Description
A vibrant and flavorful Apple Cranberry Pecan Salad featuring crispy bacon, tangy apple cider vinaigrette, fresh kale, sweet cranberries, creamy feta cheese, and homemade candied pecans. This salad offers a wonderful combination of textures and tastes, perfect for a nourishing lunch or a light dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 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, to taste
- 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
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
- Cook Bacon: Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add diced bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 8 minutes. Drain excess fat and transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Prepare Dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together apple cider vinegar, diced shallot, and Dijon mustard. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes to meld flavors. Whisk in extra virgin olive oil and honey. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Massage Kale: Stir in shredded kale leaves into the dressing and massage the kale for 1 minute to soften the leaves and absorb the dressing.
- Assemble Salad: Top the dressed kale with crispy bacon, diced apple, sliced celery, dried cranberries, crumbled feta cheese, and prepared candied pecans. Gently toss all ingredients to combine evenly.
- Prepare Candied Pecans: Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix Pecans Coating: In a medium bowl, whisk the egg white until frothy, about 1-2 minutes. Whisk in sugar, kosher salt, pumpkin pie spice, and optional cayenne pepper. Stir in pecan halves until they are well coated with the mixture.
- Bake Pecans: Spread the coated pecans in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through baking to ensure even cooking. Let the pecans cool completely before adding to salad.
Notes
- For extra crunch, make the candied pecans a day in advance and store in an airtight container.
- Substitute kale with spinach or mixed greens for variation.
- Use maple syrup or agave nectar instead of honey for a vegan option in the dressing.
- Omit bacon and feta to make the salad vegetarian.
- Massage the kale well to soften its texture and reduce bitterness.
- Adjust seasoning of dressing to suit your taste preference.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
