This classic, and scrumptious Apple Salad is a beautiful blend of crisp apples, greens, chickpeas, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, crunchy nuts, and a zesty vinaigrette.
It is a refreshingly delightful and colorful salad — an ideal balance of sweet and savory flavors, and amazing textures.
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Made with easy, handy, and basic ingredients, this satisfying and versatile salad makes a delightful and vibrant addition to any meal.
On this page, you will get a step-by-step picture and video recipe on how to make the perfect and invigorating apple salad.
About Wholesome Apple Salad
Apple Salad is a wholesome, colorful, and delicious salad that is versatile and super simple to prepare, making it a perfect salad for any occasion.
This easy and mouth watering salad is one of those dishes that brings together the natural sweetness of apples, the fruitiness of raisins, the salty creaminess of feta, the earthy flavors from chickpeas.
On top of that, it has the crispness of bell peppers, the freshness of cucumbers, the pungency of red onions, the richness of walnuts, and the vibrant freshness of greens.
It’s a quick and easy recipe that adds a touch of vibrant colors, various textures, and delicious flavors to your table.
There are many reasons one would love to try this salad. It is a healthy, delicious, and guilt-free meal packed with essential nutrients. Plus, it is effortless to make and saves a lot of your time in the kitchen.
Also, it is an easy-to-customize recipe that can be altered to suit any taste buds.
Serve it as it is or with a side of bread and some soup. No matter how you plan to serve this salad, it definitely makes an ideal addition to any meal.
This scrumptious and refreshing Apple Salad
✓ Gives a refreshing touch and revitalizing experience
✓ Is quick and easy to prepare
✓ Is versatile & easily customizable
✓ Makes an ideal and satisfying dish for any occasion
✓ Is a healthy and delicious option
✓ Is loaded with essential vitamins and minerals
✓ Is protein and fiber-rich
✓ Is a colorful and invigorating addition to your meal
✓ Is wholesome and delicious
✓ Is a perfect blend of sweet and savory
Ingredients
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Apples: They are the star of this recipe. I have used crisp and sweet Honeycrisp apples to make this salad, but you can also use a green and tangy apple or any other sweet apple variety of your choice.
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Greens: For making this satisfying and versatile salad, you can use any greens of your choice, such as any type of lettuce, arugula, spinach, kale, or watercress. You can also use a mix of greens in this recipe for a variety of textures.
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Nuts & Dried Fruit (Optional): I have added walnuts to this salad for richness and nutty crunch. You can also use almonds or pecans. I have also added some dried cranberries to enhance the natural sweetness. You can also add raisins here.
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Veggies: I have added some diced red bell peppers, diced tomatoes, diced cucumbers, and chopped red onions. Feel free to add any of your favorite veggies here.
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Chickpeas: I have also added some canned chickpeas to add some earthy texture and to make it filling. You can also use raw and boiled chickpeas in this salad recipe.
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Cheese: I have added some crumbled feta for salty creaminess. You can also add goat cheese to this salad.
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Vinaigrette: To make the vinaigrette, I have used simple extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, and a pinch of salt, black pepper powder, and red pepper flakes.
Variations
Mixed Fruit Salad
To make a mixed fruit salad version, you can try combining apples with other fruits like pomegranate seeds, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, sliced grapes, pears, or mandarin.
Apple Bean Salad
To make an apple bean salad, combine apples with mixed beans like chickpeas, kidney beans, white beans, or black beans.
Apple Chicken Salad
To add more protein, make an apple chicken salad. For this version, add some shredded chicken to this salad.
Apple Nut Salad
If you enjoy adding nuts to your salads, try a mix of different varieties of nuts like walnuts, almonds, pecans, and hazelnuts for varied flavors and textures.
Different Cheese Varieties
I have used feta cheese in this recipe. You can try switching up the feta cheese with paneer, grilled halloumi, roasted tofu, blue cheese, or shaved parmesan.
Storage Suggestions
Apple salad tastes best when served fresh. However, if you want to store this salad, you can surely store it for up to two days. Simply store veggies and greens separately.
To avoid oxidation, add apples when you are ready to serve. Also, prevent sagging and maintain the crispness and freshness of the greens by adding the dressing just before serving.
Serving Suggestions
This salad can be served chilled or at room temperature. You can serve it as a main dish or as a refreshing side along with other salads like Avocado Salad. You can also pair it with some crusty bread, garlic bread, chili cheese toast, or a light pasta such as pasta aglio-e-olio for a complete meal satisfaction.
You can also pair it with salads such as Pasta salad, Strawberry salad, Chickpea salad, and Kidney Bean salad for a salad buffet.
Professional tips & tricks to make the best Apple Salad
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Apples: They are the main ingredient of this satisfying and scrumptious salad recipe, so make sure that the apples you are choosing are fresh and sweet. You can also try using a combination of sweet and slightly tart apples here.
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Balance the Flavors: This salad tastes great with sweet, savory, and tangy flavors. So taste, add, and adjust the seasoning according to your taste preferences.
