Kale and Fall Fruit Salad with Cider Poppy Seed Dressing Recipe
A vibrant and wholesome Kale and Fall Fruit Salad featuring baby kale, seasonal fruits like figs, pears, grapes, cranberries, and pomegranate seeds, complemented with creamy blue cheese and Camembert, crunchy toasted hazelnuts, and dressed in a tangy and slightly sweet cider poppy seed dressing for a perfect balance of flavors and textures.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 4 cups baby kale
- 4 figs, quartered
- 1 ripe pear, cored and thinly sliced (squeeze with lemon juice to prevent browning)
- 1 cup grapes, halved
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1/2 cup red currants (optional)
- 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
- 1/4 cup Camembert or Brie, cut into small wedges or chunks
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped toasted hazelnuts
Cider Poppy Seed Dressing
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup cider
- 1 tsp mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 Tbsp poppy seeds
- Pinch of salt
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the kale: Place the 4 cups of baby kale in a wide, shallow salad bowl to create the base of the salad.
- Add the toppings: Arrange the quartered figs, pear slices (pre-squeezed with lemon juice to avoid browning), halved grapes, dried cranberries, pomegranate seeds, and optional red currants evenly on top of the kale. Then add the crumbled blue cheese, small wedges of Camembert or Brie, and sprinkle with roughly chopped toasted hazelnuts for texture and flavor contrast.
- Make the dressing: Add the extra virgin olive oil, cider vinegar, cider, mustard, honey, poppy seeds, a pinch of salt, and black pepper into a wide-mouth mason jar or similar container. Using an immersion blender, blend the ingredients until the dressing achieves a creamy and well-emulsified consistency.
- Dress the salad: Just before serving, drizzle the prepared cider poppy seed dressing evenly over the salad to coat all ingredients lightly, ensuring every bite is flavorful.
Notes
- To prevent the pear slices from turning brown, squeeze fresh lemon juice on them immediately after slicing.
- The dressing can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; shake or blend again before use.
- Red currants are optional but add a bright tartness and color contrast to the salad.
- For a nut-free version, omit the toasted hazelnuts or substitute with seeds like pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
- Use fresh, ripe figs and pears for the best flavor and texture.
Keywords: Kale Salad, Fall Fruit Salad, Poppy Seed Dressing, Healthy Salad, Seasonal Salad, Blue Cheese Salad, Nutty Salad
