Apple, Cherry and Candied Walnut Salad with Cherry Balsamic Vinaigrette
This apple, cherry and candied walnut salad is delicious! apples, dried cherries, blue cheese, candied walnuts with spring greens and drizzled with a cherry balsamic vinaigrette.
I’m on a salad spree.
Yes, there’s such a thing.
Kind of like a shopping spree… but with vegetables and fruit, I guess.
I’m not sure why I’m craving salads, because it’s definitely not like I have grand plans for any New Year’s resolutions, but I’ve been craving salads like I was pregnant or something. I’m not… swear. But when I’m at the grocery store there’s a magnetic pull to the produce section and I want them ALL. The other day I made this salad to bring to a friend’s house. Then I made this salad dressing because I have mad plans for a week of Greek {salad}. Then prior to both of those I made this amazing salad I’m sharing with you today. This salad has tart apples, candied walnuts, dried cherries and pungent {in a good way} blue cheese. It’s bonkers good and the homemade cherry balsamic dressing I drizzled over it wasn’t too shabby either.
Add 1 cup walnuts and 1/4 cup sugar to a skillet and heat on medium to medium-low heat until the sugar melts, browns and then sticks to the walnuts. See the exact recipe here.
For the cherry balsamic vinaigrette I reduced a half cup of cherry juice in a small pan…
…until there is a quarter cup left.
I added a minced clove of garlic to a bowl.
Measure and add in the teaspoon of kosher salt and a quarter teaspoon of coarse black pepper.
Pour in the cherry reduction.
Add in a quarter cup of honey.
A quarter cup of balsamic vinegar…
And a splash of raspberry vinegar.
Whisk that all together to dissolve the honey.
Then continue whisking while you slowly pour in the grapeseed oil.
Yummmah!
Now, the salad!
Slice the sides off of one medium pink lady apple or you could use a granny smith, but I have a long-term crush on the pink lady.
Then slice and chop.
Finally build your salad by throwing your favorite leafy salad greens into a big bowl. I’m using a spinach/spring mix blend.
Then toss in those chopped apples…
Next add in 1/4 cup of dried cherries.
Then add in 2 ounces of crumbled blue cheese.
Lastly, break up the candied walnuts and throw them on top of everything else.
Toss together….
And there you have it friends. My newest salad obsession, the apple, cherry and candied walnut salad!
It was hard for me to pick out my favorite salad aspect. Crunchy tart apples with blue cheese is a match made in heaven, but crunchy candied walnuts and the sweet, tart, dried cherries is darn good too. Oh and then there’s the dressing. It’s so good on all of it! So I orchestrate that every bite has a little of everything in it.
Enjoy! And if you give this Apple, Cherry and Candied Walnut Salad recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
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Apple, Cherry and Candied Walnut Salad + Cherry Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients
CHERRY BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE:
- 1/2 cup cherry juice
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 splash of raspberry vinegar
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup grapeseed or olive oil
FOR THE SALAD:
- candied walnuts
- 1 medium pink lady apple (or granny smith)
- 1/4 cup dried cherries
- 2 ounces blue cheese
- 5 ounces of your favorite salad greens
Instructions
FOR THE VINAIGRETTE:
- Bring a half cup of cherry juice to a boil and whisk until it's reduced by half {1/4 cup}.
- In a bowl add in the minced garlic, salt, pepper, cherry juice, honey, balsamic vinegar and a splash of raspberry vinegar. Whisk until the honey is dissolved and keep whisking while you slowly pour in the 1/2 cup of grapeseed or olive oil.
FOR THE SALAD:
- Add your leafy salad greens to a large bowl and top with the chopped apples, dried cherries, blue cheese and candied walnuts. Toss and serve with drizzle of the cherry balsamic vinaigrette.
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Over the past few years Iāve been on a mission to find and create recipes that I can make from scratch. I hope you enjoy the recipes on this blog as they are tried and true from my kitchen to yours! (
I’ve actually been on a really big salad kick too–but can pretty much ALWAYS get behind them if they have great add-ins like candied walnuts and bleu cheese!
Have to make this–great recipe Laurie! š
I love the cherry/balsamic combo. This salad looks for reals amazing.
Such a fab winter salad! Love this!
This is my kind of salad. Love it!
The photos are beautiful ! This salad is very appetizing ! Bravo !
simplyscratch replied: — January 6th, 2014 @ 11:45 am
Thank you Lou!
I will never say no to a candied walnut! That cherry balsamic sounds divine!
Love the sound of the cherry balsamic vinaigrette! This is my kind of salad!
I am drooling over your photos!!! I love the blue cheese!!
simplyscratch replied: — January 6th, 2014 @ 11:57 pm
Thank you Liz… I love blue too! Hope you’re staying warm friend! š
Love all the flavours you’ve got going on here especially those candied walnuts.
Girl, I am allllllllllll over this salad. I love the ingredient combination – dried cherries are one of my favorite things to put in salads, and I need more blue cheese in my life! And candied walnuts of course.
Any salad with candid walnuts and blue cheese (my favorite!!) I will always be game for! Great recipe!
This is such a Michigan salad — I love it!! Anything with dried cherries, nuts and cheese has my vote! š
sounds grand but I am missing cherry juice! I have dried tart cherries and frozen dark sweet cherries. maybe soaking the dried and whizzing both in the vitamix with some water then straining? hmmm….
How do you keep the apples from turning brown if you prepare ahead? I am not going to toss the dressing with the salad since I don’t know if everyone will like the dressing.
Laurie McNamara replied: — January 26th, 2017 @ 12:13 pm
I would toss them in a little lemon juice š