Description
This Kale and Apple Salad with Blue Cheese and Maple Glazed Walnuts is simple, yet special. It’s the perfect side dish or light lunch for the fall and winter months.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 cups (4oz) baby kale
- 1 apple, such as honey crisp or braeburn
- 4oz Semi-firm blue cheese
Walnuts:
- ½ cup walnuts
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- Kosher salt
Dressing:
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ½ tablespoons lemon juice, plus more as needed
- ½ teaspoon maple syrup
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- Glaze walnuts: Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment. In a small nonstick pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add walnuts to pan, season with salt and toss to coat. Pour in syrup and bring to a simmer. Do not stir after maple syrup starts simmering as this could cause the sugars to crystalize. Cook 3 minutes or until most of excess liquid has evaporated, being careful not to burn the sugar.
- Bake and cool: Transfer walnuts to lined baking sheet. Bake on center rack for 10 minutes or until remaining liquid has evaporated. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack. The nuts should have a crispy coating similar to a praline.
- Prep apple: As nuts cool, cut the apple. Slice in half lengthwise, and then in half again. Cut on a diagonal to remove the core. Using a sharp chef’s knife or mandolin, cut into thin slices. Transfer to bowl and toss in lemon juice to prevent browning. This also adds a nice tart flavor.
- Make dressing: Add oil to bowl. Slowly whisk in vinegar and lemon juice to emulsify. Whisk in syrup.
- Serve: Add kale and apples to a large bowl. Drizzle over desired amount of dressing and toss to coat. Transfer to serving bowls. Top with nuts and thin shavings or crumbles of blue cheese. Enjoy.
Notes
You can use any apple you prefer, such as fuji, pink lady or gala. Toss with lemon juice to avoid browning.
Substitute walnuts with pecans or pistachios, if desired.
If you don’t like blue cheese, try goat cheese or feta.
Make a double batch of nuts and save them for snacking, if desired.
The maple glazed walnuts are adapted from a recipe by Martha Stewart.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Bake, Saute
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of salad
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 340mg
- Fat: 33g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 24g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 21g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 10g
