Favorite Thanksgiving Salad

4.72 from 14 votes
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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!

salad in bowl
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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:

ingredients on cutting board

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:

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:

candied walnuts on sheet pan

FAQ

What is massaged kale?

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.

How do you massage kale?

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.

Can you make this salad without cheese?

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.

Thanksgiving salad in bowl with apples

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!

4.72 from 14 votes

Favorite Thanksgiving Salad

Add this Thanksgiving salad to your holiday dinner menu! This refreshing salad features all of our favorite seasonal flavors.
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 6
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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.
    Candied walnuts for a Thanksgiving 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.
    balsamic vinaigrette dressing recipe

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.
    Thanksgiving salad with kale, apples, and walnuts.

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

Calories: 278 kcal, Carbohydrates: 34 g, Protein: 9 g, Fat: 21 g, Fiber: 7 g, Sugar: 19 g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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About Lee Funke

Lee is the founder of Fit Foodie Finds and based in Minneapolis, MN. She started this website in 2010 as a way to share her love for real food and wellness. The internet has changed so much since then and so has Fit Foodie Finds. Today we're a female-run recipe website publishing hundreds of tried and true recipes developed and tested by our team.

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Ann Millan
Ann Millan
November 28, 2020 3:26 pm
Recipe Rating :
     

5 stars
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.

Kat
Kat
November 27, 2020 8:23 pm
Recipe Rating :
     

5 stars
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).

3BDE0804-9964-48FA-987E-264F994BA303.jpeg
Steph
Steph
November 27, 2020 1:49 pm
Recipe Rating :
     

5 stars
So delicious and super easy! Will definitely be making it again!

ghd sports
November 24, 2020 10:31 pm
Recipe Rating :
     

4 stars
This blog is so nice to me. I will continue to come here again and again. Visit my link as well. Good luck

Kris
Kris
November 24, 2020 11:12 am
Recipe Rating :
     

5 stars
Tested this salad out over the weekend, and definitely adding to my Thanksgiving menu for this year! Such delicious flavors and healthy ingredients!

Shell
Shell
November 24, 2020 10:47 am
Recipe Rating :
     

5 stars
Totally making this salad for Thanksgiving this year! Love the flavor combos.