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Greens: I have used lettuce in this recipe. You can use any greens of your choice. You can also consider sprinkling microgreens over the finished salad for contrast and a nutritional punch.
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Olive oil: I have used olive oil for making salad dressing. You can also use nut oil like walnut or hazelnut oil.
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Herbs: I didn’t add any herbs to this scrumptious apple salad recipe. If you like a herby touch, then add fresh herbs like mint, basil, or cilantro to your dressing. The herbs will infuse your salad with some beautiful aromatic flavors.
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Nuts: Toast the nuts before adding to enhance their flavor and crunch.
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Dressing: You can use any of your favorite vinaigrettes or dressings for making this salad. For example, you can use mayonnaise for making a creamy salad variation, or use a balsamic reduction, or simple yogurt dressing for tangy flavors.
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Add-ons: I didn’t add any seeds to this salad, but you can use toppings like seeds, croutons, or dried fruits for more texture and taste.
FAQ
Can I use other fruits in the Apple Salad recipe?
Absolutely! You can use other fruits such as pomegranates, raspberries, sliced grapes, clementine, mandarins, strawberries, blueberries, or sliced pears for additional color, flavor, taste, and texture.
Can I use a different type of greens in my Apple Salad recipe?
Certainly, you can add a variety of greens to this salad. You can add arugula, watercress, kale, spinach, romaine lettuce, or any other type of salad green of your choice.
How to make the Apple Salad recipe more filling?
It is a filler salad recipe. However, if you want to make it more filling, you can add more carbs and protein such as grains, beans, or meat. You can try adding farro, quinoa, chicken, or shrimp. You can also add halloumi or parmesan.
Can I make my Apple Salad recipe ahead of time?
Yes, making this apple salad in advance is doable. However, to avoid sogginess and to maintain the freshness, add the dressing right before serving. This simple step will ensure that your apples, greens, and other vegetables stay fresh and crisp.
Can I add other cheese to my Apple Salad recipe?
Surely, you can add other cheese like crumbled blue cheese, parmesan, paneer, tofu, grilled tofu, grilled halloumi, or goat cheese. Remember that every variety of cheese gives a different taste to the salad.
How long can I keep the Apple Salad recipe in the refrigerator?
The apple salad recipe stays fresh for up to 2 days when stored in separate air-tight containers in the refrigerator. Remember to store it without any dressing and drizzle with the dressing only just before serving to preserve its freshness.
Apple Salad (Step-by-step photo instructions)
How to Make Apple Salad
- Begin by dicing the cucumber, chopping the red bell pepper, dicing the apples, dicing the tomato, and chopping the onion.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, white or apple cider vinegar, honey/maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and black pepper. Add salt and red pepper flakes, then whisk again. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
- Add chopped lettuces to a large salad bowl along with cucumbers, red bell peppers, apples, tomatoes, onions, and drained chickpeas.
- Sprinkle the toasted and crushed walnuts and raisins or dried cranberries over the chopped salad. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the chopped salad ingredients. Gently toss to evenly coat all the components.
- Sprinkle with feta or goat cheese crumbles and toss again. Plate the chopped salad and serve immediately as a refreshing side dish or a light main course.
Recipe Card
Apple Salad [Recipe]
★★★★★
(Rating: 5 from 7 reviews)
| Prep time 🕐 | Cook time 🕐 | Total time 🕐 |
|---|---|---|
| 10 mins | ||
| Category ☶ | Cuisine ♨ | Serves ☺ |
| Salads | International | 3 |
| Nutrition Info ⊛ | Serving size ⊚ | |
| 381 calories | 1 |
INGREDIENTS
For Apple Salad
- 2 crisp apples, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 cucumber, diced
- 1 medium-sized tomato, diced
- 1 medium-sized onion, chopped
- 1.5 cups chopped tender lettuces or mixed greens
- 1 cup canned or cooked chickpeas, drained
- 2 tablespoons toasted and crushed walnuts or pecans
- 1/2 cup feta cheese or goat cheese crumbles
- 1/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries
For the Vinaigrette Dressing
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon white or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey/maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
How to Make Apple Salad
- Begin by dicing the cucumber, chopping the red bell pepper, dicing the apples, dicing the tomato, and chopping the onion.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, white or apple cider vinegar, honey/maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and black pepper. Add salt and red pepper flakes, then whisk again. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
- Add chopped lettuces to a large salad bowl along with cucumbers, red bell peppers, apples, tomatoes, onions, and drained chickpeas.
- Sprinkle the toasted and crushed walnuts and raisins or dried cranberries over the chopped salad. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the chopped salad ingredients. Gently toss to evenly coat all the components.
- Sprinkle with feta or goat cheese crumbles and toss again. Plate the chopped salad and serve immediately as a refreshing side dish or a light main course.
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NOTES:
- I have used lettuce in this recipe. You can use any greens of your choice. You can also consider sprinkling microgreens over the finished salad for contrast and a nutritional punch.
- I have used olive oil for making salad dressing. You can also use nut oil like walnut or hazelnut oil.
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Author: Anupama
Recipe Source Link: https://www.mygingergarlickitchen.com/apple-salad/
