Description
A vibrant and flavorful Apple Cranberry Pecan Salad featuring crispy bacon, tangy feta cheese, and sweet-tart dried cranberries, all tossed with fresh kale and topped with homemade candied pecans for a delightful crunch.
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 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat and transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Make Dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together apple cider vinegar, diced shallot, and Dijon mustard; let the mixture stand for 5 minutes. Then whisk in extra virgin olive oil and honey. Season the dressing with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Massage Kale: Add shredded kale to the bowl with dressing and massage it for about 1 minute to soften and incorporate flavors.
- Assemble Salad: Top the kale with cooked bacon, diced apple, sliced celery, dried cranberries, crumbled feta cheese, and candied pecans. Gently toss everything together to combine.
- Preheat Oven for Pecans: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare Candied Pecan Coating: In a medium bowl, whisk the egg white until frothy, about 1-2 minutes. Whisk in sugar, kosher salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cayenne pepper if using.
- Coat Pecans: Stir pecan halves into the egg white mixture until well coated and evenly combined.
- Bake Pecans: Spread the coated pecans in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through baking.
- Cool Pecans: Remove pecans from the oven and allow them to cool completely before adding to the salad.
Notes
- Massage the kale well with the dressing to tenderize the leaves and reduce bitterness.
- You can substitute dried cranberries with dried cherries or raisins for variation.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon or replace it with smoked tempeh.
- Ensure pecans are completely cooled to maintain their crispiness in the salad.
- The optional cayenne pepper adds a subtle heat; omit for a milder flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 580 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
