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Home ยป The Easy & Refreshing Apple Swiss Salad Your Family Will Love

September 25, 2022 Sides and Salads

The Easy & Refreshing Apple Swiss Salad Your Family Will Love

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Discover your new favorite autumn dish with this apple Swiss salad with cashews! The contrasting sweetness of crisp apples, the wonderful richness of Swiss cheese and toasted cashews, all elevated by a simple, tart apple cider vinaigrette, creates a truly memorable salad. 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.

Here is What You Will Need:

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons of sugar
  • 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon of dry mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
  • 2 heads of Romaine lettuce
  • 2 Granny Smith apples
  • 4 ounces of cashews
  • 4 ounces of grated Swiss cheese

The apple, cashew and swiss salad ingredients

For this recipe, the granny smith apples are sliced and then the slices are cut in half. The apples will be bite-sized this way. I usually buy cheese in a block and then grate it. Packaged shredded cheese has an additive to keep it from clumping. Grating the cheese does not take long.

Cashews can tend to be expensive! This recipe calls for broken cashews. Broken cashews are usually less expensive. You can make this recipe your own by using a different type of nut instead of cashews. Pecans, or almonds would be a great choice for this salad instead of cashews! I used romaine for this recipe because it holds up well. Other salad greens get a little overwhelmed with salad dressing.

Making the Bright Dressing for Your Apple Salad

The apple swiss salad dressing is very easy to put together. Just combine all the ingredients and whisk! I use pure maple syrup instead of sugar because of the lower glycemic index compared to granulated sugar. I have made the salad dressing with granulated sugar and the dressing was a bit thick. The sugar did not dissolve etc. The onion powder and mustard powder really bring a nice taste to the dressing. It does not end up being overly sweet.

Pure maple syrup is not pancake syrup. Pancake syrup will not work in this recipe. Please be sure to read the label when purchasing. Pure maple syrup has a lower glycemic index than sugar. The ratio for sugar and pure maple syrup is 1:1. 

The apple swiss salad would go great with the spiced baked ham recipe! My family has made the apple swiss salad for Easter and Thanksgiving!

Please visit my sides and salads page for more ideas!

FAQ’s

What types of apples work best for this Apple Swiss Salad?

For the best texture and flavor, use firm, crunchy apples like Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Granny Smith. A sweet honeycrisp offers a great contrast to the tart dressing.

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

To keep the apples fresh and bright, drizzle them immediately with the prepared apple cider vinaigrette after slicing. The vinegar’s acidity helps prevent oxidation.

Can I substitute the cashews with a different type of nut?

Yes, absolutely! While cashews add wonderful richness, you can easily substitute them with other nuts like pecans or almonds to make the recipe your own.

Why do you recommend using pure maple syrup instead of sugar in the dressing?

Pure maple syrup is preferred because it has a lower glycemic index than granulated sugar and dissolves much more smoothly in the dressing, preventing a gritty texture.

What kind of Swiss cheese should I use for this salad?

For the best texture and ease of grating, it’s recommended to buy Swiss cheese in a block and grate it yourself, as pre-shredded cheeses often contain additives that prevent clumping.

Can I make the apple cider vinaigrette ahead of time?

Yes, the dressing is very simple to make and can be prepared in advance. Store it in a sealed container, like a mason jar, in the refrigerator, and shake well before serving.

Apple Swiss salad from Cleveland cooking. green leaf salad with shredded Swiss, cashews, and granny Smith apples. a jar of the dressing in the background along with pieces of apples and cashews. receipt by Cleveland cooking

Apple Swiss Salad

Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Keyword: apple, apple cider vinegar, swiss cheese
Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes
0 minutes minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 393kcal
Author: clevelandcooking
This apple swiss salad with cashews is a staple at our house. Crunchy granny smith apples add great texture. The cashews and swiss add a richness to the salad!
Print Recipe

Ingredients

Dressing

  • 1/2 cup of olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons of sugar
  • ยผ cup of apple cider vinegar
  • ยฝ teaspoon of dry mustard
  • ยฝ teaspoon of onion powder

Salad

  • 2 heads of romaine lettuce cored and chopped
  • 2 granny smith apples sliced then halve the slices
  • 4 ounces of chopped cashews
  • 4 ounces of grated swiss cheese

Instructions

  • Combine dressing ingredients and whisk thoroughly.
  • Layer lettuce, apples, cashes, and cheese on serving plates.
  • Add dressing to salad.

Notes

What types of apples work best for this Apple Swiss Salad? For the best texture and flavor, use firm, crunchy apples like Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Granny Smith. A sweet honeycrisp offers a great contrast to the tart dressing.
How do I prevent the sliced apples from browning in the salad? To keep the apples fresh and bright, drizzle them immediately with the prepared apple cider vinaigrette after slicing. The vinegar’s acidity helps prevent oxidation.
Can I substitute the cashews with a different type of nut? Yes, absolutely! While cashews add wonderful richness, you can easily substitute them with other nuts like pecans or almonds to make the recipe your own.
Why do you recommend using pure maple syrup instead of sugar in the dressing? Pure maple syrup is preferred because it has a lower glycemic index than granulated sugar and dissolves much more smoothly in the dressing, preventing a gritty texture.
What kind of Swiss cheese should I use for this salad? For the best texture and ease of grating, it’s recommended to buy Swiss cheese in a block and grate it yourself, as pre-shredded cheeses often contain additives that prevent clumping.
Can I make the apple cider vinaigrette ahead of time? Yes, the dressing is very simple to make and can be prepared in advance. Store it in a sealed container, like a mason jar, in the refrigerator, and shake well before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 6 servings | Calories: 393kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 158mg | Potassium: 217mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1003IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 185mg | Iron: 1mg

Categories: Sides and Salads

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