keep the satisfying crunch.
- Pomegranate seeds. Grab a whole pomegranate, slice in half, and pound out the seeds if you like, or take the easy way out (I usually do) and buy a small package of just the arils. A few go a long way, and extras are delicious mixed into oatmeal or yogurt for a snack. Or use them to make pomegranate salmon! Blackberries or blueberries make a nice substitute if needed.
- For the dressing: olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Pick up a fresh lemon to juice if you can. It’s worth it.
Remember: this is just an overview and the why of the ingredients I choose here. Find full amounts in the print-friendly recipe card below.
What is Pecorino cheese?
Pecorino is a unique Italian sheep’s milk cheese with a tangy, salty finish and delightfully crumbly texture. There are several varieties hailing from different regions of Italy; Pecorino Romano is the most famous. Pecorino is often substituted with Parmiggiano-Reggiano or “regular” Parmesan, but they are unique types of cheese.
Read more about the origins and types of pecorino if you’re the inquisitive type. Bonus — you’ll be the source of educated dinner-table conversation!
Simple Salad Tips & Tricks:
Make a salad is generally a pretty simple matter, but two simple things can make it even more stress-free.
- Use kitchen tongs to massage the kale and toss the salad. Maybe I’m just lazy, but I find this so much easier than using two salad spoons — maybe because it only requires one hand? — and believe tongs do a better job of coating everything and slightly massaging the kale so it’s nice and tender. You can also massage the oil and lemon juice into the kale with your hands for even more softening.
- Drizzle the olive oil and lemon juice directly onto the kale. The flavors will meld as you press and massage them into the greens. A more involved dressing may need to be mixed separately, but this one is so simple you can skip the separate jar entirely.
Dressing Variations:
I love this salad with just the simple dressing noted above and in the recipe card, but if you want to dress it up even more, swap all or part of the lemon juice for red wine or apple cider vinegar. You can also swap the olive oil for walnut or another specialty oil, or use this brown sugar cider vinaigrette instead.
Make Ahead Tips:
To get a little ahead in prepping this salad, wash your kale ahead of time, and be sure your pecans, sliced cheese, and pomegranate arils are all ready to go.
To get more ahead of the game, slice the apples slightly ahead of time, spritz lightly with lemon juice, and store in the fridge. You can also dress and massage the kale 2-3 hours ahead of serving time, then store in the fridge. Let the fact that kale is hearty work for you in this case!
In any case, I recommend waiting until you serve the salad to mix in the pecans. That is the one element that you want to maintain maximum crunch, in contrast to the sweet tenderness of the greens, fruits, and cheese.
Related Recipes:
- Shaved Brussels Sprouts Pomegranate Salad w/ Buttermilk Dressing
- Dazzling Wild Rice Winter Salad
- Five-Minute Arugula Parmesan Salad
- Spinach Strawberry Salad with Walnuts and Feta
- Spinach Salad with Nectarines and Pecans
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Kale Apple Salad with Pecorino
Ingredients
- 8 ounces curly kale
- 1 medium apple Honeycrisp is my favorite
- 2 ounces Pecorino cheese
- 1/2 cup glazed pecans
- 1/4 cup pomegranate arils
- 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1-2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- flaked sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the kale well, if needed. Pat dry with a clean kitchen towel, and allow it to air dry a bit more as you gather and prep the other ingredients.
- Slice the apple into thin wedges, and slice the cheese into bite-sized pieces.
- Add the kale to a large bowl, then drizzle lightly with olive oil and lemon juice, and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Use your hands or kitchen tongs to massage the oil and lemon directly into the kale for 1-2 minutes. Sample a piece and add more oil, juice, salt, or pepper as desired.
- Top the kale with the apples, cheese, pecans, and pomegranate seeds. Toss lightly to combine (or don't — it does look prettier with these add-ins all on top) and serve right away. Enjoy!
Notes
- I usually buy pre-washed curly kale, which works well and saves time.
- Feel free to substitute another type of cheese. Parmesan has a similar taste, goat cheese or feta is a nice option for those who prefer soft cheese, and cheddar is lovely for something different.
- For variety or another layer of flavor, swap all or part of the lemon juice for red wine or apple cider vinegar. You can also swap the olive oil for walnut or another specialty oil.
Nutrition Estimate
This post was originally published November 6, 2019, and has been updated to include more helpful information on making components ahead, massaging the kale, and pairings.
