I like salads that have a little contrast. Something crisp, something sweet, something tart, and enough texture that every bite is a little different. This raspberry apple kale salad checks all of those boxes with a fresh mix of flavors and textures.
Fresh raspberries add a tart sweetness, while crisp apple and toasted walnuts give the salad plenty of crunch. The kale is briefly sautéed rather than served completely raw, which softens the leaves while still keeping their texture. A simple lemon-honey dressing brings everything together without covering up the fresh flavors.
It is also a salad that feels appropriate for more than one season. The fresh berries and lemon are perfect for spring and summer, but apples and walnuts give it enough substance to work well into fall.
Why Raspberry and Apple Work So Well with Kale
Kale has a stronger flavor and sturdier texture than most salad greens, so it can handle ingredients with a little personality. Sweet-tart raspberries and crisp apples balance the kale without making the salad taste overly sweet.
Walnuts are important here, too. Toasting them takes only a few minutes but gives the salad a deeper, nuttier flavor and another layer of texture. I like this same combination of fruit, greens, and toasted nuts in a cranberry orange orzo salad, where the sweet and savory ingredients balance each other in much the same way.
The final piece is the lemon dressing. Instead of using a heavier bottled dressing, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, and Dijon keep everything light and fresh.
Ingredients That Make a Difference
This is a simple salad, so choosing good ingredients matters more than having a long ingredient list.
- Kale – Remove the tough center stems and slice the leaves fairly thinly. Smaller pieces are easier to eat and soften quickly in the skillet.
- Raspberries – Look for berries that are firm and intact. Very soft raspberries will fall apart as soon as they are mixed into the salad.
- Apple – Honeycrisp and Pink Lady are my first choices because they are crisp with a good balance of sweetness and acidity. Granny Smith is a good option if you prefer something more tart.
- Walnuts – Toasting the walnuts makes a noticeable difference. Keep an eye on them because nuts can go from toasted to burned quickly.
- Fresh lemon juice – Fresh lemon has a cleaner, brighter flavor than bottled lemon juice and is worth using in such a simple dressing.
- Honey and Dijon mustard – A small amount of each rounds out the lemon and helps create a more balanced dressing.
Lightly Sautéing the Kale
Raw kale can be a little tough, especially when it is paired with delicate ingredients like raspberries. Instead of massaging the kale or letting it sit in dressing for a long time, this recipe gives it a quick sauté in a small amount of olive oil.
Two to three minutes is enough. The goal isn’t to cook the kale until it is completely wilted. It should soften and turn a deeper green while retaining some structure.
Let the kale cool slightly before adding the remaining ingredients. Putting fresh raspberries directly onto very warm kale can soften them too quickly.
A Simple Lemon-Honey Dressing
The dressing is intentionally light because there is already plenty of flavor in the salad. Lemon juice provides acidity, honey takes away some of its sharpness, and Dijon adds just enough savory flavor to keep the dressing from tasting sweet.
Whisking the dressing separately also gives you better control over how much you use. Kale can handle dressing well, but the raspberries cannot. I toss the kale, apple, and walnuts first, then add the raspberries at the end so they stay as intact as possible.
If you love fresh citrus flavors during warmer weather, the extra lemons won’t go to waste. A cold glass of Meyer lemon agave lemonade fits naturally with the same kind of light summer meal.
What to Serve with Raspberry Apple Kale Salad
This salad works well as a lunch on its own, but I usually think of it as a side dish. Because the flavors are fresh and slightly sweet, it pairs especially well with grilled or simply seasoned meats and seafood.
For a summer dinner, spiced grilled shrimp gives the meal a little heat that contrasts nicely with the berries and apple. A simple lemon herb chicken is another easy pairing when you want to keep the entire meal light and citrusy.
It also works well for a brunch, picnic, or casual gathering because there is nothing particularly heavy about it. If I’m serving several dishes, I would keep the portions smaller and let the salad add something fresh to the plate.
Can You Make This Salad Ahead of Time?
Parts of it can be prepared ahead, but I would not fully assemble it several hours before serving. The raspberries are simply too delicate, and cut apples are at their best when they’re fresh.
You can prepare the kale, toast the walnuts, and mix the lemon dressing earlier in the day. Store everything separately in the refrigerator, then cut the apple and assemble the salad shortly before serving.
Before preparing the ingredients, rinse fresh produce under running water. The FDA’s fresh produce guidance recommends using plain running water rather than soap or commercial produce washes. With raspberries, I use a gentle rinse and handle them as little as possible so they don’t break apart.
Raspberry Apple Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing
Ingredients
- 4 cups kale stems removed and leaves thinly sliced
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- 1 medium Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apple cored and diced
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts toasted
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1 ½ tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp honey
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp salt or to taste
- ⅛ tsp black pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Remove the tough stems from the kale and slice the leaves into thin ribbons.
- Heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the kale and sauté for 2–3 minutes, just until it begins to soften. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the kale and toss gently to coat. Let the dressed kale rest for about 2 minutes.
- Add the diced apple and toasted walnuts and gently toss.
- Divide the salad among serving plates and top with the fresh raspberries. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Add the raspberries last so they don’t break apart while tossing.
- Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apples work especially well because they stay crisp and provide a nice sweet-tart flavor.
- Toasting the walnuts adds much more flavor than using them raw.
- For a heartier salad, grilled chicken would be an easy addition.
Nutrition
Nutrition information has been calculated using an autogenerating online calculation and is intended for informational purposes. For accurate nutritional information, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used.
Easy Substitutions
One of the nice things about this salad is that small substitutions won’t change the overall character of the recipe.
- Replace walnuts with pecans or sliced almonds.
- Use Granny Smith apples for a more tart flavor.
- Substitute baby spinach for some of the kale if you prefer milder greens.
- Add crumbled feta or goat cheese for a creamy, salty contrast.
- Add grilled chicken or shrimp when serving the salad as a main course.
- Swap maple syrup for the honey if that is what you have on hand.
I would keep the raspberries, apple, and lemon dressing as the foundation. They are what give this raspberry apple kale salad its fresh flavor and make it more interesting than a basic green salad.
Love this salad? Save it on Pinterest so you can easily find the recipe when you need a fresh, colorful side dish for lunch, dinner, or a warm-weather gathering.
