Why Should You Try This Recipe?
If you’ve ever wondered how to make the kale apple slaw at Tropical Smoothie vegan, this 15-minute recipe is for you! Versatile and delicious, this side is an automatic fan favorite.
- Vegan, gluten-free, nutritious, and packed with colorful veggies, kale apple carrot slaw is one of the healthiest sides you can prepare. Every bite of kale is packed with antioxidants, Vitamin C, and Vitamin K, making this recipe as healthy as my other yummy kale salads: Kale Avocado Salad, Apple Salad, Quinoa Kale Salad, Kale Harvest Salad, and more!
- It is a great way to get more kale in your diet. Because kale is so durable, it won’t go limp in the vinegar-based dressing like soggy cabbage coleslaw.
- No other copycat Tropical Smoothie kale apple slaw recipes are as tasty as this one. Lucious apples, crisp kale, and tart vinaigrette make an incomparable pair in this foolproof recipe.
- Meal prep is a cinch with this kale and apple salad. Prepare it up to two days ahead for the perfect side dish for burgers, tacos, grilled shrimp, and more.
Ingredients Notes
There are two sets of ingredients in this Kale Apple Slaw recipe; the vinaigrette and the slaw ingredients.
For the Maple Dijon Vinaigrette, you’ll need maple syrup, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper.
For the kale slaw, gather red onion, curly kale, carrots, red cabbage, fuji apple, and sunflower seeds.
Ingredient Additions & Variations
My recipe is just one tasty way to put together this easy dish. Switch up which basic ingredients you use to keep this apple slaw as fresh and creative as possible.
- Maple syrup: I use maple syrup in this recipe to keep it vegan. However, you can also substitute maple syrup for orange juice as a natural sweetener. You can also use honey to make kale and cabbage salad with creamy honey mustard dressing.
- Apple cider vinegar: Don’t have apple cider vinegar on hand? Don’t worry! Red wine vinegar works just as well for giving this recipe its irresistible bite.
- Apple: Any apple, cubed or sliced, will work for this recipe. Fuji apples, pink lady apples, and even Granny Smith apples are tasty options.
- Kale: For this nutritious salad, I use curly kale. However, lacinato kale —also known as dinosaur kale or Tuscan kale—will also work.
- Nuts: Though I garnish this dish with sunflower seeds, any nuts or candied nuts would be a great addition. Delicious, filling, and protein-packed—who wouldn’t want to add nuts to this apple mixture?
- Red cabbage: If you’re not a fan of red cabbage, you can use shredded Brussels sprouts instead for a healthy, robust addition. Even better, you can make this step extra easy when you learn how to shred Brussels sprouts like a pro.
How to Make Kale Apple Slaw
Learning how to make kale and apple slaw is a breeze for beginner and expert chefs alike. Simple, quick, and delicious, this 15-minute dish will become one of your new favorite recipes.
- Prepare the Maple Dijon salad dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then, add the sliced red onion to the dressing mixture, and let them steep in the liquid while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Prepare the salad: In a large bowl, add the kale, shredded carrots, and sliced red cabbage. Drizzle the veggies with the maple apple cider vinaigrette dressing and red onion. Then, use your hands to toss and lightly massage the salad ingredients until your kale leaves soften. Your dressing should be evenly distributed throughout the salad when finished.
- Serve: Top off your salad with sliced apple and sunflower seeds. Toss the mixture once more and serve.
How to Serve
There are countless ways to serve this Tropical Smoothie Cafe kale & apple slaw. Whether you serve it as a stand-alone salad or alongside a meaty main, it’ll give any meal a healthy twist.
- By itself: Serve this kale slaw as a big, healthy salad, and you’ll have mouths watering in no time. Simply add grain to make this meal extra filling. Anything from quinoa to bulgur wheat, black rice to wild rice, will work! And if you want to treat yourself, sprinkle it with a few tablespoons of shredded parmesan cheese at the end.
- With shrimp: Kale slaw makes a great side dish for smoky and succulent grilled shrimp. Try this recipe alongside shrimp kabobs, and your tastebuds will thank you.
