Wheat Free Kale & Apple Salad with Cranberries
Crisp apple, chewy cranberries, and tender massaged kale come together in a salad that feels genuinely satisfying rather than virtuous and sad. The trick here is taking the time to work the salt into the kale with your hands — it softens the leaves dramatically and makes them soak up every drop of the honey-ginger vinaigrette. That dressing is bright and lightly sweet, built from olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and fresh ginger, with nothing hiding in it that could cause concern for anyone avoiding wheat. Dried cranberries can be a sneaky source of added sugars or unexpected additives, so the recipe calls for ones sweetened only with apple juice, keeping the ingredient list genuinely clean. Thinly sliced red onion adds a little sharpness that balances the fruit, and a handful of toasted coconut flakes on top brings a subtle crunch and a hint of richness. Every component here is naturally free of wheat and gluten-containing grains — no swaps needed, no ingredients to second-guess. It's the kind of salad that holds up well enough to sit on the table while everyone gets settled, which is a rare and wonderful thing.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the salad
- 1 large bunch curly or lacinato kale (about 8 oz), stems removed, leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 medium apple (such as honeycrisp or fuji), cored and thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries (unsweetened sugar or sweetened with apple juice only, no added sugar)
- ¼ small red onion, very thinly sliced
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- ½ tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
For serving
- 2 tbsp toasted coconut flakes (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the torn kale leaves in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp fine sea salt. Using clean hands, massage the kale firmly for 1–2 minutes, squeezing and working the leaves until they darken, soften noticeably, and reduce in volume by about half.
- 2
In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, grated ginger, and remaining 1/4 tsp salt until the dressing is smooth and emulsified.
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