Kale and Quinoa Salad with Apples and Cinnamon Dressing

Kale and Quinoa Salad with apples, walnuts, blue cheese and cinnamon dressing is the perfect way to celebrate the transition from summer to fall. A healthy salad recipe with great taste and good for you superfoods, it’s great for meal prep, weeknight dinners and elegant enough for a holiday table.

Along with this kale quinoa salad, Mexican kale salad, lemon kale salad and sweet kale salad, will convince even your grandma that kale is yummy.

Feel-Good Fall Kale and Quinoa Salad

This kale and quinoa salad is such a mouth, throat (literally, you just wait until it goes down) and heartwarming salad with a sweet and zesty cinnamon dressing. Toasted walnuts, sweet crispy apples, nutty quinoa and superfood kale really come together and shine in this healthy salad recipe.

Quinoa (pronounced “keenwah”) is one of few plant-based foods that is a source of complete protein that contains 9 essential amino acids and is high in fiber, manganese and has low glycemic index. I love how in quinoa recipes this whole grain (although technically it is a seed!) soaks up the flavors and truly shines. Southwest quinoa salad and quinoa tabbouleh salad are two favorites that are on our family menu consistently.

Considered a superfood leafy green, kale, is among the most nutrient dense foods on the planet! It is loaded with antioxidants and vitamins – vitamins C and K topping the chart. You should try tender baby kale salad and this massaged kale salad with winter fruit.

Sweet crisp apples, at their peak season during fall, are another reason this salad makes a frequent appearance on our dinner table! Apples are high in vitamin C and are a natural antioxidant! Plus, there are so many varieties to choose from, you really can’t go wrong with whatever you choose. I prefer a sweeter apple like fuji, gala or honeycrisp in this kale and apple salad and I save the tart ones for apple oatmeal bars or braised cabbage with apples.

Toasted walnuts and creamy blue cheese add a nice balance of crunchy and creamy, and with each bite this kale apple walnut salad begs your tastebuds for another bite. It’s a winner that your family will love!

Why This Kale Apple Salad Recipe Works?

• Flavor filled with amazing texture from the crunchy apples to the toasty walnuts! Fluffy quinoa, creamy blue cheese and a warm cozy dressing will have your tastebuds dancing with delight.
• This salad is simple to make and comes together in only 30 minutes, and even faster if you have meal prepped your quinoa.
• Superfoods give your body a nutrient boost! Kale, quinoa, walnuts and apples are all high in antioxidants making this salad a great way to eat healthy during the fall and winter months.
• A show stopper of a salad, this autumn kale salad is the perfect way to brighten up the holiday table!
• A hearty green that doesn’t easily wilt makes kale the perfect salad green for meal prep!

Ingredients for Kale Quinoa Salad

• Kale: I like to use curly green kale as it adds volume and texture. Lacinato kale would work as well, there will be just “less of salad and kale”. Also baby kale has nice soft texture and you can skip “massaging” step.
• Quinoa: I recommend to use white or tri-colour quinoa for this autumn kale salad. Red quinoa would be overpowering in taste and texture. It goes well in black bean quinoa salad though.
• Blue cheese: If you don’t love it, feel free to use feta or goat cheese.
• Vinegar: If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, white or red wine vinegar is great. Not balsamic or white though.
• Apples: Sweet apples like gala, red delicious, honey crisp etc. are the best.

• Celery: A bit of celery goes so well with apples.
• Walnuts: In my opinion, all nuts taste better toasted. I have heard they lose a bit of their nutritional value but I am OK with that.
• “Warm” Cinnamon Dressing: Apple cider vinegar shines when mixed with good quality extra virgin olive oil, cinnamon, maple syrup, lemon juice and garlic. And don’t worry, dressing doesn’t have to be warm-warm. It is “warm” with spices and makes this autumn kale salad over the top good.

How to Make Autumn Kale Salad Recipe

• Cook quinoa: I personally like to cook quinoa with a ratio of 1 cup dry quinoa to 1.5 cups water for less mushy quinoa, see tutorial here, or you can follow package directions. I’m also obsessed with Instant Pot quinoa because no babysitting. Also this salad is great for quinoa leftovers.
• Whisk dressing: Combine olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, cinnamon, salt and pepper; whisk and set aside. Now is good time to chop fruit and veggies and allow dressing flavours to marinate for 10 minutes.
• Massage kale: Pour 1/3 of dressing over kale and massage with your hands until it shrinks in half. This step makes kale less tough and chewy.
• Toast nuts and combine: In a small skillet toast, walnuts on low-medium heat until lightly brown, about 3-4 minutes. Stir frequently and watch closely not to burn. Then add to a bowl with kale along with apples, celery, blue cheese and pour remaining dressing on top. Stir with 2 salad spoons.

Optional Add-In’s and Variations

• Use pecans or almond vs. walnuts. Pine nuts would also be great! Have a nut allergy, try sunflower or pumpkin seeds!
• Swap nutmeg for cinnamon using about 1/4 t. less.
• Use another soft cheese instead of blue cheese. Feta cheese, goat cheese would be great substitutions.
• A harder cheese like parmesan or smoked gouda may also work, freshly grated is best.
• All out of apples? Blood oranges or mandarin segments would be second best in place of apples.
• Vinegar choices – apple cider vinegar is best, white or red vinegar would be 2nd best.
• No quinoa? Use brown rice instead.
• Lemon dressing or balsamic olive oil would be two other dressing options that could be subbed.

Tips for Best Results

• Massage your kale leaves with some of the dressing to break down the more robust cellulose structure that kale has – trust me, giving the kale a little love will help you love it more!
• If you do not plan on eating this salad immediately, wait to toss the apple and walnuts in at the last minute.
• Chop your kale leaves small so that you can get several pieces of both the kale and all the other goodies in one bite.

FAQs

Kale Apple Walnut Salad Serving Recommendations

Serving: This kale quinoa salad is quite filling on its own. If you are on “eat less meat” bandwagon, this autumn salad is a quick way of doing so and is perfect when served with a slice of apple bread or apple muffin. And please don’t think that it isn’t kid friendly – my kids were all over it.

Here are a few options though to make it part of a meal:

• Add protein: Shredded chicken breast, baked chicken leftovers or grilled chicken go well when served on top.
• As a side salad: With boneless turkey breast roast, healthy pulled pork or healthy turkey meatballs.
• Part of a holiday spread: It will add a pop of color to the table when served with leg of lamb or sirloin tip roast, roasted cauliflower and healthy mashed potatoes.
• Comfort food mains: Pot roast (slow cooker or Instant Pot), shepherd’s pie or baked chicken thighs.
• Soup and salad combination: The perfect pairing with vegetable, lentil spinach or chicken noodle soup.

Alternately, browse my collection of healthy dinner ideas to find the perfect accompaniment for this kale salad.

Making Quinoa Apple Salad with Kale in Advance

Storing: What’s nice about this salad is that kale doesn’t wilt and quinoa becomes only more flavourful with time. So, while this salad recipe makes a lot, it can last in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Make ahead: Refrigerate kale quinoa salad without the dressing for up to 2 days. Dressing keeps well refrigerated for a few weeks. Then combine when ready.

More Favorite Quinoa Recipes

• Quinoa breakfast bake
• Quinoa granola
• Broccoli quinoa salad
• Avocado blueberry quinoa salad
• Mediterranean quinoa salad

Browse over 50 healthy salad recipes.