Apple Walnut Salad
I have an easy weeknight salad for you all today! This apple walnut salad is the perfect combo of sweet and savory. Made with crisp fall apples and the most delicious tangy balsamic vinaigrette. Bonus…it’s made with few staple ingredients. So you can easily whip it up for simple weeknight side or bring a bowl to your next holiday gathering. So this apple and walnut salad is definition of easy! Made with sweet crisp apples that are tossed with crunchy walnuts and salty feta. I went with Gala apples for their mild and sweet flavor. Feta adds the right amount of saltiness. Feel free to substitute goat cheese or even blue cheese. For the base, I used red leaf lettuce. It’s insanely beautiful and the colors remind me of fall. As far as the balsamic vinaigrette, it’s only four ingredients: olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey. It’s creamy, SO full of flavor, and pairs amazing with this apple walnut salad.
What Kind of Apples are Best for Salads?
To be honest, just about any variety of apples are going to work in this salad but certain varieties are more crunchy and don’t brown too quickly. I personally love Gala apples for their crisp sweet taste but Honeycrisp, Fuji, Pink Lady, Piñata, Jazz, Envy, and Empire are all great for adding to salads.How Do You Easily Cut Apples?
My go-to-method for cutting apples is incredibly easy, quick, and does NOT involve an apple corer. All you need is a sharp knife, cutting board, and of course the apples.- Place the apple in an upright position on a cutting board.
- Starting on one side of the apple, slice down as close to the core as possible. Continue to slice through all the sides of the apple until only the core remains. Discard the core.
- Place the flat side of each large slice face down and then cut into thin slices.
Ingredients for Apple Walnut Salad Recipe
- Lettuce – I love red leaf lettuce in this salad. It’s soft, yet slightly crunchy. But green leaf lettuce, spinach or romaine are all good substitutes.
- Apples – you can use your favorite type of apples. I love Gala apples for their crunch and mild flavor. Make sure to slice them right before serving so they don’t brown.
- Red Onions – shallots is a good substitute. They’re a little milder in taste but still work.
- Walnuts – don’t like walnuts? Try pecans, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds.
- Feta – buy feta in a block and crumble it yourself. It’s so much tastier. Also goat cheese is a great swap for feta.
- Balsamic Vinaigrette – olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey.
How to Make Apple Walnut Feta Salad
This apple feta salad is best when served immediately. The balsamic vinaigrette can be prepared in advance and refrigerated. Step 1: Prepare the vinaigrette – in a small bowl combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey. Whisk until blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper. You can also do this in a mason jar.
Step 2: Assemble the salad – make sure all of your salad ingredients are ready to be assembled (chopped, sliced, etc). In a large bowl, layer the lettuce, apples, red onions, walnuts, and feta. Drizzle with desired amount of vinaigrette and serve immediately.
More Fall Salads with Apples:
- Chopped Autumn Salad – amazing salad to take to work or school.
- Apple Crunch Salad – another easy + simple salad.
- Avocado and Apple Brussels Sprout Salad – I love the addition of Brussels sprouts in this salad.
- Kale, Butternut Squash, and Apple Salad – add this salad to your next holiday table. It’s so festive looking.
If you try Apple Walnut Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette, don’t forget to leave feedback and a rating.
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Apple Walnut Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Chop
- Cuisine: American
Description
Autumn inspired apple walnut salad that comes together super quickly. It’s tossed in the most delicious tangy balsamic vinaigrette!
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 cups chopped red leaf lettuce, about 1 large head
- 1 medium apple, cored and thinly sliced (I used Gala apple)
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onions
- 3/4 cup walnut halves, toasted + roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
Vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp. honey or maple syrup
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the vinaigrette: in a small bowl, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, and honey. Whisk until blended. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Assemble the salad: in a large bowl combine the lettuce, apples, red onions, walnuts, and feta. Drizzle with desired amount of vinaigrette and serve immediately. You’ll have leftover vinaigrette, which can be refrigerated in an airtight container for at least one week, if not more.
Notes
- Lettuce: Red leaf, green leaf, romaine, or spinach are all good greens to use in this salad.
- Apples: I used Gala apple for this salad but pretty much any crunchy variety of apples work.
- Walnuts: don’t like walnuts? Try pecans, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds.
- Make Ahead: prepare the vinaigrette and assemble the salad without the apples. Refrigerate separately and right before serving, add the apples and vinaigrette. Once the salad has been drizzled with the vinaigrette it does not hold up well in the fridge.
