Crunchy Kale Salad with Apples
If you like your salads with lots of texture, this crunchy kale salad will be a hit! Apples, sunflower seeds, candied nuts, and chickpeas add lots of crispy-crunch, and the sweet and tangy vinaigrette is irresistible.

I think the best salads are about variety. While tossing a bag of greens with dressing is serviceable as a side for Quiche Lorraine and the like, it’s not anything you can get excited about, and definitely not something you can make a meal out of. But add a bunch of mixed-and-matched flavors and textures and NOW we’re talking!
Like my Thanksgiving Salad, this crunchy kale salad is loaded with the good stuff. It starts with crisp kale leaves, it’s got two types of apples for a mix of tart and sweet, feta brings salty goodness, dried cranberries are chewy and delightful, while candied nuts, crispy chickpeas, and sunflower seeds bring the crunch along with some protein.
It’s all tied together with the tastiest vinaigrette, which has the perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and savory flavors. Best salad ever? It just might be!

Ingredients for Crunchy Kale Salad
Here’s a quick rundown of what you’ll need for this recipe. For the full measurements, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Kale – Curly kale and Tuscan kale will both work for this recipe, or the elusive red Russian kale if you’re lucky enough to get your hands on some.
- Apples – One sweet and one tart Granny Smith!
- Feta – Not a fan of feta? Goat cheese or shaved Parmesan cheese would also work.
- Candied Nuts – I love these Candied Pecans and Easy Candied Walnuts.
- Dried Cranberries – Also known as Craisins.
- Lemon – You’ll need the juice and the zest.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – ACV is always my favorite for a kale salad. Something about it just works.
- Orange Marmalade – The little secret ingredient that makes this vinaigrette sing.
- Seasonings – Garlic powder, Herbs de Provence, and your standard salt and pepper.
- Olive Oil – Use a good one!
- Sunflower Seeds – Pepitas would also work well here.
- Crispy Chickpeas – These Roasted Chickpeas with Smoked Sea Salt and Rosemary would be fab.

How to Make Crunchy Kale Salad
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page for full printable instructions.
- Combine. Add the kale, apples, feta, nuts and cranberries to a large bowl or serving platter.
- Make the dressing. Whisk the lemon juice and zest, vinegar, orange marmalade, garlic powder, herbs, and olive oil in a small bowl, then season to taste.
- Finish. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and add the sunflower seeds and chickpeas.

Tips for Making Crunchy Kale Salad
Follow these tips for kale salad perfection!
- Remove the kale stems. This might sound like a no-brainer, but when you buy bags of pre-cut kale leaves, a lot of times, the stems are still in there. They’re edible, yes, but I find them bitter, tough, and plain unappealing. Take ’em out!
- Massage your kale. This is optional, but if you want the kale leaves to be more tender and have a milder flavor, you can massage them with the dressing to mellow them out.
- Get a head start. You can wash and cut the kale and make the dressing ahead of time. To keep everything fresh, I recommend cutting the apples and assembling right before serving.
- Add a protein. Toss in some Grilled Lemon Chicken to make this crunchy kale salad a filling meal.
How to Store Leftovers
Leftover crunchy kale salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. While kale holds up better than most salad greens, it will gradually soften as it absorbs the dressing, and the apples will start to brown. If you know you’ll have leftovers, consider storing the dressing separately, cutting just as much apple as you need, and only adding dressing to the portion you plan to eat right away.

What to Serve With Crunchy Kale Salad
- Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin
- Oven Roasted Chicken Breasts
- Crispy Air Fryer Salmon
- Easy Slow Cooker Pork Chops
More Salad Recipes
- Grape Salad
- Avocado Corn Salad
- Three Bean Salad
- Lobster Pasta Salad
- Italian Chopped Salad
- Strawberry Spinach Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette
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Get the Recipe: Crunchy Kale Salad with Apples and Crispy Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 4 cups finely chopped kale, curly kale and tuscan kale
- 1 granny smith apple, cored and cut into 1/4 inch dice
- 1 sweet apple, cored and cut into 1/4 inch dice
- 2 ounces feta cheese
- ¼ cup chopped candied nuts
- ¼ cup chopped dried cranberries
- 1 lemon juiced and zested
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon orange marmalade
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Herbs de Provence
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoon sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup crispy chickpeas
Instructions
- Combine the kale, apples, feta, nuts and cranberries together in a large bowl or serving platter.
- Whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, vinegar, orange marmalade, garlic powder, herbs, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and sprinkle with sunflower seeds and chickpeas.