Apple Walnut Salad
Mixed greens with sliced apple, toasted walnuts, blue cheese (or feta), dried cranberries, and a maple-Dijon vinaigrette. The fall salad that works as a side or, with grilled chicken on top, as a meal. Sweet, salty, crunchy, and bright all in one bite.
Prep Time
12 min
Cook Time
23 min
Servings
2
Calories
215 cal
🛠 Interactive Recipe Tools — Use them right here on this page
Smart Servings Scaler
- Apple½
- Walnut½
- Lettuce1 cups
- Tomato1 medium
- Cucumber½
- Olive Oil1 tbsp
- Lemon Juice½
- Black Pepper¼ tsp
- Salt½ tsp
All quantities scaled automatically from 2 servings.
Ingredients
Makes 2 servings · Use the Servings Scaler above to adjust
- Apple0.5
- Walnut0.5
- Lettuce1 cups
- Tomato1 medium
- Cucumber0.5
- Olive Oil1 tbsp
- Lemon Juice0.5
- Black Pepper0.25 tsp
- Salt0.5 tsp
Instructions
- 1
Toast 1 cup of walnut halves on a dry baking sheet at 350°F for 6-8 minutes until fragrant. Watch carefully — they burn fast. Cool, then roughly chop.
- 2
Make the dressing: whisk 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 grated garlic clove, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- 3
Slice 2 crisp apples (Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Granny Smith) thinly. Toss with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to prevent browning.
- 4
In a large salad bowl, combine 8 cups of mixed salad greens (arugula, baby spinach, butter lettuce), the sliced apples, ½ cup of dried cranberries, ¼ cup of crumbled blue cheese (or feta or goat cheese), and the toasted walnuts.
- 5
Drizzle with the dressing and toss gently with two large spoons or salad tongs. Don't over-dress — start with half the dressing and add more if needed. Soggy salad is sad salad.
- 6
Plate immediately. Top with additional cheese and a few extra walnuts for visual appeal. Serve right away — once dressed, this salad's greens wilt within 30 minutes.
Watch how to make Apple Walnut Salad
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💡 Expert Tips
- 1.Toast the walnuts. Raw walnuts taste flat. Toasted ones are dramatically more flavorful — this single step transforms the salad.
- 2.Toss apples with lemon. Prevents oxidation (browning). Otherwise the apples turn ugly within minutes.
- 3.Don't over-dress. Start with half the vinaigrette; add more if needed. Heavy dressing weighs down the greens.
- 4.Crisp apple varieties only. Soft apples (McIntosh, Cortland) get mushy in salad. Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Granny Smith hold up.
🔬 Why It Works
This salad balances five competing flavors and textures: sweet (apple, cranberries, maple), salty (cheese), crunchy (walnuts, fresh greens), creamy (cheese again), and bright (vinegar, lemon, mustard). Each component does specific work. The maple-Dijon dressing carries the dual-flavor profile — sweet maple plays with the apple, sharp Dijon balances the cheese. Toasted walnuts are the unsung hero; the depth of flavor from a quick toast is enormous.
Frequently Asked Questions
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673 home cooks rated this
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 2 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 2 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
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