Apple Salad (One Pot)

Quick and easy apple salad recipe, homemade with simple ingredients in one pot in 10 minutes. Full of leafy greens, red apples, cranberries, almonds and maple apple cider vinaigrette.

The sweet apples paired with the warm Fall flavors of apple cider vinaigrette, crunchy almonds, and leafy greens are a party of flavor and texture, especially this time of the year. Still not convinced? Be sure to also check out Thanksgiving Salad, Easy Pear Salad, Harvest Fall Salad, and Pumpkin Salad.

How To Make Apple Salad Recipe From Scratch Without Mayo?

1. Make vinaigrette- By whisking together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, apple cider or juice, maple syrup, mustard, cinnamon powder, poppy seeds, salt, pepper.
2. Toss remaining ingredients- This includes leafy greens, apples, cranberries, almonds.
3. Serve immediately- And enjoy.

How To Make Maple Apple Cider Vinaigrette/Dressing?

In a bowl or jar, whisk together the following ingredients until combined:

• ½ cup Olive oil
• ¼ cup Apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp Apple cider, Or apple juice
• 3 tbsp Maple syrup
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp Cinnamon powder
• 2 tsp Poppy seeds, Optional
• Salt, To taste
• Pepper, To taste

This can be stored in a sealed jar or container in the fridge for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month to be enjoyed later.

What To Serve With Apple Walnut Salad?

This is a great addition to make the famous soup and sandwich combination:

• Instant Pot Pumpkin Soup
• Instant Pot Ham Bone Soup {With Leftover Ham}
• Broccoli Cheddar Soup (One Pot)
• Curried Butternut Squash Soup
• Carrot Ginger Soup (One Pot)

Serve one of these lighter or heavier sandwiches:

• Instant Pot French Dip Sandwich
• Instant Pot Meatball Sub Sandwich
• Easy Tomato Sandwich
• Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich (One Pan)
• Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich (One Pan)

It can also be made more filling by adding a protein such as the following in shredded or diced form:

• Instant Pot Whole Chicken
• Roast Turkey Breast (One Pan)
• Garlic Butter Steak Bites (One Pot)
• Oven Baked Spatchock Chicken (One Pan)

What Is The Best Apple For Salads?

I recommend using red apples but you can use any kind you like such as Honeycrisp, Golden Deliciousm Fuji, or Pink Lady.

Variations

Replace or add other fruits- Like pears, grapes, raspberries, or other seasonal fruit.

Try other nuts- Such as walnuts, cashews, or pecans. You can even add candied versions of any of these nuts for a sweet addition.

Consider other dried fruit instead of cranberries- Such as cherries, raisins, dried berries, dried mangoes.

Broccoli apple salad- Add shredded or chopped broccoli for more greenery and crunch.

Fennel salad- Add thinly sliced fennel for even more fall flavor.

Add other veggies- Such as celery, cabbage slaw, or brussels sprouts.

Add a grain- Such as ½ cup of cooked quinoa, couscous, or your favorite small pasta for a heartier version.

Add cheese- Such as gorgonzola, blue, or fresh parmesan.

Add cooked crumbled bacon– For a crunchy salty flavor addition.

Tips And Techniques

I highly recommend using apple cider vinegar- The flavor is stronger than apple juice and adds an acidic balance to all the sweet fruit flavors.

Poppy seeds are optional– They add a little crunch and offer great visual appeal but can be omitted, if you are not fond of them.

What kind of greens to use? I used a combination of lettuce, arugula, kale and/or spinach, but you can use whatever you prefer.

Maple syrup substitute- I highly recommend the maple syrup for Fall flavor purposes, but if you are in a bind, you can use honey, agave or molasses instead.

Adjust sweetness– Add more or less maple syrup based on your personal preference.

Toast the almonds- This adds so much depth of flavor. It is worth the extra step.

Serve immediately– Once the dressing has been mixed into the salad, it must be served immediately for best flavor and texture.

Use high quality olive oil– Because this provides the best flavor in the dressing. You won’t regret it!

For a beautiful salad presentation (like shown in the picture)- Prepare the vinaigrette first and keep it aside. Spread the greens in a large salad bowl. Top it off with slices of apples and sprinkle cranberries and almonds. Drizzle the vinaigrette on top, just before serving.

Pat apples dry- After washing them, make sure to use lots of paper towels to get rid of excess water to prevent the salad from becoming too “watery.”

Storage

Make ahead instructions- You can store the fruits and veggies, dressing and toppings separately for 2 days in the fridge and mix right before serving. Wait to chop and add apples till you serve the salad or else they will become brown.

Refrigerate- This salad is best served immediately. Leftovers cannot be stored for later because the salad will become soggy.

Freeze- Salad cannot be frozen because of the high water content of the fruit and vegetables causing all of the ingredients to become mushy and soggy. The salad dressing, however, will keep in the freezer in a sealed container for up to 1 month. Simply, thaw at room temperature and whisk together to serve.

More One Pot Salad Recipes

• Asian Ramen Noodle Salad (One Pot)
• Green Salad (One Bowl)
• Mandarin Orange Salad (One Bowl)
• Christmas Salad (One Bowl)
• Easy Kale Salad (One Bowl)

Recipe