Description
Crisp Apple Delight Salad brings fresh Mediterranean flavors to your table with sweet Honeycrisp apples and tangy feta cheese. Garden-fresh ingredients and zesty lemon vinaigrette create a refreshing medley that delights your palate with each colorful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruits and Nuts:
- 1 crisp tart apple (like Pink Lady)
- ¼ cup candied pecans (or toasted pecans)
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries
- Optional: chopped fresh thyme, for garnish
Greens and Cheese:
- 8 cups mixed greens or tender lettuces (like butter, Bibb lettuce, frisee)
- ¼ cup feta or goat cheese crumbles
Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) apple cider
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon (1.25 grams) kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons (90 milliliters) olive oil
- Fresh ground black pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Whip up a vibrant maple vinaigrette by combining maple syrup, apple cider, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper in a medium mixing bowl.
- Slowly stream in olive oil while whisking vigorously to create a smooth, well-emulsified dressing that coats the ingredients evenly.
- Thoroughly rinse and carefully slice the apple into delicate, uniform pieces, opting for elegant half-moon or slender matchstick shapes to enhance visual appeal.
- Spread a generous layer of mixed greens across a spacious serving platter, creating a verdant foundation for the salad.
- Artfully distribute apple slices, candied pecans, cheese crumbles, and pomegranate seeds (or dried cranberries) across the bed of greens, ensuring an even and inviting arrangement.
- Drizzle approximately of the prepared maple vinaigrette over the salad, allowing the dressing to cascade gently and enhance the ingredients’ flavors.
- Optional: Sprinkle finely chopped fresh thyme leaves as a final garnish to elevate the salad’s aromatic profile and add a subtle herbaceous touch before serving.
Notes
- Make the dressing ahead of time and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days to save preparation time.
- Use crisp, tart apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp for the best texture and flavor contrast in the salad.
- Toast the pecans before candying to enhance their nutty flavor and add extra crunch to the dish.
- Choose fresh, seasonal mixed greens for maximum nutritional value and vibrant color.
- Adjust the vinaigrette amount based on personal preference, adding more or less to suit your taste.
- Serve immediately after assembling to maintain the crispness of the apple slices and greens.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: None
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 310 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg