Apple Walnut Salad Recipe

Apple Walnut Salad Recipe with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Autumn inspired apple walnut salad that comes together super quickly. 


It's tossed in a delicious tangy balsamic vinaigrette and you can serve it with just about any of your favorite weeknight dinners!

Apple Salad Recipe Ingredients


Lettuce - I love red leaf lettuce in this salad. It's soft, yet slightly crunchy. But green leaf lettuce, spinach or romaine are all good substitutes.


Apples - you can use your favorite type of apples. I love Gala apples for their crunch and mild flavor. Make sure to slice them right before serving so they don't brown.


Red Onions - shallots is a good substitute. They're a little milder in taste but still work.


Walnuts - don't like walnuts? Try pecans, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds.


Feta - buy feta in a block and crumble it yourself. It's so much tastier. Also goat cheese is a great swap for feta.


Balsamic Vinaigrette - olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey.


Best apples for salad


To be honest, just about any variety of apples are going to work in this salad but certain varieties are more crunchy and don't brown too quickly.


I personally love Gala apples for their crisp sweet taste but Honeycrisp, Fuji, Pink Lady, Piñata, Jazz, Envy, and Empire are all great for adding to salads.

How to Make Apple Salad with Walnuts


This apple feta salad is best when served immediately. The balsamic vinaigrette can be prepared in advance and refrigerated.


Step 1: Prepare the vinaigrette - in a small bowl combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey. Whisk until blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper. You can also do this in a mason jar.

Step 2: Assemble the salad - make sure all of your salad ingredients are ready to be assembled (chopped, sliced, etc). In a large bowl, layer the lettuce, apples, red onions, walnuts, and feta. Drizzle with desired amount of vinaigrette and serve immediately.

How Do You Easily Cut Apples?


My go-to method for cutting apples is incredibly easy, quick, and does NOT involve an apple corer. All you need is a sharp knife, a cutting board, and of course the apples.


Place the apple in an upright position on a cutting board.

Starting on one side of the apple, slice down as close to the core as possible. Continue to slice through all the sides of the apple until only the core remains. Discard the core.


Place the flat side of each large slice face down and then cut it into thin slices.


How to Serve This Salad with Apples


You can easily enjoy this recipe as a light main course. However, it serves best as a side with recipes like:

Roasted Bone-In Turkey Breast

Roasted Chicken

Turkey Pumpkin Chili

Roasted Rosemary Chicken

Enjoy!