Gourmet Fresh Apple Salad with Candied Pecans and Light Honey-Dijon Vinaigrette
Make this fresh apple salad featuring crisp apples, candied pecans, and a light honey-Dijon vinaigrette. It is a refreshing side dish or quick lunch that pleases crowds.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 0 min
- Total Time: 15 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Tossing
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 large Honeycrisp apples, cored and chopped
- 1 cup mixed greens (like spring mix)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup candied pecans
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
- For the Vinaigrette:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Pinch of salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the candied pecans if you are making them from scratch; otherwise, use store-bought.
- Chop the apples into bite-sized pieces. You can leave the skin on for color and texture.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until the vinaigrette emulsifies.
- In a large bowl, combine the chopped apples, mixed greens, dried cranberries, and candied pecans.
- Just before serving, drizzle the honey-Dijon vinaigrette over the salad ingredients.
- Gently toss the salad until everything is lightly coated.
- If using, sprinkle the crumbled feta cheese over the top. Serve immediately for the best crunch.
Notes
- For a crunchier texture, use Granny Smith apples alongside Honeycrisp.
- If you want a creamy apple salad variation, substitute the vinaigrette with a dressing made from Greek yogurt, a touch of maple syrup, and lemon juice.
- This salad works well as a potluck apple salad because it holds up better than many creamy versions.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 25
- Sodium: 110
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Unsaturated Fat: 19
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 5