Fresh and Flavorful Apple and Walnut Salad

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Last updated on October 22nd, 2025 at 10:00 pm

If you’re looking for a fresh, flavorful, and slightly sweet salad that feels like fall in a bowl, this apple and walnut salad is just what you need. With crisp tart apples, honey-candied walnuts, peppery arugula, and creamy blue cheese, it’s the perfect balance of sweet, salty, and tangy. Whether you’re serving it as a light lunch or a side dish for dinner, this salad is sure to impress your taste buds.

🥗 Why You’ll Love This Apple and Walnut Salad

This apple and walnut salad is simple to make yet full of flavor and texture. The sweetness of the apples pairs beautifully with the crunch of the walnuts and the tang of the vinaigrette. Plus, it’s a great way to use fresh, seasonal apples during the fall months.

It’s also easy to customize—swap out the blue cheese for feta or goat cheese, or add in some dried cranberries for extra sweetness.

🍯 Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this delicious apple and walnut salad:

For the Salad:

• 4 c. arugula, rinsed and patted dry
• 6 oz. walnuts, chopped
• 2 T. honey, preferably local
• 2 t. ground cinnamon
• 2 tart apples, cut in half, core removed, and cut into thin slices
• 1 T. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 small red onion, sliced thin
• 4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
• Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

For the Vinaigrette:

• 1/4 c. white balsamic vinegar
• 2 T. honey, preferably local
• 1 t. Dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• Sea salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil

🔥 How to Make Apple Walnut Salad

1: Toast the walnuts.
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Toss walnuts with honey and cinnamon in a small bowl until evenly coated. Spread them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 8–10 minutes, until fragrant and lightly golden. Remove and let cool.

2: Make the vinaigrette.
In a small bowl, whisk together white balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, and minced garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste, then slowly whisk in olive oil until the dressing is smooth and well combined.

3: Assemble the salad.
Add sliced apples to a large salad bowl and toss with lemon juice to prevent browning. Add the arugula, red onion slices, candied walnuts, and crumbled blue cheese. Gently toss to combine.

4: Dress and serve.
Drizzle with some vinaigrette just before serving and toss lightly. Serve the remaining dressing on the side.

🍎 Tips for the Best Apple and Walnut Salad

• Use tart apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp for a refreshing balance of flavors.
• Make it ahead: Prep the vinaigrette and toast the walnuts in advance, then toss everything together just before serving.
• Make it your own: Try swapping arugula for baby spinach or adding some sliced pears for an extra autumn twist.

💚 Perfect Pairings

This apple and walnut salad pairs beautifully with roasted chicken, grilled salmon, or a warm bowl of butternut squash soup. It’s also a fantastic choice for holiday dinners or potlucks.

🍽️ Enjoy the Fresh Flavors of This Apple and Walnut Salad

This apple and walnut salad is the perfect mix of sweet, savory, and crunchy. With simple ingredients and a homemade vinaigrette, it’s a healthy, flavorful dish you’ll want to make again and again.

Apple Walnut Salad with White Balsamic Vinaigrette

This substantial salad packs a lot of flavor into each bite with its winning combination of peppery arugula, seasoned walnuts, tart apples, sharp blue cheese, and a nicely sweetened vinaigrette.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 4 c. arugula rinsed and patted dry
• 6 oz. walnuts chopped
• 2 T. honey preferably local
• 2 t. ground cinnamon
• 2 tart apples cut in half, core removed, and cut into thin slices
• 1 T. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 small red onion sliced thin
• 4 oz. blue cheese crumbled
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Vinaigrette:

• 1/4 c. white balsamic vinegar
• 2 T. honey preferably local
• 1 t. Dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic finely minced
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil

Method

 

1. Place top oven rack in the center position and pre-heat oven to 350°F.
2. In a small bowl, toss walnuts with honey and cinnamon until evenly coated. Arrange walnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat™ baking mat.
3. Place baking sheet in pre-heated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
4. While the walnuts are toasting, prepare the vinaigrette by combining the white balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, and garlic in a small glass bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
5. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until well combined.
6. Taste and adjust other flavors, as desired. Set aside.
7. Add sliced apples to large salad bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice.
8. Toss until well coated.
9. Add arugula, seasoned walnuts, red onion slices, and blue cheese to bowl and gently toss to combine.
10. Drizzle salad with a little vinaigrette right before serving and toss to combine.
11. Serve immediately with remaining dressing on the side.

Notes

Arugula is extremely easy to grow from seed in containers or your garden. Plus, it grows best in the cooler months of spring or fall. For this reason, it is a great salad green to enjoy in hearty fall-themed salads like this one.