Description
Fresh Walnut Apple Salad is a crisp, colorful salad packed with sweet apples, crunchy walnuts, mixed greens, creamy feta cheese, and dried cranberries, all tossed in a simple homemade maple Dijon vinaigrette. It’s a light yet satisfying dish that’s perfect for lunch, holiday dinners, potlucks, or as a refreshing side any time of year.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 6 cups mixed salad greens
- 2 crisp apples (Honeycrisp or Gala), thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
For the Maple Dijon Dressing
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Optional Add-Ins
- Grilled chicken breast
- Sliced pears
- Candied pecans
- Blue cheese crumbles
- Pomegranate arils
Instructions
Instructions
- Toast the walnuts: Heat a dry skillet over medium heat and toast the walnuts for 3–5 minutes until fragrant. Let cool.
- Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Assemble the salad: In a large serving bowl, combine the mixed greens, sliced apples, toasted walnuts, dried cranberries, feta cheese, and red onion.
- Dress the salad: Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving and gently toss until evenly coated.
- Taste and adjust: Add additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice if desired.
- Garnish: Sprinkle with extra walnuts or feta cheese for added flavor and texture.
- Serve: Enjoy immediately as a fresh side dish or add grilled chicken to make it a complete meal.
Notes
To keep the apples from browning, toss them with a little lemon juice before adding them to the salad. For maximum freshness, wait to add the dressing until just before serving. This salad pairs beautifully with grilled meats, roasted chicken, or holiday dinners.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 salad serving
- Calories: 265
- Sugar: 13g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 10mg
Keywords: walnut apple salad, fresh apple salad, healthy salad recipe, maple dijon salad, fall salad, apple walnut salad
