Seriously Good Apple Salad
- PREP 10min
- TOTAL 10min
Who said you need lettuce to make a salad? This apple salad with celery and fennel is crisp, fresh, creamy, and delicious. Serve this on the side or as a bed for grilled or roasted meats. I also love topping it with roasted root vegetables or squash to keep it vegetarian. We love using a crisp apple like Granny Smith, Fiji, or Honeycrisp.
You Will Need
Apple Salad
2 medium apples, cored and thinly sliced
3 celery stalks, peeled and sliced
1 fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced
1 scallion, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
1/2 cup pecans, hazelnuts, or walnuts, lightly toasted
Salad Dressing
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon maple syrup
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons crème fraîche
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Directions
Whisk together the mustard, vinegar, and maple syrup in a large salad bowl until blended. Gradually add the oil, whisking constantly, until the dressing looks well blended and creamy.
Whisk in the crème fraîche, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of fresh ground black pepper. Taste and adjust with additional salt, vinegar, or maple syrup if necessary.
Add the sliced apples, celery, fennel, scallion, dill, and the nuts. Toss well.
If you have any fennel fronds (the wispy tops of the fennel stalk that look similar to dill), scatter a few over the salad, then serve.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Prepping the celery: Peeling celery removes the tough, sometimes stringy outer surface. Use a vegetable peeler to peel each stalk until the outer layer is smooth.
- Substituting crème fraîche: Use mayo, sour cream, or plain yogurt. You may need to adjust the maple syrup slightly.
- Toasting the nuts: Spread them in an even layer on a sheet pan and slide them into a 350°F oven. Toast 6 to 8 minutes or until they smell toasty, shaking the pan halfway during cooking.
- Optional add-ins: Try tossing in some chopped kale or spinach, adding extra punch and creaminess with cheese (blue cheese or goat cheese is perfect), or crumble in some cooked bacon or pancetta.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.