Favorite Thanksgiving Salad
Published 11/17/2021 • Updated 11/15/2023
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Add this bright and fresh kale Thanksgiving salad to your holiday celebration. Made with massaged kale, apple slices, dried cherries, candied walnuts, and homemade balsamic vinaigrette, this is for anyone who loves a lot of “stuff” in their salad!
We absolutely adore kale salads. We eat them in the winter, in the summer, and over the holidays. If you don’t typically serve salad at Thanksgiving, let this be the year you give it a try.
This Thanksgiving salad combines all of our favorite seasonal flavors – it has a lot going on and it all just works together. You’ll love the combination of tart dried cherries, crisp apple, tangy goat cheese, crunchy candied walnuts, hearty kale, and of course, the best ever balsamic vinaigrette.
With many ways to make this salad ahead of time, it comes together quickly and easily on Thanksgiving (or anytime you choose to make it). Massage the kale, mix in the add-ins, and drizzle with dressing before serving. Let’s go!
Featured Comment
“This salad was a family favorite at Thanksgiving! My husband hates salads and had seconds, and my younger brother said it was better than the cheesy potatoes!! Definitely making this again (not just for Thanksgiving).” – Kat
What is in Thanksgiving salad?
You’ll find fresh and wholesome seasonal ingredients and flavors in this kale Thanksgiving salad. Here’s what you need:
- Kale
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Gala apples
- Fresh thyme
- Candied walnuts
- Goat cheese
- Dried cherries
- Balsamic vinaigrette
Thanksgiving Salad Variations
The flavor combinations and toppings are endless! Use our Thanksgiving salad recipe as a starting point and customize this salad to your preferences (and menu!). Here are 3 variations to try:
Greens
Instead of massaged kale, use any of these greens as the salad base:
- Baby spinach
- Baby kale
- Arugula
- Shaved Brussels sprouts
Toppings
You don’t have to stop just at goat cheese, candied walnuts, apples, and dried cherries! Any of these toppings would be delicious additions:
- Roasted butternut squash (here’s how to cook butternut squash)
- Roasted sweet potatoes
- Maple roasted pecans
- Pomegranate seeds
- Quinoa
- Pepitas
- Fresh rosemary
- Feta cheese
- Pear slices
Dressing
If you don’t love balsamic dressing, use any of our other simple homemade dressing recipes instead. A few that would pair well with the other flavors are:
More of our Favorite…
Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes
Looking for more healthy Thanksgiving recipes to fill your holiday table with? Check out all of our best turkey day recipes in one spot!
FAQ
The term “massaged” simply refers to the fact that the kale has been rubbed with oil to break it down, making it easier to chew and digest.
For every 8 cups of raw kale, you’ll need about 1 tablespoon of olive oil to massage into it. It will take about 3-5 minutes to massage the kale. And, if you’ve never massaged kale before, we have an entire post + video on how to massage kale. It’s super simple.
Absolutely! Skip the goat cheese for a completely vegan salad recipe.
Storage
Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Any longer and the kale will become a little too soft and wilty!
Make Ahead Thanksgiving Salad
To save time on Thanksgiving, massage the kale up to 3 days ahead of time, make the balsamic vinaigrette up to 5 days ahead of time, and the candied walnuts up to 1 week ahead of time.
Serving Suggestions
This kale salad is made with fresh, seasonal ingredients, tastes just like fall, and is delicious all season long (not just for Thanksgiving!). It would pair wonderfully alongside classic pot roast or creamy pumpkin wild rice soup at an autumn dinner party and also makes for a great meal-prep salad to enjoy for lunches throughout the week. You can’t go wrong with this loaded salad!
Favorite Thanksgiving Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Salad
- 8 cups raw kale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- pinch salt
- 2 medium Gala apples, sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
- 1/2 cup candied walnuts
- 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
- 1/2 cup dried cherries, or dried cranberries
Instructions
- Begin by making our candied walnuts (up to 1 week ahead of time) by following the directions in this post. Set aside until ready to make and serve this salad.
Make the Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium/high heat.
- When the oil is fragrant, add the onion and garlic. Sauté in the olive oil for 1-2 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low and let the olive oil, garlic, and onion simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes. After 10-15 minutes, remove from heat and let cool.
- Transfer the olive oil/onion/garlic mixture to a mason jar. Add the remaining ingredients. Close tightly and shake until all ingredients are combined.
Assemble the Salad
- Place the raw kale into a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Use your hands to massage the kale for 2-3 minutes or until it turns bright green and begins to wilt.
- Add the sliced apple, fresh thyme, candied walnuts, goat cheese crumbles, and dried cherries. Toss to combine.
- Drizzle on the dressing and toss one more time to combine before serving.
Tips & Notes
- Storage: Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Any longer and the kale will become a little too soft and wilty!
- Make Ahead Instructions: To save time on Thanksgiving, massage the kale up to 3 days ahead of time, make the balsamic vinaigrette up to 5 days ahead of time, and the candied walnuts up to 1 week ahead of time.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I have made this recipe several times, for my family and also for “potluck” events at work. It is delicious! Love the dressing and variety of toppings.
So glad you love this salad!! So good.
This salad was a family favorite at Thanksgiving! My husband hates salads and had seconds, and my younger brother said it was better than the cheesy potatoes!! Definitely making this again (not just for Thanksgiving).
Better than cheesy potatoes OMG.
So delicious and super easy! Will definitely be making it again!
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Tested this salad out over the weekend, and definitely adding to my Thanksgiving menu for this year! Such delicious flavors and healthy ingredients!
Totally making this salad for Thanksgiving this year! Love the flavor combos.