Description
This vibrant Kale and Fall Fruit Salad features a delightful combination of fresh baby kale, seasonal fruits like figs, pear, grapes, dried cranberries, pomegranate seeds, and optional red currants. It is topped with creamy blue cheese, Camembert cheese, and toasted hazelnuts for texture and richness. The salad is beautifully complemented by a tangy and slightly sweet cider poppy seed dressing, blended to a creamy consistency, making it a perfect autumn-inspired dish that’s both refreshing and satisfying.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 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
Dressing Ingredients
- 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 base: Place the 4 cups of baby kale in a wide shallow salad bowl as the fresh green base of your salad.
- Add fruit, cheese, and nuts: Arrange the quartered figs, thinly sliced pear, halved grapes, dried cranberries, pomegranate seeds, and optional red currants evenly over the kale. Then scatter the crumbled blue cheese, Camembert wedges, and toasted hazelnuts on top.
- Make the dressing: Combine the extra virgin olive oil, cider vinegar, cider, mustard, honey, poppy seeds, a pinch of salt, and black pepper into a wide-mouth jar like a mason jar. Use an immersion blender to blend the ingredients into a smooth, creamy dressing.
- Dress the salad and serve: Just before serving, drizzle the cider poppy seed dressing evenly over the salad and toss lightly if desired for even coating.
Notes
- To prevent pear slices from browning, squeeze lightly with lemon juice right after slicing.
- Optional red currants add a nice tart burst but can be omitted or substituted with a similar berry.
- Use an immersion blender or small blender to ensure the dressing emulsifies well and has a creamy texture.
- To toast hazelnuts, heat them in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and lightly browned, about 5 minutes, stirring often.
- For a vegan version, omit the blue cheese and Camembert or replace with a plant-based cheese alternative.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Kale salad, fall salad, fruit salad, cider dressing, poppy seed dressing, autumn recipe, vegetarian salad, healthy salad
