Crispy apples, crunchy greens, and smoked Gouda give the apple walnut salad a perfect play of textures. The quinoa salad with apples and cranberries is the ideal fall recipe—healthy, wholesome, and easy to put together.
Fall is here, and the sweltering grip of summer is finally ending, which, in my home, means one thing: a lot of munching on crunchy, sweet, and satisfying apples. After baking these delicious gluten-free apple cinnamon waffles and chai apple cake, I wanted to make something savory with the juicy apples.
So, when I got a fresh batch of organic greens delivered from a local farm, I decided to combine them with apples and create a crispy, creamy, crunchy apple & walnut salad.
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Why We Love This Apple Walnut Salad
Not to toot my own horn, but this salad is absolutely delectable.
Perfect for fall (or any other time of the year).
Made with minimal effort and super quickly.
Healthy without compromising on taste, even one bit.
A delicious balance of sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami.
Serve it as an appetizer, or bulk it up with cheesy toasts and call it a full meal.
Recipe Ingredients
Apples have a boatload of vitamin C (and others) that’s excellent for immunity and a high fiber content for metabolism. Use any apple variety locally available to you. The crispier and firmer they are, the better the salad.
Walnuts: Coarsely chop them.
Quinoa: Cook and cool it beforehand.
Greens: I love the brightness of baby spinach and peppery arugula. You can pick any other fresh green with a bold flavor that stands up to the taste of apples.
Dried cranberries give the salad with apples and walnuts a pop of color and tangy sweetness.
Add-ins: pomegranates aril along with creamy smoky Gouda cheese.
Balsamic Vinaigrette Ingredients
| Balsamic vinegar | Extra virgin olive oil | Dried thyme |
| Maple syrup/honey | Salt | Pepper |
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
Quinoa: You can leave it out and use cooked millet, wild rice, red rice, or even couscous instead.
Cranberries: Apples and raisins are always a lovely pairing and something you can use instead of cranberries.
Gouda: The mild taste of gouda complements fruits and nuts naturally, but any cheese, I surmise, would work like a charm in this salad with apple and walnuts. Try cheddar, brie, or even a plant-based cheese.
Dressing: Switch maple syrup for honey. If you have fresh thyme, use it.
How To Make
Step 1: Add all the ingredients for the balsamic salad dressing in a small jar. Secure the lid and shake the jar till all ingredients are well combined.
Step 2: Make a bed of greens on your platter or bowl.
Step 3: Layer cooked, cooled quinoa on top. Toss the quinoa with half the balsamic dressing.
Step 4: Arrange a layer of thin, juicy apple slices.
Step 5: Sprinkle a few crunchy walnuts, some pomegranate arils, and cranberries.
Step 6: Finish with a handful of microgreens and rich, musky pieces of smoked gouda.
Final step: Serve immediately and savor!
Recipe FAQs
It’s totally up to you. I prefer to leave the skin on. In case you have fussy eaters at home, please go ahead and peel them.
Apple slices oxidize fast. Sprinkle lemon juice on top to stop them from browning. If you’re prepping the apple and walnut salad ahead of time, then store the cut apple in cold water mixed with a spoonful of lemon juice. Refrigerate them, and when you’re ready to serve, simply pull the slices out.
Balsamic vinaigrette is a very basic salad dressing. A 2-minute job at the most! I love to keep a jar in my refrigerator so I can dress my salads in a jiffy like I did for my summer pasta salad.
- In a small jar with a tight lid, add balsamic vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup, and dried thyme.
- Add in salt and pepper to taste, and then shake it all.
- Pour the dressing on the salad. Store the leftover salad dressing in the refrigerator.
📖 Recipe
Apple Walnut Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups Mixed salad greens
- 1.5 cup Quinoa, cooked and cooled
- 2 Apples, thinly sliced Sprinkle with some lemon juice to avoid oxidizing.
- 1/3 cup Walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup Pomegranate arils
- 1/4 cup Smoked Gouda cheese, diced You can use any cheese you prefer.
- 1/4 cup Dried cranberries You can use raisins if you prefer.
- A small handful microgreens
Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 2-3 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- 4 tbsp Extra virgin Olive oil
- 1/2 tsp Dried thyme
- 1 tsp Maple syrup/honey
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, dried thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl or a small jar with a tight-fitting lid. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
Salad
- Arrange the salad greens in a large platter or a serving bowl.
- Toss quinoa with half of the dressing.
- Spoon quinoa on top of the greens.
- Arrange the apple slices on top of the quinoa.
- Sprinkle over the walnuts, pomegranates, and cranberries.
- Top with the cheese and microgreens.
- Drizzle over the rest of the dressing.
- Serve immediately. Enjoy!
- If you want to serve the salad later, keep all the elements ready and cold. Assemble just before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Roopa Khosla says
Yummy salad loaded with vitamins and it is immunity booster
Natasha Minocha says
Thank you so much!xoxo