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Tossed Autumn Kale salad in a cream ceramic bowl on a white marble surface. The salad is topped with clusters of sliced honeycrisp apples & croutons, & an extra drizzle of maple balsamic vinaigrette.

Autumn Kale Salad with Apples, Goat Cheese & Pancetta-Pretzel Croutons

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 4 reviews
  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: serves 4-6 1x
  • Category: Main Dishes, Entree Salad & Bowl Recipes
  • Method: No-Cook
  • Cuisine: American

Description

An Autumn Kale Salad, perfect for fall! This easy kale salad recipe strikes the perfect balance of healthy yet hearty & satisfying: massaged kale gets tossed with crisp apples, creamy & tangy goat cheese, salty & rich pancetta, & there may or may not be pancetta-pretzel croutons in the equation too! 


Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 ounces pancetta (or bacon), diced
  • 2 pretzel rolls (about 2 ounces each), diced into 1-inch cubes
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 large bunch kale, destemmed & finely shredded
  • 2 medium apples (I like Honeycrisp), diced or sliced
  • ½ red onion, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
  • 4 ounces Roth Plain Chèvre Goat Cheese, crumbled
  • kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season

for the cinnamon maple balsamic vinaigrette:

  • ⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ⅓ cup aged balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Cook the pancetta: Add the pancetta to a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta has rendered its fat & becomes crispy, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked pancetta to a plate or bowl & set aside.  
  2. Make the pancetta-pretzel croutons: Working quickly, add the pretzel cubes to the skillet with the rendered pancetta fat. Carefully toss to coat. Season with the garlic powder and a pinch of salt, then toss to coat again. Let the pretzel croutons brown & crisp on all sides, stirring occasionally to prevent them from browning too far. It’s important to kind of let the pretzel croutons do their thing, since direct contact with the skillet is what creates the beautiful browning you want on a crouton, but keep a watchful eye on them since you don’t want them to burn. 
  3. Make the cinnamon maple balsamic vinaigrette: Meanwhile, as the pancetta & croutons cook, prep the cinnamon maple balsamic vinaigrette. Add all listed ingredients to a jar. Seal & shake to combine. Alternatively, if you’d like a creamier vinaigrette, add all ingredients to a blender or food processor & pulse to combine. Set aside, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. 
  4. Massage the kale: Add the shredded kale to a large bowl. Drizzle a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette over top. Using your hands, work the vinaigrette into the kale, until the kale softens slightly & becomes vibrantly green. 
  5. Assemble the salad: To the large bowl with the shredded kale, add the apples, red onion, walnuts, goat cheese, pancetta & pretzel croutons. Drizzle more vinaigrette over top and toss to combine. Serve immediately. Enjoy!