Savor the flavors of this apple walnut salad! Crisp apples combine with crunchy toasted walnuts and a sweet-tart dressing. It’s a straightforward facet dish or add protein for a satisfying lunch!
Want a scrumptious salad recipe that goes with absolutely anything? (We’re all the time recreation for concepts.) Do this apple walnut salad! The combo of crisp apples, crunchy walnuts, chewy cranberries and a sweet-tart dressing makes a symphony of textures and flavors. It’s excellent as a facet dish, however add protein and it additionally works as a primary meal! You’ll be able to swap out the dressing and mix-ins to make dozens of variations on the theme, making it endlessly versatile for any time and event.
Elements in apple walnut salad
An apple walnut salad works in some ways: there are lots of forms of dressings and methods to decorate the apples. And don’t neglect concerning the traditional Waldorf salad of apples, walnuts and grapes with a creamy mayo-based dressing! This apple walnuts salad is all about minimal substances with most impression. It’s fancy sufficient for entertaining, but easy sufficient to pair with a straightforward weeknight meal. Right here’s what you’ll want for this tasty inexperienced salad:
Finest forms of apples for a salad
Be certain to make use of a crisp tart apple selection on this apple walnut salad. In fact, you should use any apple you will have available! But it surely’s good to make use of an apple that has a hearty crunch once you chew into it, and a touch of tart to make the flavour pop. Listed below are our high apple varieties for a salad:
- Pink Girl: That is our favourite sort of apple: the flavour is extremely candy tart and it has a stunning, vivid purple colour.
- Granny Smith: Granny Smith is nice for salads, although we advocate utilizing it with one other purple apple for colour distinction.
- Honeycrisp: This selection is a bit sweeter and juicier than Pink Girl, however nonetheless a terrific possibility.
Dressing variations
This apple walnut salad is scrumptious with the maple French dressing listed within the recipe under. Nonetheless, it really works very nicely with different dressing concepts as nicely! Listed below are some high salad dressings that work with the flavors of this salad:
Apple walnut salad topping concepts
Wish to combine up the toppings for this apple walnut salad? The sky is the restrict! Preserve the greens, apples, and walnuts regular and add further cheese, nuts or different combine ins for a flexible facet. Listed below are a few of our high concepts:
- Feta crumbles or goat cheese crumbles add a pop of salt and a visible attraction.
- Dried cherries, pomegranate seeds, or raisins can stand in for the cranberries.
- Parmesan, gorgonzola, gouda, or Manchego additionally work for the cheese.
- Strive including a handful of almonds, pecans, pistachios, or hazelnuts alongside the walnuts.
- Utilizing pepitas is one other enjoyable method to combine up the crunchy components.
Add protein to make it a primary dish
Lastly, it’s easy to show apple walnut salad right into a primary dish. Merely high with protein! The flavors on this salad work nicely with hen, shrimp, salmon, and even tofu as a vegan salad possibility. Listed below are some recipes for cooking the protein:
Extra salad recipes
Love consuming salads? We’re salad obsessed round right here! Listed below are a few of our high favourite salads:
This apple walnut salad recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.
Description
Savor the flavors of this apple walnut salad! Crisp apples combine with crunchy toasted walnuts and a sweet-tart dressing. It’s a straightforward facet dish or add protein for a satisfying lunch!
For the apple walnut salad
- ½ cup walnuts
- 1 crisp tart apple (like Pink Girl)
- 8 cups combined greens or tender lettuces (like butter or Bibb lettuce, frisee, and so forth)
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- 1 handful sliced purple onion* (or shallot)
- ¼ cup feta cheese crumbles (optionally available; not proven)
For the dressing
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons apple cider or white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- Recent floor black pepper (optionally available)
- To make it a primary: Blackened Rooster, Sauteed Shrimp, Baked Salmon, or Baked Tofu
- Place the nuts in a dry skillet (no oil) over medium warmth. Warmth, shaking the pan and stirring typically with a picket spoon, till the nuts are aromatic and barely darker brown, about 4 to five minutes. Take away instantly from the warmth and switch to a plate to cease the cooking.
- Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk the maple syrup, vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper. Whisk within the olive oil 1 tablespoon at a time till a creamy dressing types. (If desired, make upfront and refrigerate as much as 2 weeks; deliver to room temperature previous to serving).
- Thinly slice the apple.
- Place the greens on a big platter or particular person plates. High with apple slices, toasted walnuts, dried cranberries, and purple onion slices. If desired, add a sprinkle of feta cheese. High with about 6 tablespoons of the dressing (or extra as desired) and serve instantly. (To make forward, hold all elements separate with recent substances and dressing refrigerated. Toss the apples with lemon juice to stop browning. Carry dressing to room temperature and add all substances collectively straight earlier than serving.)
Notes
*To take away a number of the sturdy taste of the purple onion, you possibly can soak it in chilly water for five to 10 minutes earlier than assembling the salad.
- Class: Salad
- Technique: No Prepare dinner
- Delicacies: Salad
- Eating regimen: Vegetarian
Key phrases: Apple walnut salad,
