Mixed Greens Apple Bowl (Printer-friendly)

Crisp apples and mixed greens with walnuts, cheese, and tangy cider vinaigrette.

# Required Ingredients:

→ Salad

01 - 6 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, romaine)
02 - 2 medium apples (Gala or Granny Smith), cored and thinly sliced
03 - 0.5 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
04 - 0.33 cup crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese
05 - 0.25 cup thinly sliced red onion
06 - 0.25 cup dried cranberries

→ Cider Vinaigrette

07 - 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
08 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - 0.25 teaspoon salt
11 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
12 - 0.33 cup extra virgin olive oil

# How-To Steps:

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

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in 15 minutes flat, so you can have lunch ready before your coffee gets cold.
  • The contrast between crispy, creamy, tart, and crunchy makes every bite interesting without feeling fussy.
  • The dressing is so good you'll find yourself making extra to drizzle over roasted vegetables or grain bowls later in the week.
02 -
  • If you dress the salad more than five minutes before eating, the greens will wilt and the apples will brown—timing is everything here.
  • Dry your greens completely after washing them, because water clinging to the leaves will dilute the dressing and make the whole thing taste flat.
03 -
  • Make extra vinaigrette and store it in a jar in the fridge—it keeps for a week and tastes even better the next day once the flavors have gotten to know each other.
  • If your greens are packed in a bag, give them 15 minutes in a colander to drain completely, or spin them dry twice to remove every bit of moisture.
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