Mixed Greens and Apple Bowl (Print version)

Fresh mixed greens with crisp apples, walnuts, and cheese in cider vinaigrette

# What You'll Need:

→ Salad

01 - 6 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, romaine)
02 - 2 medium apples (Gala or Granny Smith), cored and thinly sliced
03 - 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
04 - 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese
05 - 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
06 - 1/4 cup dried cranberries

→ Cider Vinaigrette

07 - 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
08 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
12 - 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

# Directions:

01 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper. Gradually whisk in the extra virgin olive oil until the dressing is emulsified. Set aside.
02 - In a large salad bowl, combine the mixed greens, apple slices, walnuts, cheese, red onion, and dried cranberries.
03 - Drizzle the cider vinaigrette over the salad just before serving. Toss gently to combine and coat all ingredients evenly, then serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes fancy enough for guests but requires zero cooking skills or fancy equipment.
  • The cider vinaigrette has a sweetness that makes even people skeptical about salad suddenly become believers.
  • You can prep everything ahead and toss it together in the five minutes before people arrive.
02 -
  • Don't slice your apples more than ten minutes before serving or they'll brown and lose that crisp appeal—if you're prepping ahead, slice them and toss them with a tiny squeeze of lemon juice to keep them bright.
  • The difference between a dressing that coats beautifully and one that slides off the bottom of the bowl comes down to emulsification, so actually take the time to whisk in the oil slowly rather than dumping it in all at once.
03 -
  • Toast your walnuts for three minutes in a dry skillet over medium heat—the smell alone is worth it, and the flavor deepens from pleasant to absolutely craveable.
  • Keep your vinaigrette slightly thinner than you think it should be because the greens will release moisture as they sit, thinning everything out further.
Go back