Kale, Apple and Pancetta Salad
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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.
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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
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- 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.
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So delicious! Made this as is with the short ribs, but it would be great solo as a meal. This salad even won over my less-than-adventurous-with-food father! This site is fantastic, every recipe I’ve tried has been a winner. Thank you so much for the delicious recipes!
I used this recipe for Thanksgiving and it was a hit and almost none was left! The only change I made was to use baby kale. Since that does not stand up as well as regular kale, I dressed the salad right before serving. Toasting the pecans makes a big difference in flavor.
There are so many recipes from this website I love but this is one of my favourites. Easy and delish. The tart apples and pecans with the sweet dressing are amazing.
My husband and I loved this salad so much, I made it the next night for guests. I substituted leaf lettuce for the radicchio and left the pan drippings in the pan.
This salad recipe is the best I’ve made by far. The sweetness of the apples and the saltiness of the pancetta make for a perfect duo of flavors. I didn’t change a thing; the recipe is perfect.
This salad is a favorite in my house! It goes great with chicken and pork! I have even served along BbQue!
This was so good, made it again within the same week.
I’m a huge fan of Jenn and this site and at times I look at the recipes and think, that’s it, shouldn’t there be more ingredients? Ummm, nope! And this salad is one of those examples! Followed it exactly and it’s delicious as is, don’t change or add anything! Well, I guess you might have to if you are a vegetarian!
Not that there will be any left, but I did have a little and it got soggy overnight, which was disappointing because I was looking forward to having it for lunch. But like any salad, it happens, so serve it fresh!
Fabulous! Using specialty smoked bacon also works, and using a nonstick pan meant I could eliminate the olive oil and just use the pancetta fat. Then I added the rest of the dressing ingredients directly into the pan so I wouldn’t miss any of the fine pancetta ‘grits’. Everyone except the vegetarians loved this salad.
For a vegetarian version I would use a smoked fish and the olive oil in lieu of the meat.
I have made this salad several times already. My whole family loves it! I don’t always have pancetta, so I’ve substituted regular bacon on occasion. It’s a fair substitute. Excellent combo of ingredients that I usually have on hand. Thanks!