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kale crunch salad topped with toasted almonds in a bowl

Kale Crunch Salad

Tender kale, crisp cabbage, and toasted almonds in a sweet & tangy maple dijon dressing. This Kale Crunch Salad is so satisfying!
5 from 4 votes
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Author: Sarah Sullivan

Equipment

  • cutting board and knife
  • large mixing bowl
  • skillet to toast nuts

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch curly kale stalks removed, thinly sliced (about 8-10 loosely packed cups)
  • 2 cups shredded red or green cabbage
  • 1/4 cup sliced toasted almonds

Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 lemon juiced
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • pepper to preference

Optional Add-Ins

  • chopped apple
  • dried cranberries
  • vegan feta cheese or parmesan we like Follow Your Heart, Trader Joe's, or Violife
  • shredded carrots
  • sliced green onions

Instructions

  • Whisk together all ingredients for dressing. (Or add ingredients to a jar with a lid and shake to emulsify.)
  • Add kale to a large bowl. Add in the dressing and massage firmly for 3-5 minutes, until the kale has softened and shrunk considerably in volume.
  • Toss in the shredded cabbage and green onions. The salad can be served immediately, or it can be marinated for several hours or even overnight and the greens will continue to tenderize. Top with sliced toasted almonds and any other optional add-ins when ready to serve.

Notes

Less sweet - If you aren't a fan of sweet & savory, reduce the maple syrup in the dressing to 1 teaspoon. This is enough to round out the flavors without it being noticeably sweet.

Substitutions

Kale - You can use Tuscan or lacinato kale rather than curly kale. It usually it comes in smaller bunches, so you may need to buy an additional bunch or two to get the same volume.
Almonds - Feel free to use any kind of toasted nut or seed (or even a blend) in place of almonds. Pecans, walnuts, and sunflower seeds are some of my favorites for this salad.
Apple cider vinegar - The best alternative for ACV is red or white wine vinegar.
 
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