Description
A fresh and flavorful Apple Walnut Salad featuring crisp mixed greens, tart Granny Smith apple slices, crunchy toasted walnuts, creamy feta cheese, and a zesty apple cider vinaigrette dressing. Perfect for a light lunch or a festive holiday side dish, ready in just 15 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 4 cups mixed greens, roughly chopped
- 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced
- ¼ cup pitted dates, chopped
- ¼ cup unsweetened dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
- ½ cup red onion, finely diced
- 2 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
- salt & ground black pepper, to taste
Dressing
- 1 tbsp maple syrup, honey, or apple jelly
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Prepare dressing: In a bowl, combine maple syrup (or honey/apple jelly), apple cider vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, garlic, and cayenne pepper. Whisk vigorously until the dressing is well incorporated and emulsified. Set aside.
- Combine salad ingredients: In a large bowl, add mixed greens, sliced Granny Smith apple, chopped dates, dried cranberries, toasted walnuts, diced red onion, and crumbled feta cheese.
- Toss salad: Pour the prepared dressing over the salad ingredients and toss gently until everything is evenly coated with the dressing.
- Season and serve: Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Give a final toss and serve immediately for best freshness and flavor.
Notes
- For a lower carb option, omit the dates and use sugar-free jelly instead of maple syrup or honey in the dressing.
- Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until fragrant to enhance their flavor and crunch.
- Use mixed greens such as baby spinach or romaine if preferred.
- The salad is best served fresh but can be prepared up to 30 minutes in advance if covered and refrigerated.
- Adjust the amount of cayenne pepper according to your spice preference or omit for a milder dressing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 235 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 182 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 13 mg
