Apple Walnut Salad with Balsamic Dressing

salad finished with dressing, walnuts, and blue cheese.

Apple Walnut Salad with Balsamic Dressing

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple walnut salad

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 0

Total Time: 20

Servings:

Calories: 210kcal

Author: Megan Gilmore

If you signed up to bring the salad to a holiday meal, you're in luck, because this apple walnut salad recipe is always a huge hit. It's made with an easy balsamic salad dressing, and tastes so delicious that you may find yourself licking your plate clean. Everyone will ask you for the recipe!

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Ingredients

Balsamic Dressing

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (see note)
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

Salad

6 cups mixed greens
1 medium apple , thinly sliced
¼ red onion , thinly sliced
½ cup raw walnuts , roughly chopped
¼ cup feta or blue cheese , crumbled (optional)

Instructions

To prepare the balsamic vinaigrette, add the olive oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, and salt to a small bowl. Whisk well, until the dressing looks thicker, then set it aside.
To assemble the salad, add the mixed greens to a large serving plate and top it with the sliced apples and red onion. Then sprinkle on the walnuts and crumbled cheese, if using.
Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving. You might not use all of the dressing right away, but I like to serve the extra on the side in case guests would like to add more. Leftover dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It will thicken when chilled, so run the jar under warm running tap water to thin it out again.

Video

Notes

Nutrition information is for 1 of 6 servings, about 1 heaping cup of salad with dressing. This information is automatically calculated (using all of the dressing) and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.

Balsamic Note: I used a relatively cheap balsamic vinegar when testing this recipe. If you buy an aged one that is thicker, almost like a balsamic glaze, you should cut back on the honey, as the vinegar may already be sweet!

Make it Vegan: Omit the cheese and use maple syrup instead of honey.

Make-Ahead Note: You can make the dressing up to 5 days in advance if you'd like to plan ahead for a holiday. Don't slice the apple and onion until shortly before you plan on serving the salad, for the best flavor and appearance.

Nutrition