Apple Salad with Apple Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
This Apple Salad is bursting with apples, cranberries, candied walnuts, bacon, and feta all drizzled with sweet and tangy Apple Poppy Seed Vinaigrette. Its a refreshing balance of sweet and savory and gorgeous for special occasions but easy enough for everyday. And you are going to want to this Apple Walnut Salad every day. Its the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving feast because not only is it scrumptious and deceptively sophisticated, but it can all be prepared beforehand with the exception of slicing the apples for a NO STRESS side that everyone will rave about!
Servings 6 -8
Ingredients
Apple Cranberry Bacon Salad
- 1 small head romaine lettuce, chopped
- 8 oz. baby spinach
- 2 Fuji or honeycrisp apples, thinly sliced
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup feta cheese crumbles
- 1/2 cup roasted salted pepitas (or sunflower seeds)
- 3/4 cup Recipe Caramelized Walnuts
Apple Poppy Seed Dressing
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1-2 tablespoons sugar to taste
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Add all of the dressing ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk to combine or shake in a mason jar. Refrigerate while you prepare the salad ingredients then whisk/shake again before drizzling over salad. The dressing can be made up to a week in advance.
- When ready to serve, toss all of the salad ingredients together in a large bowl. You can either drizzle with desired amount of dressing and toss to combine or if you expect leftovers, drizzle individual salad servings with dressing.
Notes
All ingredients are a guideline. Add more or less of your favorite salad fixings! *The caramelized nuts recipe makes 1 cup nuts. I suggest making 1 cup caramelized walnuts and using the desired amount in the salad and eating/storing the rest :)