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Home > Recipes > Salad

Published: Sep 26, 2020 · Last Updated On: Sep 28, 2024 by Natasha Minocha

Apple Walnut Salad

46 shares
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

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.

apple walnut salad in an oval platter with wooden serving spoons.

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.

sliced apples and pomegranate on top of quinoa and salad greens.
Jump to:
  • Why We Love This Apple Walnut Salad
  • Recipe Ingredients
  • Variations
  • How To Make
  • Recipe FAQs
  • Love Salads? Try These Recipes!
  • 📖 Recipe

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

ingredients for making apple walnut salad.

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 vinegarExtra virgin olive oilDried thyme 
Maple syrup/honeySaltPepper

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.

All ingredients for the apple salad on a serving platter.

Step 6: Finish with a handful of microgreens and rich, musky pieces of smoked gouda.

Final step: Serve immediately and savor!

Spooning the balsamic vinaigrette over the Apple Walnut Salad.

Recipe FAQs

Do I need to peel the apple for this salad?

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.

How to stop cut apples from browning?

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.

How to make balsamic vinegar dressing at home?

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.

apple walnut salad in a serving platter.

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Half the joy of cooking is sharing it with others. That’s why I’m always eager to hear from you. So go right ahead & drop a comment or reach out on Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, or Facebook. I hope you love this apple walnut salad as much as we do!

📖 Recipe

Apple Walnut Salad | Easy healthy apple salad recipe

Apple Walnut Salad

Natasha Minocha
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.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Course Salad
Cuisine American, World
Servings 6 Servings
Calories 281 kcal

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

To cook quinoa -
Rinse the quinoa very well under running water.
Place the quinoa with double the quantity of water and a little bit of salt, in a saucepan over high heat.
Cover and let it come to a boil, bring the heat down to low. 
Let it cook until the quinoa is cooked and has absorbed all the water.
When cooked, quinoa grains open up and look like little sprouts.
Fluff up the cooked quinoa gently with a fork.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 ServingCalories: 281kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 6gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 91mgPotassium: 238mgFiber: 4gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 250IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 95mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Apple Walnut Salad | Easy healthy apple salad recipe

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46 shares

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Roopa Khosla says

    September 26, 2020 at 9:13 pm

    5 stars
    Yummy salad loaded with vitamins and it is immunity booster

    Reply
    • Natasha Minocha says

      September 28, 2020 at 11:11 am

      Thank you so much!xoxo

      Reply
5 from 1 vote

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