Description
This Holiday Honeycrisp Salad bursts with crisp apples, toasted pecans, and tangy vinaigrette—perfect for Christmas dinners or cozy winter gatherings.
Ingredients
½ cup light vegetable oil or extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup unsweetened apple juice or apple cider
2–3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 medium Honeycrisp apples, thinly sliced
Juice of ½ lemon (for coating apples)
12 ounces salad greens (spring mix, baby spinach, arugula, or romaine)
1 cup pecan halves, toasted or candied
¾ cup dried cranberries or dried cherries
4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
Instructions
1. Combine oil, vinegar, apple juice, honey, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a jar or bowl and shake until blended.
2. Toast pecans at 350°F for 7–10 minutes until fragrant; let cool.
3. Slice Honeycrisp apples and coat with lemon juice to prevent browning.
4. In a large bowl, layer salad greens, apples, pecans, cranberries, and blue cheese.
5. Add desired amount of vinaigrette just before serving and toss gently to coat.
Notes
The vinaigrette can be made 1–2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator; bring to room temperature and shake before using.
Toasted pecans can be prepared in advance and stored in an airtight container.
Apples can be sliced and coated with lemon juice a few hours before serving.
Use candied pecans for extra sweetness or swap blue cheese for feta or goat cheese.
Serve immediately after tossing for the best crisp texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Christmas Dinner Recipes
- Method: Tossed
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 17g
- Sodium: 356mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 11mg