A beautiful festive salad that can be enjoyed any time pomegranates are in season. Like now. Apple, Kale, Bacon & Goat Cheese salad – finely shredded kale, crunchy apple slices, candied maple pepitas, crispy bacon & goat cheese feta tossed in maple apple cider dressing. A salad doesn’t have to contain a laundry list of ingredients to make it spectacular. What are important: fresh ingredients, well- balanced flavors & textures.


apple, kale, bacon & goat cheese salad
A beautiful festive salad to be enjoyed anytime pomegranates are available. I used bourbon mustard in this recipe & goat cheese feta. Have the dressing made, the bacon cooked until crisp & the pepitas candied before starting the recipe. All these components can be made ahead of time & stored, sealed, in the fridge.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
MAPLE DRESSING
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons bourbon mustard or Dijon
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- pinch of salt
SALAD
- 1/2 cup pepitas
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 5 cups shredded kale
- 8 slices bacon, cooked crisp according to package directions & chopped
- 2 firm crisp apples, thinly sliced (such as gala, honeycrisp or sweetango)
- 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta goat cheese
Instructions
To make the dressing:
- Shake all the ingredients together in a jar with a screw-top lid until well combined; set aside.
To make the salad:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a small baking sheet with a piece of foil or parchment paper. Sprinkle the pepitas onto the baking sheet. Drizzle with maple & toss to coat. Spread into an even layer & roast for 12 to 15 minutes until toasted. Let cool on the pan then break into pieces.
- Drizzle about 1/4 cup of the dressing into a large bowl. Add the kale & toss to coat. Place the kale on a serving platter. Top with bacon, apple, arils & pepitas. Drizzle with the remaining dressing. Top with feta. Serves 6.