Pecan and Apple Salad is my go-to salad for potlucks. Candied pecans, fresh apples, and cheese make this salad unique and full of flavor!

Pecan and Apple Salad is my go-to salad for potlucks. Candied pecans, fresh apples, and cheese make this salad unique and full of flavor! #apple #pecan #salad

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PECAN AND APPLE SALAD

I’m guilty of picking out the marshmallows of the Lucky Charms cereal, for licking just the frosting off a slice of cake, and for eating just the pepperonis off the pizza. I’m a topping picker. So sue me. Or just don’t share anything with me. That would be no fun…for you.

Salads are no exception. By the time I’m done eating a salad, all of the goodies are gone with just a bunch of lettuce left.

Although it does have a lot of toppings for me to pick off, I enjoy the whole salad. The apples and gorgonzola cheese are the perfect compliment to each other but you can really use any cheese like feta or blue cheese.

Recently I was in charge of making the salad for over 200 women for a church event. This is the salad I made because I knew it would be a hit.

The hardest part about this salad is the candied pecans. They definitely make the salad so you can’t skip them. Just make sure you give them a good 5-7 minutes of your undivided attention. You can do it. The key is to keep stirring continuously so that your sugar and pecans don’t burn.
I know that that’s a whole lot of apple and cheese below, but remember I was making this salad for 200 women. This is actually just half of the ingredients I prepared. Keep the skins on your apples for some color.
You can buy pre-crumbled Gorgonzola, feta, or blue cheese…or buy it in a chunk and chop it yourself. You want small pieces because a little of this cheese goes a long way.
One of my favorite salads!
Pecan and Apple Salad is my go-to salad for potlucks. Candied pecans, fresh apples, and cheese make this salad unique and full of flavor! #apple #pecan #salad

HOW TO KEEP APPLES FROM TURNING BROWN

There are a few different methods to keep your apples from browning.

  1. Lemon juice – this slows down the browning process if you squeeze some lemon juice over them.
  2. Salt – this works the best. Add you sliced or chopped apples to a bowl of cold water and add a 1/2 teaspoon of salt per cup of water. Let the apples sit for 5 minutes then drain and rinse them in a colander. Dry the apples and they are good to go!

OTHER SALAD RECIPES

Pecan and Apple Salad is my go-to salad for potlucks. Candied pecans, fresh apples, and cheese make this salad unique and full of flavor! #apple #pecan #salad

Apple and Pecan Salad

4.53 from 17 votes
Toppings make all the difference. They can turn a boring salad into the best main course salad!
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup pecan halves or pieces
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 6 cups of Romaine lettuce or other mixed greens
  • 1 large or 2 small apples, cored and diced (I like to use Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Gala)
  • 1/2 cup feta, Gorgonzola cheese, or blue cheese

Honey Red Wine Vinaigrette Dressing(see Note):

  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions
 

  • To make the candied pecans, pour the sugar in a small skillet and pour the pecans on top. Cook over medium heat until sugar melts and turns a caramel color stirring constantly so that the nuts and sugar do not burn. Be patient! It takes a while for the sugar to start melting. Once the sugar turns a caramel color coat keep stirring to coat the pecans with it. Pour pecans onto greased wax paper or aluminum foil to cool. Once pecans are cooled, break them into pieces.
  • Note: If you happen to get to a point where your sugar will not melt and is just clumping, a quick fix is to add 1 tablespoon of water to the pan over the heat to get the sugar liquefied. Your pecans will not be as crisp but still taste yummy. Trust me, I made about 20 batches of these pecans and I got a little distracted during a couple of batches and wasn't stirring like I should.
  • Place lettuce in a serving bowl and add apples, cheese, and pecans. Toss with dressing right before serving or let people add their own dressing.
  • For the dressing: In a blender, combine vinegar, honey, garlic, Dijon, salt, and pepper. Place lid on blender and blend on high. While blender is running, add oil in a steady stream. Store in refrigerator for about 2-3 weeks. Shake well before serving.
Serving: 1/4 of recipe, Calories: 593kcal, Carbohydrates: 58g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 40g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 26g, Cholesterol: 11mg, Sodium: 755mg, Potassium: 347mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 53g, Vitamin A: 6280IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 116mg, Iron: 2mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Salad
Author: Christy Denney
Pecan and Apple Salad is my go-to salad for potlucks. Candied pecans, fresh apples, and cheese make this salad unique and full of flavor! #apple #pecan #salad
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Christy Denney
Christy is the voice behind The Girl Who Who Ate Everything! She is no stranger to making meals that kids and adults will love. She grew up in Mesa, Arizona as the youngest of ten kids. She can always be found in her kitchen with music playing and cooking with her kids. She published her first cookbook in 2014. She loves party food that gets the conversations going!
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