Apple Pecan Salad

By Amy Dong
Updated Sep. 21, 2024

This Apple Pecan Salad is chock full of crunchy apples, candied pecans, creamy blue cheese, and a honey mustard dressing that’s simply amazing.

Apple pecan salad being drizzled with homemade dressing before serving. — This Apple Pecan Salad has it all: it’s crispy, sweet, tangy, crunchy, and creamy all at once.

Why This Recipe Stands Out

We love a good salad, and this Apple Pecan Salad is one of the best we’ve tried. Here’s why it stands out:

Loaded with Texture and Flavor: This chopped salad has it all: it’s crispy, sweet, tangy, crunchy, and creamy all at once, like our Beet Salad Recipe.
Delicious Combination: The combination of the crisp apples, candied pecans, and creamy blue cheese is just heavenly. Check out our Chicken Caprese Salad, too!
Make it a Main: For a meal-in-one, chopped chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken makes this salad a satisfying lunch or healthy dinner.
Simple, Yet Impressive: The recipe uses simple ingredients that you can easily find at your local grocery store, but the flavors and presentation are restaurant-quality.
Homemade Dressing: The dressing for this salad is super delicious, because it’s made from scratch. Also try our from-scratch dressing in this Strawberry Chicken Salad.

Key Recipe Ingredients

Romaine Lettuce – We chose Romaine lettuce for its crisp texture, which provides a perfect base for the salad.
Blue Cheese – This cheese is rich and creamy with a tangy kick, adding a depth of flavor to the salad. Roquefort or Gorgonzola work just as well.
Apples – We prefer a sweet and tart apple, such as Honeycrisp or Fuji, as they tend to be crisp and sweet.
Coarse Ground Mustard – This adds a zesty kick to the vinaigrette, and the whole mustard seeds provide texture.
Honey – A touch of honey not only adds sweetness but also helps to emulsify the vinaigrette for a smooth, well-combined dressing.

Substitutions And Variations

Here are some of our favorite variations and substitutions:

Cheese: While we love the creaminess and tang of blue cheese or Gorgonzola, you can also use feta or goat cheese. We use those in our Strawberry Salad with Asparagus and Lemon Spinach Orzo Salad.
Nuts: We adore candied pecans, but you can use roasted almonds or walnuts instead, as we do in our Pomegranate Salad. You can also switch out the nuts for crunchy seeds, such such as sunflower seeds or pepitas.
Apples: We love the crunch and sweetness of apples in this salad, but pears would be a delicious substitute, especially in the winter months.
Greens: Try using baby spinach or kale leaves as the base of your salad.

Easy Recipe Instructions

In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, mustard, honey, vinegar, salt, and pepper to make the dressing. Chill in an airtight container.
Combine lettuce, cranberries, pecans, blue cheese, and apples in a salad bowl. Drizzle some dressing, toss, and serve.

For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.

How To Prep Ahead

Take a look at our favorite prep-ahead strategies for this recipe:

Make the Dressing: The dressing for this salad can be made ahead of time. Follow the instructions as stated and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Give it a good shake before using it.
Assemble Beforehand: You can assemble the salad (excluding the dressing) a couple of hours before serving. Make sure to toss chopped apples in lemon juice to prevent browning. When you’re ready to serve, drizzle the dressing, toss, and serve immediately.

Close-up shot of apple pecan salad, topped with blue cheese and candied pecans. — The crispy chopped apples, candied pecans, and creamy blue cheese go together beautifully in this salad.

Commonly Asked Questions

What type of apple is best to use for this salad?

We recommend using a sweet and crisp apple for this salad, such as Honeycrisp, Gala, or Fuji. These varieties complement the savory blue cheese and tangy dressing.

Can I use pre-made salad dressing?

While you can use pre-made salad dressing for convenience, we highly recommend making the homemade dressing for this salad. The combination of coarse ground mustard, honey, and apple cider vinegar really brings out the flavors of the apples, pecans, and cheese.

How do I keep the apples from turning brown?

To prevent the apples from turning brown, you can toss them in pure lemon juice. The acid in the lemon juice will help slow down the oxidation process. Alternatively, you can chop apples just before serving.

What is the best way to store the leftover salad?

If you happen to have any leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. However, it’s best to consume the salad on the same day it’s made, as the lettuce and apples are freshest on day one.

Did you make this?

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