Brighten up your meal with this vibrant Apple cranberry walnut salad featuring crisp apples, tart cranberries, and creamy feta cheese. Perfect as a side dish or a healthy lunch option, this salad brings a delightful crunch and refreshing flavors to your plate!
This Apple cranberry walnut salad recipe is special to me as it often graced our family gatherings. The balance of sweet and savory flavors stirred up fond memories of shared meals and laughter around the table. Each bite of this salad reminds me of those joyous moments, making it a cherished staple in my kitchen.
Recipe Ingredients
Mixed Greens: 2 cups of your favorite mixed greens for a fresh base.
Granny Smith Apple: 1 medium, cored and sliced for a tangy crunch.
Red Onion: ½ thinly sliced to add flavor and color.
Lemon Juice: 1 teaspoon to brighten up the flavors.
Cranberries: 1 cup fresh or dried, providing sweetness and texture.
Feta Cheese: ¼ cup, crumbled for a creamy finish.
Vinaigrette: ¼ cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar or honey, ½ teaspoon mustard, and salt and pepper to taste.
Candied Walnuts: ¼ cup walnuts, 2 tablespoon sugar, and 1 tablespoon butter for a crunchy topping.
Heat butter and sugar, add walnuts and cook Until sugar turns a clear, light golden
Allow to cool completely
Whisk together olive oil , apple cider vinegar, sugar and mustard, season with salt and pepper
Pour on top of the salad and gently toss to combine.
Tips and Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- For extra crunch, toast the walnuts before mixing them into the salad.
- If you're making this salad in advance, keep the vinaigrette separate until serving to maintain freshness.
- Feel free to substitute the cranberries with pomegranate seeds for a festive twist!
- This salad pairs wonderfully with grilled chicken or fish for a complete meal.
Apple cranberry walnut salad
Ingredients
- For salad
- 2 cups mixed greens
- 1 medium Granny Smith apple cored and sliced
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 cup fresh or dried cranberries
- ¼ cup feta cheese crumbled
- For the vinaigrette:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar / honey
- ½ teaspoon mustard
- salt and pepper
- For the candied walnuts
- ¼ cup walnuts
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add the mixed greens,
- Sliced apple, sliced onion, cranberries and lemon juice
- in a pan over medium heat butter and sugar, add walnuts and Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Until sugar turns a clear, light golden and coats the walnuts completely, transfer the walnuts to a parchment paper, and allow to cool completely
- in a bowl, whisk together olive oil , apple cider vinegar, sugar and mustard, season with salt and pepper and pour on top of the salad and gently toss to combine.
- Prior to serving, give the salad a rapid toss, top with candied walnuts
- And crumbled feta cheese!!
If you tried this Mixed Greens Salad or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
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