I have a favorite fall salad that I make routinely once the Honey Crisp apples start to arrive, which means NOW. I can’t get enough of it. This salad is inspired from a Southern Living recipe found here. I make it just for myself and for large dinner parties alike. Enjoy!
Autumn Salad with Apples and Fennel
Make this salad vegan by eliminating the gorgonzola cheese.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 shallot minced
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 Honey Crisp apple
- 1 medium-size fennel bulb
- 1 celery rib
- 1/2 red onion
- Gorgonzola cheese--use your preferred amount
- 1/4 cup toasted salted pumpkin seeds
- 1 package fresh arugula 5 oz
- 1 package fresh spinach 5 oz
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Bake walnuts on a shallow pan (cookie sheet) for 7 to 9 minutes or until toasted and fragrant. Stir halfway through.
- Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, shallot, brown sugar and Dijon mustard; season with salt and pepper to taste. Adding minced fresh herbs to the dressing is wonderful, as well.
- Cut apple, fennel, and celery into thin slices. If you have a mandoline or thin cutting blade on your food processor, they are great to use here.
- Toss arugula/spinach mixture with a small amount of vinaigrette. Arrange lettuces on a serving platter.
- Toss apple, fennel and celery with desired amount of vinaigrette.
- Top salad with apple mixture
- Sprinkle with walnuts, pumpkin seeds and gorgonzola and salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately with more vinaigrette to taste (I don't use all the dressing!)
Notes
I am buying tons of the Super Greens salad mixture lately and used it in this recipe. I used one large clam shell container, a full 16 oz, in this recipe--but I like to eat tons of greens.
Also, sometimes I like to puree the dressing in my blender instead of whisking up a chunkier version. Either way is fine.
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