Description
Crisp, refreshing Apple Salad brings Mediterranean charm to your table with a delightful blend of seasonal ingredients. Sweet and tangy notes dance across each forkful, inviting you to savor summer’s simplest pleasures.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Produce Ingredients:
- 4 medium apples (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or a mix), diced
- ½ cup (50 grams / 1.8 ounces) celery, thinly sliced
Nuts and Dried Fruits:
- ½ cup (60 grams / 2.1 ounces) chopped walnuts or pecans
- ¼ cup (40 grams / 1.4 ounces) dried cranberries or raisins (optional)
Dairy and Dressing Ingredients:
- ¼ cup (25 grams / 0.9 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese (optional)
- ½ cup (120 grams / 4.2 ounces) Greek yogurt or mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (to prevent the apples from browning)
- 1 pinch of salt
Instructions
- Carefully wash and core crisp apples, then cut into uniform, bite-sized cubes to ensure consistent texture and prevent browning by immediately tossing with fresh lemon juice in a spacious mixing bowl.
- Create a creamy dressing by whisking together tangy Greek yogurt with golden honey and a delicate sprinkle of salt until smooth and well-blended in a separate small preparation vessel.
- Introduce finely chopped celery into the apple mixture, providing a refreshing crunch and subtle green accent to the dish’s overall composition.
- Gently fold in crunchy walnuts and vibrant dried cranberries, distributing them evenly throughout the apple mixture to create a harmonious blend of flavors and textures.
- Enhance the salad’s complexity by incorporating optional sharp cheddar cheese, which will contribute a rich, savory dimension to the predominantly sweet profile.
- Drizzle the prepared dressing over the entire mixture, using a gentle folding technique to ensure each ingredient is delicately coated without crushing the delicate components.
- For optimal presentation, transfer the salad to an elegant serving dish, garnishing with additional walnuts or cranberries to create visual appeal and provide extra textural contrast.
- Serve immediately for maximum freshness, or refrigerate for up to two hours to allow flavors to meld and intensify before presenting to guests.
Notes
- Keep apples from browning by immediately tossing them in fresh lemon juice after cutting, which prevents oxidation and maintains their crisp, bright appearance.
- Experiment with apple varieties like Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or Fuji for different flavor profiles and textures in your salad.
- For a lighter version, swap full-fat Greek yogurt with non-fat or use a plant-based yogurt to reduce calories and make the recipe dairy-free.
- Toast walnuts briefly in a dry skillet before adding to enhance their nutty flavor and provide a deeper, more complex taste to the salad.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Snacks, Appetizer
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 5 mg