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    Home » Vegan recipes

    Holiday Kale Salad with Apples, Walnuts, and Warm Ginger Cranberry Dressing

    Last Modified: Jul 24, 2020 by Becky Striepe

    Disclosure: This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Privacy Policy for more details.

    Recipe Print

    A hearty, warm, holiday kale salad recipe starring seasonal fruits and veggies.

    overhead photo of holiday kale salad with apples and a swirl of hot pink cranberry dressing

    Guys, I am so excited to introduce you to my awesome sponsors: Superfresh Growers. They were kind enough to send me a flat of their Autumn Glory Apples to play with. Normally, when I'm working on apple recipes, I go for desserts, cocktails, or applesauce, but I felt like these apples, with their mellow natural caramel and cinnamon notes, would be perfect for a holiday kale salad recipe.

    If you're worried about GMO apples, I want to put your mind at ease. These apples aren't genetically modified. They're actually a cross between Fuji and Golden Delicious apples, and you can taste those flavors when you bite into one. If you love Fujis (who doesn't?), you'll love these apples! They're the perfect sweet addition to a holiday kale salad.

    I'd never noticed Superfresh Growers apples at local stores, but I'm pretty sure that is because I wasn't paying attention. My contact at the company said that in Atlanta, you can find them at:

    • Wal-mart
    • Costco
    • SAMS
    • Kroger
    • Whole Foods
    • Aldi
    • Wegmans
    • Delhaize
    • Publix
    • Sprouts

    So, pretty much every store. Keep your eyes peeled for these apples - they are seriously delicious. Sweet, crisp, and not mealy at all.

    Holiday Kale Salad with Apples, Walnuts, and Warm Ginger Cranberry Dressing

    Aside from the apples, what makes this recipe super special is the warm cranberry dressing. Now that the weather is getting cooler, warm salads are a good way to sneak in some veggies while still dishing up a cozy bowl of food.

    There are lots of ways to make a warm salad, and this holiday kale salad gets it's warming goodness from heated dressing. Just combine the ingredients in your blender, pour into a pan on the stove, and heat just before serving.

    spooning hot pink cranberry dressing onto a bowl of of holiday kale salad with apples

    You might not think "comfort food" when you think "kale salad," but seriously, you guys. This simple recipe is a bowlful of cozy goodness.

    Earthy kale and crunchy walnuts are so lovely with the cinnamon-caramel flavors in the sweet, Autumn Glory apples. Tossed with the sweet-spicy-tart warm dressing, this is an easy holiday kale salad that your guests will love!

     

    overhead photo of holiday kale salad with apples and a swirl of hot pink cranberry dressing

    Holiday Kale Salad with Warm Ginger Cranberry Dressing

    A hearty, warm, holiday kale salad recipe starring seasonal fruits and veggies.
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 303kcal
    Author: Becky Striepe

    Ingredients

    • 8 cups chopped kale - ribs removed
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • juice of 1 fresh lemon
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt
    • 1 Autumn Glory Apple - chopped into bite-sized pieces
    • ½ cup chopped walnuts
    • ¼ cup cup minced sweet onion
    • 1 batch Ginger Cranberry Salad Dressing

    Instructions

    • In a large bowl, combine the kale, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. With clean hands, massage the kale until it turns rich, dark brown and begins to wilt.
    • Toss in the apple, walnuts, and onion, making sure everything gets coated in the oil and lemon. The lemon is going to help prevent the apples from browning, so be thorough!
    • Pour the Ginger Cranberry Salad Dressing into a small pot, and heat on medium until you just start to see bubbles form. Do not bring to a boil! Toss the salad with the warm dressing, and serve immediately.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 303kcal
    Tried this recipe? Share your photo!Mention @GlueAndGlitter on Instagram or Twitter!

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    About Becky Striepe

    Headshot of Becky Striepe in front of a teal wall

    Hi there! I'm Becky Striepe (rhymes with sleepy), and I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here.

    Learn more about me >>>

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Katie

      December 19, 2016 at 5:03 pm

      This looks fantastic and I might need to have that dressing ready for all of my meals.... :)

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        December 19, 2016 at 5:14 pm

        It is good on basically all of the food! Haha

        Reply
    2. Sarah

      November 20, 2016 at 11:10 pm

      Love this—creamy cranberry apple dressings pair so well with kale! And I LOVE your apple napkin!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        November 21, 2016 at 7:25 am

        Thank you! I got the napkin at a local craft market. I love her stuff!

        Reply
    3. Ginny McMeans

      November 20, 2016 at 8:17 am

      Love love love Superfood Growers. So glad they are here. That salad sounds so flavorful and filling too!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        November 20, 2016 at 8:34 am

        Thank you, Ginny! I'm glad to have learned about them!

        Reply
    4. Cadry

      November 18, 2016 at 11:28 pm

      Oh, what a fun idea to warm the dressing before topping the salad! In the colder months, I have a hard time eating salad, unless I've added something warm to it. But I hadn't even thought about warming the dressing! Brilliant!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        November 19, 2016 at 7:35 am

        Thank you, Cadry!

        Reply
    5. Linda @ Veganosity

      November 18, 2016 at 7:38 pm

      I just love the color of that dressing!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        November 18, 2016 at 8:04 pm

        Thank you, Linda!

        Reply
    6. Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day

      November 18, 2016 at 12:02 am

      This is totally my kind of salad! I'm not familiar with Autumn Glory Apples, but I will be on the lookout for them.

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        November 18, 2016 at 8:02 am

        They were new to me, also, but I'm hooked. Darrol loves them, too!

        Reply
    7. Jenn

      November 17, 2016 at 9:32 am

      Love that beautiful dressing! Sounds so festive and healthy!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        November 17, 2016 at 10:39 am

        Thank you! It's definitely a new fave.

        Reply
    8. Mary Ellen @ VNutrition

      November 17, 2016 at 8:23 am

      A pretty and healthy treat for the holidays!

      I'm all about organic non-GMO apples too. :)

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        November 17, 2016 at 8:30 am

        Thank you, Mary Ellen!

        Reply
    9. Dianne's Vegan Kitchen

      November 16, 2016 at 8:55 pm

      I love the festive colors of this salad!

      Reply
    10. Alisa @ Go Dairy Free

      November 16, 2016 at 12:47 am

      That vinaigrette looks so pretty! And I couldn't love the flavoring more - especially the ginger part.

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        November 16, 2016 at 7:45 am

        Thank you, Alisa!

        Reply
    11. Dianne

      November 15, 2016 at 3:54 pm

      I love how colorful this is!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        November 15, 2016 at 4:44 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    12. Sophia | Veggies Don't Bite

      November 15, 2016 at 1:07 am

      What a delicious looking salad! I love all the different types of flavors you have going on.

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        November 15, 2016 at 7:36 am

        Thank you!

        Reply

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    About Me

    Glue and Glitter
    Hi! My name is Becky Striepe (rhymes with “sleepy”). I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here. → READ MORE

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