Ingredients — 4 servings
Salad
- 5 cups mixed greens or baby spinach
- 2 crisp apples, thinly sliced
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
- ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Honey-Lemon Dressing
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1½ tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp apple cider vinegar
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Toast the walnuts: Place walnuts in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove and cool. Toasting makes them more fragrant and crunchy.
- Wash and dry the greens thoroughly.
- Core the apples and slice them thinly. Toss with a small splash of lemon juice to help prevent browning.
- Add greens, apples, cranberries, walnuts, feta and parsley to a large bowl.
- Make the dressing: Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper until combined.
- Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving.
- Toss gently so the feta stays in small pieces and the greens remain crisp.
- Add a few extra walnuts, cranberries and feta on top and serve immediately.
Nut & Allergen Information
- Contains: Walnuts (tree nuts) and dairy from feta.
- Peanuts: Not required.
- Eggs: None required.
- Wheat/gluten: None required in the basic recipe.
- Soy: None required, but check packaged Dijon mustard and dried cranberries if you have a soy allergy.
- Nut-free option: Replace walnuts with pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds, or simply leave them out.
- Dairy-free option: Replace feta with a dairy-free cheese or omit it.
If someone has a serious nut allergy, use allergy-safe packaged ingredients and avoid cross-contact.
Approximate Nutrition
Per serving, assuming 4 servings:
- Calories: ~350–400 kcal
- Protein: ~7–9 g
- Carbohydrates: ~35–40 g
- Fat: ~23–26 g
- Fiber: ~5–7 g
- Sugar: ~20–25 g
Values are approximate and depend on the exact amount of walnuts, feta, cranberries and dressing.
Q&A
Q: Can I use pecans instead of walnuts?
Yes, but pecans are also tree nuts. They can be toasted the same way.
Q: Can I use goat cheese instead of feta?
Yes. Goat cheese gives the salad a softer, creamier texture.
Q: Can I prepare it ahead?
Yes. Prepare the greens, apples, cranberries, walnuts and feta separately, and keep the dressing separate. Toss everything together right before eating to prevent sogginess.
Q: Which apples work best?
Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Pink Lady and Fuji are good choices because they stay crisp.
Q: Can I add chicken?
Yes. Grilled chicken makes it a more substantial meal.