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Apple Cranberry Pecan Salad - A crisp, refreshing kale salad! With apples, crispy bacon, cranberries, and homemade (and easy!) candied pecans. A perfect holiday salad!

A crisp, refreshing kale salad! With apples, crispy bacon, cranberries, and homemade (and easy!) candied pecans. A perfect holiday salad!

Apple Cranberry Pecan Salad - A bright, refreshing fall salad with apples, bacon + the most amazing candied pecans. Perfect for the holidays!

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The first time I made the was for Thanksgiving. Amazing!! The second time I didn’t make the nuts due to time and it was still really good. I used red onion instead of shallots. Yum yum!! Thank you!
Jenny
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Why you’ll love apple cranberry pecan salad

  • Everyone’s favorite seasonal, festive salad. Whether it’s a family dinner or a holiday gathering, this salad is a seasonal favorite, featuring tender massaged kale, crispy bacon, fresh, crisp apples, chewy cranberries, a sweet and tangy dressing, and candied pecans.
  • The homemade candied pecans is everything. This salad includes an easy recipe for homemade candied pecans. It makes more than you need for a salad, but they won’t stick around for long, and they keep so well!
  • Quick and versatile. It only takes 15-20 minutes to put together and can easily accommodate added proteins such as grilled chicken or leftover rotisserie chicken.
Apple Cranberry Pecan Salad - A bright, refreshing fall salad with apples, bacon + the most amazing candied pecans. Perfect for the holidays!

types of kale to use

  • Lacinato (tuscan/dinosaur) kale: has a mild, tender texture
  • Curly kale: a much sturdier kale and slightly more bitter but is great for salads once thoroughly massaged to soften the fibers
  • Baby kale: already comes pre-washed with small, soft leaves, and does not require massaging

How to make apple cranberry pecan salad

  1. Cook the bacon. Slice the bacon into small pieces. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat and add the bacon pieces, stirring every few minutes until crispy and golden. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon from the grease onto a paper towel-lined plate.
  2. Prep the kale. Remove and discard the tough stems of the kale, then finely chop the leaves.
  3. Make the dressing. Combine the apple cider vinegar, shallot, and Dijon mustard. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes. Then whisk in the olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
  4. Massage the kale. Stir the kale into the dressing and massage by hand until the leaves soften.
  5. Combine and serve. Add the crispy bacon, apple, celery, cranberries, feta cheese, and candied pecans, tossing to coat. Serve immediately.

How to make candied pecans

  1. Combine the ingredients. Whisk the egg white until frothy, then continue whisking with the sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cayenne pepper.
  2. Coat the pecans. Stir in the pecan halves and toss to combine until the pecans are well coated.
  3. Bake. Spread the coated pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring at the halfway mark (about 15 minutes) so they toast evenly.
  4. Let cool and store. Let the pecans cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature (1 week), in the fridge (3 weeks), or in the freezer for long term storage (3 months).
Apple Cranberry Pecan Salad - A bright, refreshing fall salad with apples, bacon + the most amazing candied pecans. Perfect for the holidays!

what to serve with apple cranberry pecan salad

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Apple Cranberry Pecan Salad: Frequently Asked Questions

What type of kale should I use?

Lacinato (tuscan) kale is generally the gold standard for salads as it has a milder, sweeter flavor with tender leaves (than curly kale) and massages very easily to soften the leaves further.

What kind of apples are best?

Gala or honey crisp apples would work beautifully in this recipe.

What can I substitute for the feta cheese?

Halloumi, ricotta, goat cheese, or cotija cheese are all great substitutes.

Why do I have to massage the kale?

Massaging the kale will help soften the texture of the kale and help absorb the dressing.

Can I make the dressing ahead of time?

Yes! The dressing can be made 1 week in advance and stored in an airtight container (such as a mason jar) and placed in the fridge, letting it come to room temperature for about 15 minutes and shaking well before using.

Can I make the candied pecans ahead of time?

Absolutely! Candied pecans can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week, in the fridge up to 3 weeks and in the freezer up to 3 months.

Apple Cranberry Pecan Salad

Apple Cranberry Pecan Salad

Yield: 6 servings
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
A crisp, refreshing kale salad! With apples, crispy bacon, cranberries, and homemade (and easy!) candied pecans. A perfect holiday salad!
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Ingredients

  • 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
  • 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

for the 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

  • Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat; transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, shallot and Dijon; let stand 5 minutes. Whisk in olive oil and honey; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in kale and massage for 1 minute.
  • Top with bacon, apple, celery, cranberries, feta cheese and candied pecans, and gently toss to combine.

for the candied pecans

  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk egg white until frothy, about 1-2 minutes. Whisk in sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice and cayenne pepper.
  • Stir in pecans until well combined and evenly coated.
  • Spread pecan mixture onto the prepared baking sheet in an even layer. Place into oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring at halftime. Let cool completely.

Equipment

Cast Iron Skillet
Cast Iron Skillet
Baking Sheet
Baking Sheet

Notes

  • Prep ahead of time. Save time by making the dressing up to 1 week in advance, and prepping and dicing the vegetables 1-2 days prior and storing them in airtight containers in the fridge.
  • Cut in uniform size. Cut all of the salad ingredients in similar size pieces for a consistent bite.
  • Use extra virgin olive oil. High quality extra virgin olive oil is ideal for salad dressings.
  • Massage the kale. Massaging the kale softens the leaves, making them more tender and flavorful.
  • Start with raw pecans. Raw, unsalted pecan halves are best to begin with to control the salt level and to prevent over-salting the nuts when baking.
  • Stir at the halfway mark. Stir the pecans after 15 minutes of baking to help the nuts coat evenly and to prevent clumps.
  • Cool completely. Let the candied pecans cool completely on the baking sheet. The sugar shell will harden and crisp up as it cools to room temperature.
  • Store the candied pecans. The candied pecans can be made in advance and stored at room temperature or the freezer to extend shelf life even further.
Course: Salad

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