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This Autumn Kale Salad recipe is the salad of the season! Made with kale, apples, onions, pumpkin seeds, bacon, fried goat cheese and a maple pumpkin salad dressing, it is the perfect fall salad idea. This delicious kale apple salad makes a tasty and healthy meal you'll want to eat all season long!

Autumn Kale Salad with Apples and Fried Goat Cheese

Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 274kcal
Author: Becky Hardin
This Autumn Kale Salad recipe is the salad of the season! Made with kale, apples, onions, pumpkin seeds, bacon, fried goat cheese and a maple pumpkin salad dressing, it is the perfect fall salad idea. This delicious kale apple salad makes a tasty and healthy meal you'll want to eat all season long!
Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the Fried Goat Cheese:

  • 11- ounce goat cheese log
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 eggs lightly beaten
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • ¾ cup Seasoned Panko Breadcrumbs
  • Olive oil or Mediterranean Blend oil for frying

For the Pumpkin Maple Dressing:

For the Fall Kale Salad:

  • 8 Fried goat cheese discs
  • 6 cups loosely-packed kale; washed ribs removed & torn into small pieces
  • 2 crisp apples washed & cut into slices
  • ½ red onion very thinly sliced
  • 6 slices bacon cut into 1/8-inch slices & crisped
  • ½ cup honey roasted pecans
  • ¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds

Instructions

For the Fried Goat Cheese:

  • Freeze the cheese log 20-30 minutes before cutting. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper and spray the paper with non-stick cooking spray. When the cheese is cold, use floss to “cut” the log into ¼” rounds and, if necessary, reshape the cheese slices into smooth circles. Place the cheese rounds on the parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the freezer 10-15 minutes before frying.
  • When ready to fry, pour enough oil in a small, heavy-bottom pan/skillet to come halfway up the cheese circles. Heat the oil, over medium heat, to 340°F-350°F.
  • Place the flour, the eggs whisked with water and the Panko in separate bowls and set the bowls next to each other.
  • Press a cheese round in the flour (both sides), then in the egg/water mixture and then in the Panko breadcrumbs. Place it in the hot oil, and, once the bottom, pan-side of the round is crispy and golden, turn the cheese over to fry the other side. Repeat with all cheese rounds, working in batches, until all are fried.
  • Transfer cooked rounds to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

For the Pumpkin Maple Dressing:

  • See recipe

For the Kale Fall Salad:

  • Place the prepared kale in a large bowl and drizzle with 2 tablespoons Pumpkin Maple Dressing. With clean hands, gently massage the kale with the dressing, for a few minutes, until each kale piece is coated and has softened just a little.
  • Add half the apples, half the bacon, half the pecans and half of the pumpkin seeds.
  • Toss the salad gently.
  • Top with the remaining half of each ingredient. Serve with one Fried Goat Cheese disc per person and extra Pumpkin Maple Dressing (on the side).
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 274kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 329mg | Potassium: 374mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5505IU | Vitamin C: 62.9mg | Calcium: 151mg | Iron: 2.3mg