Baby Kale Salad with Bacon, Blue Cheese, and Cranberries is hearty salad, tossed in a balsamic maple vinaigrette.   It’s sweet, savory, and completely addicting!

baby kale salad in white bowl

As I told you last week, my kids are back in school.  It was a fun summer, but I’m eager to get back to the grind here at FTM.  

I did just enough with the blog to stay afloat over the summer posting 2 recipes a week, because my typical 3 posts would have made everyone in my family suffer!  

It was nice taking the time off, but trying to get the creative juices flowing to create more recipes so I can stay ahead of game the way I like to be is tough.

front shot of baby kale salad with fork

Lucky for me, I did get plenty of inspiration when I was out of town through the usual channels — food magazines, cookbooks, other blogs that I follow, and one of the best ways is eating out in restaurants.  

Sometimes just scouring the menu at a restaurant gets the old wheels turning, and I make notes on my phone, which can be annoying to anyone sitting with me at the table. 😉

This Baby Kale Salad with Bacon, Blue Cheese, and Cranberries was inspired by a salad I had in one of our summer stops in Truckee, CA.  

We go up to Truckee every year, and being the coffee lover that I am, I look forward to hitting Wild Cherries Coffee House where they have the best coffee, and great food, too.

overhead of baby kale salad

On our way out of town, I grabbed the kale salad at Wild Cherries, and loved it.  It had a caesar dressing and was considerably different than this one here, but I tailored this toward what I had in my pantry and fridge.

Kale salads are always right up there with my favorites  — I love the hearty greens!  While I love using dinosaur and other kale varieties, they may be too bitter for some.  

If you’re one of those people, baby kale is the thing for your.  The leaves are more delicate, and there’s less bitterness, but they’re still nice and hearty!

front shot of baby kale salad in white bowl

This salad is so addicting because it has all of the elements — sweet, savory, crunchy, chewy, and plenty of umami from the bacon and blue cheese.  Add a tangy balsamic vinaigrette with a hint of maple syrup, and you’ve got yourself a salad you won’t be walking away from any time soon.

This salad is great as-is, but if you want to make it more of a meal, it would be great served up with some grilled chicken or steak.  

It will also be phenomenal for holidays and dinner parties because it’s a stand-out!  Isn’t it sad that I’m already thinking out holidays?  I am, and I can tell you right now, this salad will be part of my holidays in some form.

And many other days in between. 🙂

See all of my Salad recipes.

More kale recipes you’ll love:

Did you try this recipe?  If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram

baby kale salad in white bowl

Baby Kale Salad with Bacon, Blue Cheese, and Cranberries

Baby Kale Salad with Bacon, Blue Cheese, and Cranberries is hearty salad, tossed in a balsamic maple vinaigrette. It’s sweet, savory, and completely addicting!
0
reviews

Leave a Review »

Ingredients

  • 5 ounces baby kale
  • 4 slices of crumbled bacon cooked according to package instructions
  • 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese such as Castello
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup pecan pieces toasted*
  • 1/3 cup chopped red onion
  • Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

Instructions 

Prepare the vinaigrette:

  • Place the vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, and salt and pepper in a medium bowl and whisk until combined. Add the olive oil to the vinegar mixture while whisking constantly until emulsified. Set aside.

Prepare the salad:

  • Place the kale, bacon, blue cheese, cranberries, pecans, and red onion in a large bowl. Toss with the desired amount of vinaigrette, being careful not to overdress. Serve immediately, and enjoy!

Notes

  • Although baby kale leaves are fairly sturdy and won’t wilt as easily, this salad is best when dressed right before serving.
  • Cooking time includes toasting the pecans and cooking the bacon simultaneously.
  • *I used pre-toasted pecan pieces from Trader Joe’s. If you need to toast your own, place the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until fragrant.
    Recipe by Flavor the Moments.

Nutrition

Calories: 301kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g, Cholesterol: 24mg, Sodium: 470mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 17g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Did you try this recipe?Be sure to tag @flavorthemoments with the hashtag #flavorthemoments on Instagram so I can see what you made!

Sharing is caring!