Apple and Walnut Salad (Printable)

Refreshing winter salad with crisp apples, crunchy walnuts, and tangy vinaigrette. Ready in 15 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Produce

01 - 2 large crisp apples (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith), cored and thinly sliced
02 - 1 small celery stalk, thinly sliced
03 - 1.75 oz mixed salad greens (arugula, baby spinach)

→ Nuts

04 - 2.8 oz walnuts, roughly chopped

→ Cheese

05 - 2.1 oz crumbled blue cheese or feta (optional)

→ Dressing

06 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
08 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Steps:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
02 - In a large salad bowl, combine sliced apples, celery, salad greens, and walnuts.
03 - Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Sprinkle crumbled cheese on top if desired.
05 - Serve immediately for maximum crispness and optimal flavor.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in the time it takes to make tea, making weeknight dinners feel less like a chore.
  • The apple-walnut combination hits that sweet-savory balance that somehow makes everything taste more interesting.
  • You can customize it endlessly—swap in pears, add cheese or skip it entirely, toast the walnuts if you're feeling fancy.
02 -
  • Don't dress the salad more than a few minutes before serving or the greens will start to wilt and the apples turn soft—this is a last-minute assembly dish.
  • Slice your apples just before assembling, or toss them with a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent that brown oxidation that makes everything look tired.
03 -
  • Keep your salad greens completely dry before assembling—any lingering water dilutes the dressing and makes everything wilt faster.
  • Make the vinaigrette in advance if you like, but don't dress the actual salad until right before serving, unless you enjoy sad, soggy greens.
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