- With tacos: The garden-fresh bite of this kale slaw is the perfect accompaniment for Flank Steak Tacos, Beef Brisket Tacos, and even Quinoa Black Bean Tacos.
How to Store
Few recipes make meal prep as easy as this kale apple salad. Now you can expertly plan menus and not let a single bite go to waste when you put together this flavorful dish.
- Make ahead: You can prepare your Maple Dijon Vinaigrette up to 2 days in advance and store it in an airtight container or mason jar. Then, put together the rest of the apple salad recipe on the day you wish to eat it. Assembly only takes 5 minutes!
- Storage: Once prepared, kale and apple coleslaw will stay fresh in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Be sure to store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
Expert Tips
To make this Tropical Smoothie kale apple slaw recipe as delicious as the Cafe does, all you need are these pro tips! Find all you need to make this recipe as tasty as possible right here.
- Steep the red onion: Letting your red onion soak in the vinaigrette will give them a great texture and make them less bitter. This step ensures that red onion gives your salad a robust flavor without being overpowering.
- Slice everything thinly: To make sure every bite of this recipe bursts with flavor, make sure you thinly slice all of your ingredients. Small pieces make it easier for your veggies to soak up the tangy dressing.
- Massage the kale: Though it may seem like an odd step, massaging the kale is crucial to giving your leaves the perfect, tender texture. The massaging process infuses the kale with the acidic dressing, which helps break down the parts of fresh kale that are hard to digest. This process is also used in my Kale Avocado Salad to make it as succulent and flavorful as possible.
Other Kale Recipes You’ll Enjoy:
Think it can’t get better than this kale apple salad from the Tropical Smoothie Cafe? Think again! These other kale recipes are just as nutritious, delicious, and easy to make.
- Kale Pineapple Smoothie
- Brussel Sprouts Kale Salad
- Roasted Kale Chips
- Chicken Vegetable Soup with Kale
- Tuscan Kale Soup
If you try this Kale Apple Slaw recipe or any other recipe on Foolproof Living, please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. And if you took some pictures, be sure to share them on Instagram using #foolproofeats so I can share them on my stories.
Kale Apple Slaw Recipe
Ingredients
For The Maple Dijon Vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons real maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, or red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ small red onion, sliced thinly
For The Kale Apple Slaw
- 6 cups curly kale, (1 bunch destemmed and cut into ribbons)
- 2 carrots, shredded
- 1 cup red cabbage, sliced thinly
- 1 apple, sliced thinly
- 1 cup sunflower seeds, or any other nuts
Instructions
- To make the salad dressing: Whisk together maple syrup, dijon mustard, garlic, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl or in a mason jar. Add in the sliced red onion and let it steep in it as you work on the rest of the ingredients.
- To make the Apple Kale Slaw: Place kale, shredded carrots and sliced red cabbage in a bowl. Drizzle it with the dressing. Using clean hands, give them a light massage making sure to distribute the dressing evenly throughout the salad. As you massage, the tough kale leaves will soften.
- Top it off with sliced apple and sunflower seeds. Give it a toss and serve.
Notes
- Steep the red onion: This is an optional step but letting your red onion slices soak in the dressing will give them a great texture and make them less bitter and overpowering.
- Slice everything thinly: To make sure every bite of this recipe bursts with flavor, make sure you thinly slice all of your ingredients. Small pieces make it easier for your veggies to soak up the tangy dressing.
- Massage the kale: Though it may seem like an odd step, massaging the kale is crucial to giving your leaves the perfect, tender texture. The massaging process infuses the kale with the acidic dressing, which helps break down the parts of fresh kale that are hard to digest.
- Storage: Once prepared, kale and apple coleslaw will stay fresh in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Be sure to store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
In May we had an apple kale slaw at the Grand Canyon. My husband absolutely loved it. I found this recipe and it is now in his top salad picks. Kale was not really something we would normally pick to eat but this recipe has changed our mind. We are in our 70’s and “Ice” taught us something new. Whoever thouyat my age I’d be massaging kale. Definitely an awesome salad.
Hey Nana,
This is music to my ears. I am thrilled to hear that you and your husband enjoyed this recipe and you learned something new.
Thanks so much for coming by and taking the time to leave a review.
Cheers!
Ice