Kale Crunch Salad Chick-Fil-A Copycat (2024)

Crunchy and light, this copycat Chick-Fil-A kale crunch salad with curly kale, cabbage and roasted almonds is super fast and easy to make. A versatile side dish with a light apple dijon dressing, it is vegan, plant-based and oil-free, too.

One of the few vegan menu items at Chick-fil-a, this kale crunch side salad is a convenient plant-based fast food option that's also really easy to recreate at home!

This copycat version of Chick-fil-a's kale crunch side salad is vegan, whole food plant based, oil-free, gluten-free and soy-free.

🧄 Ingredient notes

• Curly kale - Use standard, curly green kale for this recipe. If you can find it already cleaned and chopped, that'll save you some time, too! You may need to chop it a little bit finer, depending on how big the pieces are in the bag.
• Green cabbage - Shredded green cabbage adds crunch to the salad. For a time saver, buy a bag of cole slaw mix, which is mostly shredded cabbage.
• Apple cider vinegar - The apple in the apple dijon dressing. All good dressings have some acidity.
• Dijon mustard - Dijon mustard adds tanginess and helps the dressing to emulsify a little bit without added oil, although it is still a thin dressing.

📋 Substitutions and variations

Here are some suitable substitutions for the ingredients in this recipe:

• Curly kale - instead of curly green kale, you can use curly purple kale, which has a similar texture and taste. Or, you can use tuscan/lacinato/dinosaur kale, but this kale has a more bitter flavor. For a milder flavor, you can use chopped fresh spinach.
• Green cabbage - instead of green cabbage, you can use purple cabbage, savoy cabbage, napa cabbage or bok choy.
• Almonds - Instead of chopped almonds, use pre-sliced almonds. Or, substitute them for another nut or seed you enjoy, such as walnuts, pecans, pistachios, pepitas or sunflower seed kernels.
• Dijon mustard - Dijon mustard is the best option for this dressing, but if you have to substitute it, try using a whole grain mustard or other creamy mustard.
• Water - Instead of water, try substituting with olive oil, apple juice or aquafaba (the liquid in a can of chickpeas).
• Maple syrup - Instead of maple syrup, you can use cane sugar, agave nectar, honey (not vegan), or coconut sugar. If using a granulated sugar, heat the water up in the microwave slightly, then add your sugar and stir to dissolve. Then, add your other dressing ingredients.
• Apple cider vinegar - Use balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar instead.
• Nut-free- make this nut-free by omitting the almonds or replacing them with pepitas or sunflower seed kernels.
• SOS-free- make this SOS-free by omitting the salt

Switch things up with these variation ideas!

• Apple Kale Crunch Salad- add sliced or diced fresh apple to the salad
• Kale Crunch Pasta Salad - add cooked short pasta, like casarecce, penne, bowties, gemelli, fusilli, gigli, conchiglie or macaroni. Double dressing recipe to have enough to cover the pasta and the greens.

This jerusalem salad is a delicious salad alternative, full of crunch and easily paired with just about any meal.

📊 Nutritional comparison: Chick-fil-a vs. copycat

If you order a kale crunch side salad at Chick-fil-a, here's the serving size and nutritional content, from their website, compared to my oil-free vegan copycat recipe.

🔪 Instructions

Here's how to make this super easy kale crunch salad, step-by-step.

Add chopped kale to a large bowl, then add shredded green cabbage.

Add all dressing ingredients to a small mason jar. Screw lid on tightly, then shake to combine and emulsify. Or, add all dressing ingredients in a bowl and use a fork or small whisk to combine. Pour dressing over salad and toss. Set aside while you toast the almonds.

Dry roast chopped almonds in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly browned (about 1-3 minutes). Be careful because they go from fragrant to burnt very quickly.

See Also

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Remove from heat, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and immediately transfer to a plate to cool.

Sprinkle the roasted, salted chopped almonds on top of the salad.

Toss salad together. Serve and enjoy! Or, separate into small containers for meals this week.

🧯 Food safety

• Wash hands with soap and water before cooking
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

⭐️ Expert tips

• Allowing the salad to sit 5-10 minutes with the dressing on it will tenderize the kale and cabbage a little bit.
• Don't over-toast the almonds. They don't need much time to become fragrant and lightly browned.
• Kale and cabbage are two of the few greens that keep well with dressing already on them. So, feel free to make this salad ahead of time or meal prep it.

🥡 Make ahead and storage tips

This salad can be made ahead with or without the dressing added to it. The dressed salad will keep stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. And, the separate dry salad and dressing will store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

This recipe does not freeze well.

☕️ Tea pairing

This recipe would be delicious paired with some proper Southern iced tea.

❓ FAQ

🗺 Cultural influences

This recipe is inspired by my background as a native of Houston, Texas (where Chick-Fil-A is super popular). This recipe happens to be one of the few vegan recipes served at Chick-Fil-A. See About for more information on my cultural influences and how I attribute recipes.

💜 More recipes you'll love

If you love this crunchy kale cabbage salad recipe, check out these delicious plant-based salad and oil-free salad dressing recipes!

Love this recipe? Please rate it 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below in the recipe card. And, if you make it, please tag me on Instagram or Facebook in your posted photos! I would love to see your creations. 😄

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