honeycrisp apple brie and candied walnut kale salad
It’s overcast and drizzling and I am shit tired of summer, so it’s fall, ya’ll.
I had to start my autumnal recipe share with a big salad. Every year I create some new harvest-style salad for the season and especially for Thanksgiving, and this here bad boy is our victim for 2025.
Our Honeycrisp Apple Brie and Candied Walnut Kale Salad is equally gorgeous and delicious. Sure, it’s the necessary greenery once the holidays roll around, but it’s equally effective as a meal prep or a side for some kind of protein-forward weeknight dinner. Parent-teacher potluck? Bring this along. 30 minutes and you’re ready to rock and roll, and, likely, to eat.
I’ll also have you know that the sun crept out from behind the rainclouds for 10 minutes and I managed to photograph EVERYTHING in that span. Go nature. Go me!
Don’t Torch Your Nuts
Seriously, nothing would ruin my day more than torched nuts. I’m sure you men understand that.
Candied nuts are the pinnacle of fall salad embellishment, and here we enjoy another batch of my spicy-sweet-coffee-infused nuts for a crispy element. It’s my favorite recipe and I’ll probably never change it because I’m a stubborn piece of shit.
Line a big baking sheet with parchment. Toss your walnut halves (sidebar, if they’re hard to find right now because apparently there’s a walnut shortage – fucken weird – you can use pecans) with brown sugar, maple syrup, bourbon, cinnamon, chili powder, and instant espresso. Spread in an even layer onto your baking sheet.
Roast for 8-10 minutes at 400 degrees, turning the nuts once halfway through. Watch VERY closely or yes, you will scald your nuts, and yes, it will hurt. Your salad, that is.
Cool your nuts on the baking sheet while you prep the rest of the salad. They will crisp up further as the temperature mellows.
Kale Me, Maybe
I feel like that’s the name of a bowl place or some shit around here. I’m sure it is somewhere if not in Tampa.
The rest of the salad is a breeze. We’ve got a beautiful maple cinnamon vinaigrette to flavor the bowl, and it’s very easy to make. Just shake or whisk some olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, dijon, garlic cloves, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Grab a big ass fucken bowl and toss it all up! We’ve got kale (I love Tuscan but use what’s available!), shredded Brussels sprouts, sliced honeycrisp apples, and wedges of brie, as well as those beautiful nuts. Throw a few spoonfuls of the vinaigrette overtop and mix it all up until thoroughly coated.
Never fear: all of the components of this salad are sturdy and will not wilt under the dressing, even if you store leftovers for later. Meal preps will hold up for about three days, and any leftover vinaigrette can be popped in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Because I’m very into barbecue right now, some spicy seasoned shrimp or salmon are my ideal accompaniments, or chicken if you do poultry. I’ve been very into boiled eggs as well and tend to throw them on everything, and I think they’d go just swimmingly here, too.
Whether you’re in fall mode now or not, bookmark this for all of your seasonal dinner needs. You’ll love it, I know.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
The salad harvest is nigh:
Kale “Bacon” Harvest Salad with Bourbon Candied Walnuts
Autumn Harvest Quinoa Honeycrisp Salad
Harvest Fig and Kale Crunch Salad with Tahini Cider Dressing
Honeycrisp Apple and Blue Cheese Autumn Salad
Shredded Brussels Sprout Wild Rice Salad with Fig Balsamic Vinaigrette
honeycrisp apple brie and candied walnut kale salad
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups walnut halves
- 3 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp bourbon
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp instant espresso
- 4 cups Tuscan or regular kale, shredded
- 2 cups Brussels sprouts, shredded
- 2 honeycrisp apples, sliced
- 8 oz brie cheese, sliced
cinnamon maple vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
- Toss the walnuts with the brown sugar, maple syrup, bourbon, cinnamon, chili powder, and instant espresso. Spread in an even layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until crisp and fragrant. WATCH CLOSELY OR YOUR NUTS WILL BURN. Let cool on the baking sheet without disturbing. They will continue to harden.
- In a jar or bowl, shake or whisk the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, dijon, garlic, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Add the kale, Brussels sprouts, walnuts, apples, and brie to a large bowl. Toss with several spoonfuls of the vinaigrette. Arrange onto a nice platter or in a bowl and serve with the remaining dressing.
