This apple salad combines candy tart apples, crunchy pecans, creamy feta, and a zingy maple French dressing for the proper fall aspect dish. It’s prepared in simply 20 minutes and nice for simple weeknight meals or events!
Right here’s a easy option to flip apples into an unbelievable aspect dish: my favourite apple salad recipe! If I may eat one salad for the remainder of time, this one is it. I’ve made this recipe extra occasions than I can rely.
It’s bought all the flavour and texture contrasts: crisp tart apple slices, pops of pomegranate seeds, creamy cheese, and cinnamon-spiced pecans. Topped with a zingy maple dressing, and it’s salad perfection in my ebook. I serve it for dinner events and holidays, and in addition as a simple weeknight aspect dish!
Elements on this apple salad
This apple salad recipe is all about minimal elements with most influence. It’s fancy sufficient for entertaining, but easy sufficient to pair with a simple weeknight meal. The flavors make it an amazing fall salad or winter salad (splendid for Thanksgiving or Christmas), but it surely works in any season. Right here’s what you’ll want for this tasty inexperienced salad:
Selecting the proper apples for salad
I’ve tried this recipe with totally different apple varieties, and a few work higher than others. Pink Girl apples are my best choice: they’ve an unbelievable sweet-tart taste and crisp crunch that holds up properly in salads. The brilliant pink coloration additionally appears to be like lovely!
Honeycrisp apples are one other glorious possibility, barely sweeter than Pink Girl however with the identical crunch. Varieties you will discover at apple orchards that work properly are Jonathon and Jonagold.
Granny Smith apples work properly when you want extra tartness: it’s additionally enjoyable to combine them with a sweeter pink selection for visible attraction. No matter you do: at all times keep away from Pink Scrumptious apples on this salad!
Choices for the nuts
The candied pecans add a kick of candy, cinnamon-spiced goodness to this salad. Retailer-bought work in a pinch, however I want to make my very own do-it-yourself candied pecans. It takes solely 5 minutes of prep time! I make a giant batch and retailer them at room temperature: they preserve for as much as two weeks.
If you happen to’re quick on time or need much less sugar, you may substitute with toasted pecans for a less complicated however nonetheless scrumptious crunch.
You may also use different nuts like candied walnuts or toasted walnuts, toasted almonds, pistachios, or hazelnuts.
Artistic variations and serving concepts
This apple salad is certainly one of my prime 5 favourite salad recipes of all time! I most frequently make it the traditional manner, however listed here are some variations I’ve tried and liked:
- For a heartier meal: Add grilled rooster or seared rooster, and even some baked tofu to make it into a light-weight lunch or dinner.
- Cheese substitutions: Goat cheese creates a creamier texture, whereas gorgonzola provides a pointy, tangy component. Different concepts are gouda, smoked gouda, or Manchego.
- Seasonal swaps: In summer time, I substitute contemporary berries for the pomegranate seeds. Winter requires dried cranberries and even some sliced pear. Spring is ideal for including contemporary strawberries.
- Dressing alternate options: Whereas the maple French dressing is my go-to, this salad can be nice with balsamic French dressing or perhaps a honey French dressing, poppy seed dressing, or Dijon mustard dressing.
Make-ahead ideas and storage
This salad is nice for entertaining as a result of most parts will be prepped forward. I wash and dry the greens as much as two days upfront, make the candied pecans each time handy, and blend the French dressing every week forward.
The one factor to keep away from prepping forward is slicing the apples: add them proper earlier than serving to forestall browning.
Dietary notes
This crisp apple salad recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan and dairy free, omit the cheese (and for vegan, use toasted nuts).
Simple Apple Salad
This simple apple salad recipe is a delight, starring crisp fruit, greens, cheese crumbles, and a zingy maple French dressing.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook dinner Time: 0 minutes
- Whole Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Class: Salad
- Technique: No Cook dinner
- Delicacies: Salad
- Weight-reduction plan: Vegetarian
For the salad
For the maple French dressing dressing (use 6 tablespoons)
- 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 (non-obligatory)
- If utilizing, put together the candied pecans upfront (or use bought).
- 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, candied pecans, goat cheese or feta crumbles, and pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries. High with about 6 tablespoons of the dressing (or extra as desired) and serve instantly. (To make forward, preserve all parts separate with contemporary elements and dressing refrigerated. Toss the apples with lemon juice to forestall browning. Convey dressing to room temperature and add all elements collectively instantly earlier than serving.)
Different salad recipes to attempt
This apple salad is a favourite inexperienced salad recipe of ours that works for holidays simply in addition to a laid-back weeknight.
If you happen to love this apple salad as a lot as I do, you’ll wish to attempt these comparable recipes: Pear Salad with Pecans or Beet Salad with Goat Cheese.
For extra salad inspiration, don’t miss my Excellent Spinach Salad, Finest Kale Salad, or Favourite Chopped Salad: all reader favourite recipes!