Published 11/17/2021 • Updated 11/15/2023 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!
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:
Honey mustard dressing Greek dressing Lemon vinaigrette Italian dressing
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!
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!
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!
Thanksgiving Salad Recipes
Apple Burrata Salad Farro Salad with Kale and Butternut Squash Blackberry and Butternut Squash Salad Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad Massage Kale and Fennel Salad Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad with Quinoa
