Savor the flavors of this apple walnut salad! Crisp apples combine with crunchy toasted walnuts and a sweet-tart dressing. It’s a simple aspect 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 that 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 aspect dish, however add protein and it additionally works as a fundamental 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 numerous varieties of dressings and methods to decorate the apples. And don’t overlook in regards to the basic Waldorf salad of apples, walnuts and grapes with a creamy mayo-based dressing! This apple walnuts salad is all about minimal substances with most affect. It’s fancy sufficient for entertaining, but easy sufficient to pair with a simple weeknight meal. Right here’s what you’ll want for this tasty inexperienced salad:
Finest varieties of apples for a salad
Ensure to make use of a crisp tart apple selection on this apple walnut salad. In fact, you should utilize any apple you’ve got available! However it’s good to make use of an apple that has a hearty crunch while you chew into it, and a touch of tart to make the flavour pop. Listed below are our prime apple varieties for a salad:
- Pink Woman: That is our favourite sort of apple: the flavour is very candy tart and it has a beautiful, shiny 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 Woman, however nonetheless a terrific choice.
Dressing variations
This apple walnut salad is scrumptious with the maple French dressing listed within the recipe under. Nevertheless, it really works very properly with different dressing concepts as properly! Listed below are some prime salad dressings that work with the flavors of this salad:
Apple walnut salad topping concepts
Need to combine up the toppings for this apple walnut salad? The sky is the restrict! Maintain the greens, apples, and walnuts regular and add extra cheese, nuts or different combine ins for a flexible aspect. Listed below are a few of our prime concepts:
- Feta crumbles or goat cheese crumbles add a pop of salt and a visible enchantment.
- Dried cherries, pomegranate seeds, or raisins can stand in for the cranberries.
- Parmesan, gorgonzola, gouda, or Manchego additionally work for the cheese.
- Attempt including a handful of almonds, pecans, pistachios, or hazelnuts alongside the walnuts.
- Utilizing pepitas is one other enjoyable technique to combine up the crunchy parts.
Add protein to make it a fundamental dish
Lastly, it’s easy to show apple walnut salad right into a fundamental dish. Merely prime with protein! The flavors on this salad work properly with rooster, shrimp, salmon, and even tofu as a vegan salad choice. 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 prime 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 simple aspect dish or add protein for a satisfying lunch!
For the apple walnut salad
- ½ cup walnuts
- 1 crisp tart apple (like Pink Woman)
- 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 fundamental: Blackened Hen, 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 kinds. (If desired, make upfront and refrigerate as much as 2 weeks; convey 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, preserve all parts separate with contemporary substances and dressing refrigerated. Toss the apples with lemon juice to forestall browning. Convey dressing to room temperature and add all substances collectively instantly earlier than serving.)
Notes
*To take away among 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
- Methodology: No Cook dinner
- Delicacies: Salad
- Food plan: Vegetarian
Key phrases: Apple walnut salad,
