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This harvest apple walnut salad is the perfect salad to make this Autumn! Lots of leafy greens, candied walnuts, toasted rosemary croutons, thinly sliced apple, cranberries, feta cheese and juicy chicken- all topped with a homemade Honey Mustard Balsamic Vinaigrette. This harvest apple walnut salad is so easy and cozy.
Your weeknight dinner needs this Harvest Apple Walnut Salad!
Combining all the best fall flavors- this easy and healthy Harvest Apple Walnut Salad has it all! Made with fresh leafy greens, crisp apples, candied walnuts, cranberries, rosemary baguette croutons and feta cheese- then tossed with the most delicious homemade Honey Mustard Balsamic Vinaigrette that is so easy to make, you’ll never want to buy store bought again.
Autumn is so inspiring to me and this quick and easy salad is a great way to get all my favorite fall flavors without spending too long in the kitchen. It’s the perfect busy weeknight dinner to make and always a favorite.
Harvest Apple Walnut Salad Details:
First, lets talk about the vinaigrette. This homemade honey mustard balsamic vinaigrette is a real show stopper- it’s sweet, tangy and has all the cozy fall vibes. Not to mention the candied walnuts (which I could pretty much eat all on their own) are perfectly sweetened with just the right amount of cinnamon. This harvest apple walnut salad is perfect if you have guests to impress this season or as a show stopping Thanksgiving appetizer.
Speaking of Thanksgiving, if you’re looking for a one stop guide to get you inspired this season be sure to check out our Thanksgiving Holiday Menu Guide. It has all the usual comfort dishes plus new twists on the classics! You wont want to miss all the delicious recipe ideas.
This Harvest Apple Walnut Salad is a favorite in our home and I am so excited to be sharing it with you all today. My 8 year old begs for this salad- not even kidding! As one of her favorite dinners this salad is always a must come fall. I mean…. how many 8 year olds beg for salad? It’s a win-win in my book.
Harvest Apple Walnut Salad Ingredients:
All the best fall flavors tossed together for one elegant salad- this harvest apple walnut salad is the best fall salad you will ever make!
Ingredients you will need for the salad:
- spring mix blend–
- shredded rotisserie chicken– when I have the extra time I like to roast a seasoned chicken breast, but rotisserie chicken is easier and tastes just as good!
- dried cranberries– dried cranberries are a staple come fall time. They’re sweet, tangy and the perfect addition to this harvest salad. Plus, they add a pretty pop of deep red that really makes this salad shine.
- apple– any apple variety works. We use fuji apples for their sweet, crisp crunch. Whichever apple variety you choose just make sure it’s firm, sweet and juicy.
- crumbled feta cheese– for its nice cheesy tanginess.
Candied Walnuts:
Definitely one of the best toppings- these candied walnuts are a serious treat. Not to mention they’re so easy to make and only take about 5 minutes to prepare!
Ingredients you will need for the candied walnuts:
- walnut halves– un-toasted and unsalted are best.
- salted butter– we always stick with salted butter, it adds a lot more flavor in my opinion but unsalted butter would work great as well.
- sugar– for sweetness and caramelizing!
- cinnamon– cinnamon makes everything better, especially for these candied walnuts.
- salt-a little salt does wonders for bringing out the flavors and sweetness.
Making the candied walnuts:
Start by heating a non stick skillet over medium high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the salted butter. Allow the butter to melt fully then add the walnut halves. Toast the walnuts for 1 minute. Then add the sugar, water, cinnamon and salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly being careful not to burn the walnuts.
Transfer the walnuts immediately to a parchment lined cookie sheet. Use a wooden spoon to separate the walnut pieces. As the walnuts cool they will harden and stick together, so it’s important to get them separated before they harden. Allow the candied walnuts to cool for 10 minutes.
Honey Mustard Balsamic Vinaigrette:
This salad really comes to life with this honey mustard balsamic vinaigrette. Say goodbye to store bought salad dressing, this honey mustard balsamic vinaigrette takes 5 minutes of prep time and the flavor is so cozy and delicious!
Ingredients you will need for the vinaigrette:
- good quality olive oil-the base for the vinaigrette. Use a good quality olive oil.
- balsamic vinegar– adds a sweet, tart richness to the vinaigrette.
