Apple Blue Cheese Salad with Walnuts

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Discover your new favorite autumn dish with this apple blue cheese salad! The contrasting sweetness of apples, sharp blue cheese, and crunchy toasted walnuts creates a truly memorable flavor profile, all elevated by a simple, tart apple cider vinaigrette. You're in for an incredibly easy recipe that comes together quickly, promising a light and refreshing starter or side that always makes a nice presentation.

Why You'll Love This Apple Blue Cheese Salad

A Classic, Elegant Pairing: The combination of sweet-tart Honeycrisp apples, sharp blue cheese, and earthy toasted walnuts is a high-end, "steakhouse quality" salad.
Incredibly Fast: This salad looks sophisticated (especially with the mandoline-thin apples), but it comes together in just 20 minutes.
The Perfect Vinaigrette: The simple, tangy apple cider vinaigrette is light and bright, perfectly complementing the rich cheese and nuts without overpowering them.

What You Will Need:

1 large honeycrisp or other firm apple
3 oz of blue cheese
¼ cup of toasted walnuts
3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
¼ cup of olive oil
1 tablespoon of sugar or pure maple syrup

Crafting Your Tart Apple Cider Vinaigrette

First, make the vinaigrette. This should be done first and then be drizzled onto the apples. This will keep the apples from browning. The apple cider vinegar, olive oil, sea salt, and sugar, can be placed in a bowl and whisked. The easiest way to mix that I have found is to place the ingredients into a mason jar. With the lid on tight, shake the vinaigrette up to mix thoroughly. Not only do you have a container to shake it up with, but you have a container to store it in!

How to Roast Walnuts for the Best Crunch

Spread the walnuts on a lined baking sheet in a single layer. Roast them in your oven for about 5 minutes at 375 degrees F. Keep an eye on them because they will burn quickly. After they have roasted and cooled, grind them, roll them, or bash them into small bits to sprinkle on the salad.

Choosing the Best Apples for Your Salad

This fall apple salad uses firm, crunchy apples such as honeycrisp, fuji, or granny smith. You can use your favorite as long as it is firm. I have found that the sweet honeycrisp is a great contrast to the vinegarette. A firm apple holds up better in the salad than a softer apple would and gives a better texture to the salad.

Thinly Slicing Apples for Presentation

Apples thinly sliced on a mandoline for the apple, walnut, and plue cheese recipe from cleveland cooking — apple sliced on a mandoline Cleveland Cooking

The first step is to core the apple with a knife or an apple core tool. Then, using a very sharp knife (be careful) or a mandoline, slice the apple as thinly as possible. The salad is for two portions so layer half on one plate and half on another. Then drizzle on the vinaigrette, sprinkle on the blue cheese, and finish off with the roasted walnuts! Try my apple and cashew salad and Autumn broccoli slaw too!

This salad would go great with my slow roasted pork shoulder!

For more easy and elegant side dishes, explore all of my sides and salads page!

What types of apples work best for this salad?

For the best texture, use firm, crunchy apples such as Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Granny Smith. A sweet honeycrisp provides a great contrast to the tart vinaigrette.

How do I prevent the sliced apples from browning in the salad?

After slicing the apples, immediately drizzle them with the apple cider vinaigrette. The vinegar's acidity helps prevent oxidation and keeps the apples fresh.

Can I use different nuts instead of walnuts in this recipe?

While toasted walnuts add a great flavor and crunch, you could experiment with other toasted nuts like pecans or even candied nuts for a different twist.

Can I make the apple cider vinaigrette ahead of time?

Yes, the vinaigrette is perfect for making ahead! You can prepare it and store it in a mason jar in the fridge, ready to shake and drizzle when needed.

Is it necessary to roast the walnuts for this salad?

Roasting the walnuts is recommended as it enhances their rich flavor and adds to the salad's texture. However, if you're short on time, you can use raw walnuts, though the flavor may be milder.roasted pork shoulder.

What main dishes pair well with this apple blue cheese salad?

This light and refreshing salad is an excellent accompaniment to savory main dishes, pairing particularly well with roasted meats like slow-roasted pork shoulder.

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