Kale, Apple and Pancetta Salad
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
This flavor-packed autumn salad, with kale, radicchio, and a zingy maple vinaigrette, will have even the biggest salad skeptics coming back for more!
Made with shredded kale, radicchio, crisp pancetta, tart apples, pecans, and a zingy maple vinaigrette, this gorgeous fall salad, adapted from Food & Wine, is a real flavor powerhouse. Even my husband, who isn’t usually a fan of salads (especially kale), can’t get enough of it. For a heartier meal, you can easily add some poached chicken or grilled chicken—it’s a versatile dish that works as a side or a main course.
What You’ll Need To Make Kale, Apple & Pancetta Salad
Step-by-Step Instructions
Combine the olive oil and pancetta in a small skillet over medium heat.
Cook, stirring frequently, until pancetta is golden and crispy.
Strain the pan drippings into a medium bowl and leave the crispy pancetta off to the side to cool.
Add the Champagne vinegar, maple syrup, salt and pepper to the pan drippings and whisk well.
Combine the radicchio, kale, apples and pecans in a large bowl.
Toss while adding the dressing, little by little, until the salad is well dressed. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with crispy pancetta.
You May Also Like
Kale, Apple and Pancetta Salad
This flavor-packed autumn salad, with kale, radicchio, and a zingy maple vinaigrette, will have even the biggest salad skeptics coming back for more!
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 ounces pancetta, diced
- ¼ cup Champagne vinegar
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 small head radicchio, shredded
- 1 (8-ounce) bunch kale, stems discarded, leaves shredded
- 2 tart-yet-sweet apples, such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp, sliced into thin matchsticks
- ¾ cup pecans, toasted if desired
Instructions
- Combine the olive oil and pancetta in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until pancetta is golden and crispy. Strain the pan drippings into a medium bowl and leave the crispy pancetta off to the side to cool. Add the vinegar, maple syrup, salt and pepper to the pan drippings and whisk well.
- Combine the radicchio, kale, apples and pecans in a large bowl. Toss while adding the dressing, little by little, until the salad is well dressed. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with crispy pancetta.
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 541
- Fat: 43 g
- Saturated fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Sugar: 24 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Sodium: 363 mg
- Cholesterol: 19 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Yummy! I’m always attracted to different textures and this one was delish! A colorful presentation always grabs me and when the flavor is as wonderful as the presentation, I’m sold! Love it!
Delicious salad full of texture. We love this crunchy salad with it’s sweet, tart and slightly bitter flavors mixed with the salty pancetta. Loaded with vitamins!
Did you not use the shallot that’s pictured in the second photograph? Thanks.
Hi Lee, Good eye! The recipe started out with a shallot but I decided it had enough flavor without it, so I took it out. Sorry about that…I missed that one 🙂
so delicious looking, so many vibrant colors. the pictures are gorgeous!
Hi! I love your blog! Is there a substitute for the maple syrup? I am diabetic and can’t have any sugar. Do you think sugar free syrup would be a good substitute? Or is there something else that would work? Thanks!
Thank you, Jaclyn! To be honest, I’ve never tried sugar free syrup but my guess is that it would work fine as a substitute.
This was delicious! I used walnuts–forgot to get pecans–and fuji apples. Looking forward to having more of it tonight.
Yum!! That looks fantastic. I am not much of a red meat eater, but I love pancetta, go figure. Thanks for the recipe.
Looks exactly like a salad I recently fell in love with at Beauty & Essex in Manhattan. I am so excited to try this! The salad at B&E was made with apple cider vinagrette and had shaved goat cheese. Also the pecans were spicy/sweet.
Again, perfect timing as I’m learning new delicious vegetable dishes. Thank you again Jenn!
Looks SO GOOD! Must try for my next dinner party!