Apple Walnut Blue Cheese Salad with Honey Dijon Dressing

This recipe for Apple Walnut Blue Cheese Salad with Honey Dijon Dressing is fresh, crisp, and packed with bold flavor.

Made with sweet apples, crunchy walnuts, mixed greens, and tangy blue cheese this easy salad is perfect for a quick lunch, a simple side dish, or an elegant starter for before your favorite meal.

Why this recipe works.

This apple walnut blue cheese salad works because it combines the perfect balance of sweet, tangy, creamy, and crunchy in every bite.

Here is what else you will like about this recipe.

• The crisp apples bring natural sweetness and freshness, while the blue cheese adds a bold, tangy richness that makes the salad feel more satisfying.
• The simple honey Dijon dressing ties everything together with a mix of sweetness, acidity, and a little sharpness, helping each ingredient stand out without overpowering the others.
• This is a quick and easy salad that feels fresh enough for everyday meals but special enough for entertaining.
• Made with fresh and wholesome ingredients, this salad is simple, fast, effortless, and flavorful.

Have you tried my recipe for Crunchy Kale Salad in Maple Dijon Dressing.?

Made with curly kale and chopped cabbage before being tossed in a maple dijon mustard vinaigrette dressing, that salad is light, crisp, and bursting with goodness! Both this recipe for Apple Walnut Salad and that recipe for Kale Salad are easy and delicious salad recipes made with healthy and simple ingredients.

Balsamic Vinegar is an important ingredients used to make the dressing. You can find balsamic vinegar here.

Ingredients needed to make this salad.

Dressing.

• Apple Cider Vinegar Helps to balance out the flavors in this salad.
• Balsamic Vinegar Adds a deeper, slightly sweet flavor to the dressing.
• Honey Balances out the acid while enhancing the flavor of the apples.
• Olive Oil Use extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor, since it adds richness and helps the dressing taste fresh and well balanced.
• Dijon Mustard Dijon mustard adds a subtle tangy sharpness to the dressing and helps emulsify the oil and vinegar so the vinaigrette tastes smooth and well blended.
• Salt and Pepper Optional and to taste.

Salad.

• Salad Mix. I like a spring mix or baby spinach for this recipe.
• Apples. Your apples should be washed, cored and thinly sliced or diced
• Walnuts I like chopped or sliced walnuts for this recipe.
• Croutons. This is optional but, adds a flavorful crunch.
• Blue Cheese. Your blue cheese should be crumbled.

How to Make Apple Walnut salad

• Prep Time 10 minutes .
• Servings 4 .
• How to serve : Serve in a bowl or on a salad plate cold. This works as side, appetizer, or light meal idea.
• Notes: You will need a bowl or jar and a whisk to for the dressing and a large salad bowl.

1. Dressing. To make the dressing, in a bowl or salad dressing jar, combine together the apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, honey, olive oil, and Dijon mustard. You can use a whisk to do this. Taste the dressing and make adjustments or add the salt and pepper as needed for flavor. Then allow the dressing to sit while you assemble the salad.
2. Lettuce. Place the salad into the bottom of a large bowl. You may need to tear leaves as needed to make the leaves uniform in size.
3. Apples. If you have not done so, slice or chop the apples into bite sized pieces after coring and removing the stem and seeds. Then place the apples, along with the walnuts, into the bowl and toss the ingredients.
4. Combine. Pour half of the dressing over the ingredients in the bowl. Toss the ingredients and then add additional dressing as needed.
5. Serve. Serve the salad with crumble blue cheese and croutons on top.

Tips for making the best apple walnut salad with blue cheese

When selecting apples, select apple that are crisp for the best texture. I like Honeycrisp, Fuji, Pink Lady, or Granny Smith in this recipe because they can hold up well and add the perfect balance of sweetness and crunch. Also, I like to use two different kinds of apples for a variety of flavors.

More helpful tips for you.

1. The dressing is made first so that it can sit for a few minutes. This helps the honey dissolve and gives the flavors time to blend for a smoother, more balanced vinaigrette.
2. For extra flavor, you can toast your walnuts first. You can do this in an oven or in a dry skillet quickly and it will make the walnuts more crunchy and more flavorful.
3. Because apples tend to turn brown when they come in contact with air, it is best to slice them just before assembling and serving the salad. If needed, you can toss them with a little dressing first to slow oxidation.

FAQ

• What greens work best in this salad?
  I like a spring mix or mixed baby greens because they have a mild flavor and tender texture that pairs well with the crisp apples, crunchy walnuts, and tangy blue cheese. Baby spinach also works well if you want a slightly heartier salad. The darker leaves offer a nice visual contrast in this salad.
• What are the best apples to use for apple walnut blue cheese salad?
  The best apples for this salad are crisp, firm varieties like Honeycrisp, Fuji, Pink Lady, or Granny Smith. These apples hold their texture well and add the perfect balance of sweetness and crunch alongside the walnuts and blue cheese.
• How do I keep the apples from turning brown?
  To help prevent browning, slice the apples just before serving. If you need to prep them a little early, toss the slices with a small amount of the dressing or a squeeze of lemon juice to help slow oxidation.
• Can I make this apple walnut blue cheese salad ahead of time?
  You can do some of the prep work in advance. Simply make the dressing in advance and store it separately. I would slice the apples and assemble the salad just before serving so the apples stay crisp and the prevent the greens from wilting.
• What can I serve with apple walnut blue cheese salad?
  This salad pairs well with roast chicken, pork, turkey, soups, sandwiches, or pasta dishes. It also works beautifully as a light starter or side dish for holiday meals. By the way, this salad works great when paired with an off-dry Riesling.

Variations.

• Substitute the dressing with a light balsamic vinaigrette or maple Dijon dressing if you want a variation.
• Use goat cheese, feta, or gorgonzola instead of blue cheese if you prefer a milder flavor.
• Add some protein, such as sliced rotisserie chicken, to make this salad a nice meal.

How to store salad made with apples.

This salad is really best served fresh because of the fresh fruit and greens tossed with dressing. If you were to store this salad, I would do it unassembled, with the apples unsliced, the lettuce dry, and the dressing in its container.

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