Fuji Apple Salad with Candied Walnuts

This vibrant fuji apple salad is everything a salad should be and more. It's refreshing and bright, a little sweet, a little tangy, and makes for the best light lunch or super simple side dish.

Sweet, crisp apples and crunchy candied walnuts pair up perfectly with tangy dried cranberries, peppery arugula and just a touch of creamy gouda.

I love this fuji apple salad with a nice sherry vinaigrette, but it's equally as delicious with a decent balsamic or house vinaigrette. If you're not feeling gouda, try this salad with goat cheese crumbles or some feta!

In the mood to peruse more delicious salad recipes? Try my favorite strawberry and goat cheese salad or our balsamic roasted veggie salad! (It's so sooo good.)

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Substitutions
• Storage
• Related
• Recipe
• Fuji Apple Salad with Candied Walnuts

Ingredients

This salad only calls for eight ingredients, but every ingredient shines. Play around with your favorite mixed greens and dried fruit combos, you won't be disappointed.

Fujis are my go-to for this salad, but you can absolutely swap them out for other sweet, crisp apples like galas, honeycrisps, or pink ladies.

Toss some shredded rotisserie chicken on this simple salad to turn it into an easy, nutritious weeknight meal!

If you can't find get your hands on candied walnuts at your local grocery, whip up a batch of your own 5-minute stovetop candied walnuts!

Instructions

1. Slice the apples and red onion, and cube or shred the gouda. Set aside.
2. Wash and dry the greens and toss them in a large bowl. Drizzle on the vinaigrette and gently toss to mix. If you're serving the salad to guests, the dressing can be left off and served on the side.
3. Add the dried cranberries, candied walnuts, fuji apple slices, and sliced red onion.
4. Sprinkle Gouda cheese on top of the salad.
5. Toss the salad gently to combine all ingredients, or serve it layered and enjoy!

To prevent your apple slices from browning, toss them for a few seconds in a mixture of one part lemon juice and three parts water. Drain them and let them dry for a minute or two before adding them to your salad.

Substitutions

• Fuji Apples - If you don't have Fuji apples, you can substitute them with other crisp, sweet apples like Gala, Honeycrisp, or Pink Lady.
• Greens - Instead of arugula and baby spinach, you can use mixed greens, kale, or romaine lettuce.
• Dried Cranberries - If you don't have dried cranberries, you can definitely go for dried cherries, raisins, or even chopped dates for a similar sweet and tangy taste.
• Red Onions - Swap for thinly sliced shallots or green onions!
• Gouda - This fuji apple salad would be fantastic with feta, goat cheese or shredded cheddar.
• Candied Walnuts - You can go totally nut-free with this salad, or you can swap for roasted walnuts, candied pecans, or almonds.

Storage

Store - This salad is best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a day or two. The greens will get soggy and the apples will become less crispy as the salad sits, but it's still yummy.

If you're going to make this salad ahead of time, I highly suggest storing everything separately and waiting to slice the apples and onions until you're ready to serve.

Related

Looking for more? Start here:

Recipe