Apple Walnut Salad
A fresh and crisp salad with apples, toasted walnuts, and arugula, dressed in a sweet and tangy maple vinaigrette.
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Mixing Bowl
- Serving bowl
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 3/4 cup raw walnut halves
- 2 small apples or 1 large apple, cored and thinly sliced recommended: Honeycrisp
- 4 ounces baby arugula about 4 tightly packed cups
- 3 Belgian endives about 6 ounces
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries or golden raisins
- 3 ounces crumbled gorgonzola, goat cheese, or feta about a generous 1/2 cup
For the Dressing
- 1 small shallot, very finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the walnuts into a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the nuts smell fragrant and toasty and they are crisp. Immediately transfer to a cutting board to cool. Roughly chop.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients: shallot, olive oil, red wine vinegar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt. Add the apple and toss to coat.
- In a large serving bowl, place the arugula. Thinly cut the endive crosswise into very thin rounds (you'll have 3 cups or so). Add them to the bowl.
- Add half each of the cranberries, cheese, and walnuts.
- With a spoon, scoop the apple slices into the salad (some of the dressing and shallots will cling to the apples; some will be left behind in the bowl). Add a few more spoonfuls of the dressing to the salad to moisten it, then toss to coat. If the salad seems dry at this point, continue to spoon on small amounts of the dressing, tossing after each, until it’s moist but not sopping.
- Sprinkle the remaining cranberries, cheese, and walnuts over the salad, then very lightly toss once more. Taste and add a bit of additional salt if desired. Enjoy immediately, with any remaining dressing on the side for serving as desired.
Notes
For best results, toast the walnuts just before assembling the salad to keep them crisp. If preparing ahead, store the dressing separately and toss just before serving.