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Wooden bowl holding a massaged kale blueberry salad with feta, pecans, pumpkin seeds, apple, and a homemade vinaigrette.
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5 from 2 votes

Kale Blueberry Salad

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 18 minutes
Servings: 6
This massaged kale blueberry salad is packed with candied pecans, feta cheese, apples, and an easy homemade dressing. Delicious and healthy!

Ingredients

Salad:

  • 2/3 cup pecans
  • 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 5-6 cups curly kale
  • 1 cup blueberries rinsed
  • 1 medium apple ideally Granny Smith or another tart variety, chopped
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Dressing:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • sea salt and black pepper

Instructions

  • Place the pecans in a nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Sprinkle the sugar on top and cook for about 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sugar melts into a light caramel coating over the pecans. Watch closely and turn down the heat if needed; the sugar should not burn. Transfer pecans to a plate or piece of parchment paper to cool, breaking apart any that stick together, and sprinkle very lightly with sea salt.
  • Make the dressing by combining olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, a pinch of sea salt, and 6-8 cranks of fresh-ground black pepper in a small jar or liquid measuring cup. Whisk or shake vigorously into a smooth dressing.
  • Place kale in a large bowl, removing any thick stem pieces. Pour dressing on top, then use your hands to lightly massage the dressing into the kale.
  • Add blueberries, chopped apple, pumpkin seeds, feta, and cooled pecans to the bowl with the kale. Toss well, serve, and enjoy.

Notes

  • You can purchase candied pecans and skip the step of caramelizing them in the skillet. Our favorites are from Trader Joe’s; they’re sold right alongside raw and salted nuts and dried fruit for snacking.
  • Amounts for the kale, pecans, blueberries, and pumpkin seeds are just guidelines. Eyeball everything and adjust to your taste.
  • This salad keeps well, even with the dressing on, but if you know you plan to wait a bit to serve it, hold off on adding the pecans and pumpkin seeds until right before, so they stay maximally crunchy.

Nutrition Estimate

Calories: 272 kcal, Carbohydrates: 21 g, Protein: 5 g, Fat: 21 g, Saturated Fat: 3 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 12 g, Trans Fat: 0.002 g, Cholesterol: 6 mg, Sodium: 112 mg, Potassium: 322 mg, Fiber: 5 g, Sugar: 15 g, Vitamin A: 5641 IU, Vitamin C: 56 mg, Calcium: 186 mg, Iron: 2 mg
Did you make this recipe?Leave a review below, then snap a quick picture and tag @nourishandfete on Instagram so I can see it!
Author: Monica Lensink
Course: Salad, Side
Cuisine: American
Keyword: kale blueberry salad, massaged kale salad