Description

Make this Fall Cabbage Crunch Salad with Maple Dijon Vinaigrette for a healthy, seasonal twist on a classic cabbage salad. Packed with kale, almonds, and cranberries, it’s the perfect quick and flavorful dish for any autumn meal! This salad is flexible and easy to scale up or down; simply add more or less of any ingredients to your liking.

Ingredients

Units

For the Salad:

1 bunch kale (I like the dark green lacinato variety), stems removed and massaged with a little extra virgin olive oil before chopped
3 cups finely chopped cabbage, purple and/or green (about 1/2 head of cabbage)
1/2 cup chopped roasted almonds, substitute walnuts, if preferred
1/2 cup dried cranberries, preferably unsweetened; plus 2 tablespoons for garnish

For the Maple Dijon Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons high-quality maple syrup
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, such as Grey Poupon
Optional: 1 clove fresh garlic, smashed open
1/4 teaspoon sea salt or Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

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Instructions

Prep the kale: Remove the stems from the lacinato kale, massage it with a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil to soften it, then chop it into small bite-sized pieces.
Prep the cabbage: Finely chop the cabbage. Make it small, about 1/4-nch pieces.
Prep the almonds: Give the almonds a rough chop.
Make the vinaigrette: In a jar with a lid, combine the dressing ingredients. Shake vigorously until the dressing is smooth and well combined. (If using the fresh garlic, let the garlic sit in the dressing 10 minutes to perfume the dressing without overwhelming it, then discard it.) Alternatively, whisk it all together in the bottom of the bowl you’re using to serve the salad.
Dress & toss: In a large bowl, mix the kale, cabbage, roasted almonds, and cranberries. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad ingredients. Toss thoroughly to coat. Garnish with a few more almonds and cranberries. Let the salad sit for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Enjoy!

This salad keeps in the fridge, covered and without dressing, for up to 3 days, and dressed for one day. Cabbage gives off a lot of water as it sits, so it’s best dressed the day of eating.