- dark honey-the honey adds a depth of flavor and sweetness. We love to use raw honey for its taste and health benefits, but regular honey works just as good.
- dijon mustard-it wouldn’t be a honey mustard vinaigrette without it! Dijon mustard is my personal favorite and compliments the balsamic so well. I do not recommend swapping out the dijon mustard with regular mustard.
- garlic-garlic makes everything better! Fresh, minced garlic is a must and adds so much flavor. If you don’t have fresh garlic, garlic powder also works.
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Making the vinaigrette:
This dressing is seriously so, so easy! All you will do is place the ingredients in a jar, tighten the lid and shake it up! Check any seasonings to taste, and done!
rosemary baguette croutons:
Is salad even a salad without croutons? Adding a nice, toasty crunch- these homemade rosemary croutons are definitely worth the extra step! And really pretty darn easy.
Ingredients you will need for the croutons:
- 2 day old baguette bread– if you don’t have time to wait two days for the baguette to stale, no worries! Two day old bread toasts better for croutons, but I have also done this with fresh baguette bread and it was also delicious, just not quite as crunchy.
- olive oil– for tossing the baguette croutons
- fresh minced rosemary– the fresh rosemary really pops in this harvest salad and takes the fall taste to the next level. I highly recommend using fresh rosemary, however, you can use dried if fresh isn’t an option. If you do just reduce the rosemary to ½ teaspoon.
- garlic powder– again, garlic makes everything better!
- salt and pepper to taste
Making the croutons:
Slice half of a baguette loaf and tear the slices into 1″ pieces. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Once the baguette pieces are torn, toss with olive oil and all the seasonings. Then toast the croutons on a parchment lined baking sheet for 20 minutes.
Assembling the Harvest Apple Walnut Salad:
Super easy! Everything will simply go in a large salad bowl and get tossed together. For the dressing you can either toss all the vinaigrette with the salad, or leave it aside for everyone to drizzle on their desired amount. The choice is yours! Once everything is tossed, eat and enjoy!
This harvest apple walnut salad is so elegant and feels so fancy without much effort.
We hope you love this Harvest Apple Walnut Salad with Honey Mustard Balsamic Vinaigrette as much as we do! If you give this harvest salad a try, please be sure to leave a comment and/or rating below! I truly love hearing from you! And if you haven’t yet, be sure to subscribe to the Butternut and Sage newsletter so you never miss a delicious recipe! We have a lot of yummy content coming your way- you definitely wont want to miss it! 🙂
More Fall Inspired Dinners to Try this Week:
- Cheesy Roasted Spaghetti Squash Bolognese Boats
- Instant Pot Beef and Farro Stew
- Roasted Acorn Squash Gouda Mac & Cheese Bowls
Recipe
Harvest Apple Walnut Salad with Honey Mustard Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Harvest Apple Salad
- 6 cups spring mix blend
- 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ apple thinly sliced
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
Honey Mustard Balsamic Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup good quality olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 3 Tbsp dark honey
- 2-3 teaspoons dijon mustard (more or less to taste)
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Candied Walnuts
- 1 cup raw walnut halves
- 1 Tbsp salted butter
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon water
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Rosemary Baguette Croutons:
- ½ loaf 2 day old baguette bread, sliced and torn into 1" pieces
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh minced rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a jar combine all the ingredients for the honey mustard balsamic vinaigrette. Place the lid on the jar and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Season to taste with additional honey, salt and pepper if needed.
- Start on the candied walnuts. Heat a non stick skillet over medium high heat. Add the salted butter. Once the butter melts, add the walnut halves. Toast for 1 minute. Next, add the sugar, water, cinnamon and salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly being careful not to burn the walnuts.
- Transfer the walnuts immediately to a parchment lined cookie sheet. Using a wooden spoon, separate the walnut pieces. As the walnuts cool they will harden and stick together if you don't separate them. Set them aside to cool while you start on the croutons.
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Toss the baguette pieces with the olive oil, rosemary, garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste. Spread evenly on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Toast in the oven for 20 minutes. While the croutons are toasting, start assembling the salad.
- In a large salad bowl toss the spring mix, chicken, cranberries, feta, sliced apple and candied walnuts. Add the toasted croutons. Add desired amount of honey mustard balsamic vinaigrette and toss well. Top with fresh parmesan if desired. Enjoy!
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