Apple Salad with Candied Walnuts and Cranberries
User Reviews
5
Apple Salad with Candied Walnuts and Cranberries
Description
The salad features red apple slices tossed with lemon juice to prevent browning, mixed salad leaves, and finely sliced red onion, providing freshness and mild pungency. Candied walnuts are prepared by melting butter and sugar, stirring in walnuts until coated and toasted, then cooled and roughly chopped. Dried cranberries are softened by soaking in hot water, enhancing juiciness. The dressing combines cider vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper shaken together and adjusted for balancing tartness and creaminess.
Assembly involves tossing the salad leaves, half the apple slices, and onion with half the dressing, then layering cranberries, walnuts, remaining apple slices, and feta cheese on top before drizzling with the remaining dressing. This results in a colorful salad with sweet, tart, creamy, and crunchy elements.
The recipe suggests red apples for their balance of sweet and tart flavors, but notes alternatives such as granny smith or gold apples for more tartness or sweetness. Walnuts can be substituted with pecans or almonds, and even seeds like sunflower or pepitas for texture variety. Leftover candied nuts keep well in an airtight container or can be frozen.
Ingredients
- 1 red apple , quartered, seeds remove, finely sliced
- lemon juice to stop apple browning, squeeze
- 120 mixed salad leaves 4 to 5 big handfuls, g/4 oz
- 1/2 red onion , finely sliced (wedge way, not half moon)
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 2 tbsp feta cheese crumbled (garnish, optional, or goat cheese
Candied Walnuts (or other nuts):
- 1 tbsp butter , salted
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 cup walnuts or pecans
Dressing:
- 2 tbsp cider vinegar
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1.5 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1.5 tsp white sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
Candied Nuts:
- Place butter in a small non stick skillet over medium heat. When melted, add sugar. Stir briefly, then leave until the sugar mostly melts.
- When it starts bubbling a bit, add nuts.
- Stir 2 minutes. Pour out on parchment paper lined tray.
- Spread nuts out, allow to cool. Roughly chop half, leave some whole.
Plump Cranberries:
- Place in a bowl, pour over freshly boiled water. Leave to soak 10 minutes then drain.
Apple:
- Drizzle with lemon juice and toss (stops apple from browning).
Dressing:
- Place Dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well. Adjust to taste - more oil to make it creamier, sugar for sweet, vinegar for tart.
Assemble:
- Place salad in a large bowl with half the apple slices and all the onion. Drizzle with half the dressing then toss.
- Scatter over the cranberries, desired amount of walnuts, remaining apple slices and feta. Drizzle with remaining dressing. Serve immediately!
Notes
- Red apples provide a balanced sweet and tart flavor and maintain appealing color.
- Use pecans, almonds, or seeds as alternatives to walnuts for the candied nuts.
- Leftover candied nuts can be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks or frozen for longer storage.
- Dried cranberries are softened by soaking in hot water for 10 minutes before use.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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