Easy Recipes
Apple Salad with Crisp Apples, Celery, Grapes, Walnuts and Dried Cranberries
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: None
Servings: 6
This apple salad is crisp, creamy, and lightly sweet. Fresh apples and celery bring the crunch, grapes add juicy sweetness, and walnuts and dried cranberries give each bite extra flavor. It works as a side dish for lunch, a holiday meal, or a make-ahead gathering.
Ingredients
For the salad
- 3 medium crisp apples, such as Honeycrisp or Granny Smith
- 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 1½ cups seedless red grapes, halved
- ¾ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
- ½ cup dried cranberries
For the dressing
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- â…› teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Make the dressing. In a large bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, honey, salt, and black pepper until smooth. Taste and adjust the honey or lemon juice if you prefer a sweeter or tangier dressing.
- Prepare the fruit and celery. Core the apples and cut them into bite-sized pieces. You can leave the skins on for color and texture. Thinly slice the celery and halve the grapes.
- Coat the apples. Add the chopped apples to the dressing as soon as you cut them. Toss gently so the lemon juice in the dressing coats the pieces and helps slow browning.
- Combine the salad. Add the celery, grapes, walnuts, and dried cranberries. Fold everything together until evenly coated. Stir gently to keep the apple pieces intact.
- Chill and serve. Cover and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes if you have time. Give the salad another gentle stir before serving. For extra crunch, reserve a few walnuts and sprinkle them over the top just before it goes to the table.
Tips
Choose apples that feel firm and crisp. Honeycrisp gives the salad a sweet flavor, while Granny Smith adds tartness. Using one tart apple with two sweet apples creates a good balance.