Keywords: apple salad, fall apple salad, easy Thanksgiving salad
Originally published October 2016, updated September 2019 with new photos, rewritten post, and additional information. No change to the recipe.
Marco says
This was SOOO amazing … thank you for sharing!
Pri says
I made the salad today for my friends. It was delicious and finished in a few minutes. I added some pistachios and sesame seeds too. Thank you for the recipie. Pri
Tom says
Omgosh this salad is so lit!!! Definitely making this again!! Thank you thank you!!
★★★★
Lili says
This was a very simple but a very very delicious recipe ! I don’t think I’ve enjoyed a homemade salad this much before!
★★★★★
Katya says
That makes me happy to hear! Thank you.
Karen M. says
Easy and delicious
★★★★★
Annette says
I just made this, and it’s delicious!!!
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you! I’m so happy to hear that.
Julia says
This is SOO good! I replaced feta with blue cheese crumbles and used candied walnuts. This will become a staple- so delicious and easy
★★★★★
Katya says
That sounds delicious! Thank you for your feedback.
Stephanie Kinnison says
This is amazing! I make this for company and they rave over it. So simple, so good!!!
★★★★★
Katya says
That’s so great! Thank you Stephanie.
Luana says
Beautifully fresh and rich salad
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you!
Arantxa says
OMG can’t wait to have this AGAIN. Had an abundance of apples and stumbled upon this recipe. Thank you so much! Both hubby and I wanted more after we finished a whole head of lettuce between us two. I’ve sent this recipe to so many people. Used one Cortland apple, sliced it really thin and halfway into slithers of squares, and used a shallot instead of red onion. Easily prepared beforehand, just slice apples and toss before serving. Toasted the walnuts on a frying pan drizzled with a little olive oil for a couple of minutes, makes a difference! This is definitely giving me something to look forward to.
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you! So happy to hear you enjoy the salad.
Maret says
Delicious salad! The vinaigrette was exceptional. My husband and I actually made single serving portions of this salad and your Apple Crunch Salad to compare flavors since both the salads and dressings are very similar. We liked the Apple Crunch Salad dressing which was sweeter in taste, but the balsamic dressing brought more overall flavor (and not as sweet) to the salad. A keeper for sure! Also the salad itself can certainly handle substitutions like you suggested: sunflower seeds, blue cheese, romaine lettuce, dried cherries, etc.
★★★★★
Katya says
So happy to hear you enjoyed the salad! Thank you for the feedback.
Giants Fan says
I made this for my mom and myself. It was incredible. It was quite decadent, as I went overboard with the olive oil and the feta, but this is a great filling salad and could go with a light vegetable soup or just plain broth like I like it.
Thanks for the sweet recipe.
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you !
Kristin D. says
Delicious! I made this for my family’s Christmas get together because their is always a lack of “green stuff” and everyone really enjoyed it! I enjoyed it so much that I made it again another day and plan to make it again tonight for dinner. The dressing is so easy to assemble as well! I added some halved grapes in it the last time and that was also a tasty addition! Thanks!
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you Kristin! So glad you enjoyed the salad.
Brenda says
Hi. I just recently discovered your website and recipes. I am so glad I did. I made this salad using red onions that I pickled and mixed salad nuts. Yummy. I will be making this for Christmas. I am going to try it with spinach instead of the lettuce next time. So easy, so good.
Katya says
Thank you Brenda and welcome! So glad you’re loving this salad and I think it will be delicious with spinach.
tanvi says
hi, can we substitute mustard with anything else!!
Katya says
Hi Tanvi: you could try some horseradish but honestly it’s so hard to say how it will taste without giving it a try first.
Rebecca says
Can you add quinoa to this?
Katya says
Hi Rebecca: You can give it a try! It’s hard for me to say without trying it out first but I would add chilled quinoa or it will soak up all of the dressing and salad will be dry. Let me know how it turns out.
Gary says
I made this tonight to go with pizza and it was my favourite salad ever.I can’t really cook but the recipe was so easy to follow.My partner said it was the best salad she’s ever had,going to check the rest of your recipes out now ????
★★★★★
Katya says
That’s so great Gary! Thank you so much. I’m glad you guys loved the salad.
Natalie says
Could you use almonds or sunflower seeds instead of walnuts?
Katya says
You definitely can!
alexa.al says
I’m saving this one to make later. 🙂
★★★★★
Katya says
Hope you enjoy it! Thanks!
Julie says
So good! I added chicken and dried cranberries too!
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you!