This Apple Pecan Salad Recipe with delicious apples, crunchy pecans, feta cheese, red onions, berries and a delicious poppy seed dressing is a salad recipe everyone will love! So easy to make and a crowd pleaser!
APPLE PECAN SALAD
With apples almost in peak season, this Spinach Apple Pecan Salad is the perfect addition to your main dish. You can also simply throw some grilled chicken breasts or shrimp into this salad to make it stand on it’s own as a main dish instead of a side dish! This salad has so much flavor with or without the protein. Drizzle over the salad your favorite vinaigrette dressing, maple syrup, olive oil and vinegar, or dijon mustard.
WENDY’S APPLE PECAN SALAD
If you have ever tried Wendy’s apple pecan salad, this is just as tasty…if not better because you make it yourself with ingredients that you know are fresh! It’s a great go to recipe when you don’t want a heavy meal because of its lightness and crispness of fresh fruit and vegetables!
APPLE PECAN SALAD ADD INS
If you have some other ingredients you want to use, go ahead and switch things up! Salads are so fun because they can be so versatile and be filled with so much nutrition. Some variations you can use for this salad are the following.
- candied almonds (can make with pecans instead)
- almonds
- walnuts
- dried cranberries
- goat cheese
- blue cheese
- pine nuts
- strawberries
- raspberries
- orange slices
- mandarin oranges
- red onions
- blueberries
- pears
- raisins
- honeycrisp or granny smith apples
- chicken
- a grain like quinoa
INGREDIENTS IN APPLE PECAN SALAD
- mixed salad greens
- spinach
- gala apple
- blackberries
- pecans, candied (optional)
- feta cheese
HOW TO MAKE APPLE PECAN SALAD
This apple salad recipe is really such an easy recipe to make. The ingredients can just be tossed together in a large salad bowl with your leafy greens, lettuce and romaine lettuce and then eaten with your favorite salad dressing. The above listed ingredients can be used as substitutions or in addition to the salad ingredients we have in our fall pecan salad recipe. Just make sure to use bright and colorful fresh fruit to make your salad as appetizing for your eyes as it is for your taste buds! The textures of the fruit and nuts make this salad extra yummy!
HOW TO MAKE CANDIED PECANS
Easy Candied Pecans come together in only five minutes on your stovetop and and use four simple ingredients – pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
They take this salad from delicious to extraordinary, but candied nuts can also be used on yogurt, oatmeal, desserts, and for snacking.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a skillet with medium heat add 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 tbsp water, and 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon. Heat until bubbly and sugar dissolves.
- Add 1 cup pecan halves. Cook and stir until syrup thickens, about 2 minutes.
- Immediately transfer candied pecans to baking sheet and spread out. They will harden as they cool.
APPLE PECAN SALAD SUPPLIES
The total time to throw this salad together is very quick but there are a few things you can have on hand to make your apple pecan salad super easy to make.
- Salad Dressing Bottles
- Citrus Zester
- Lemon Juicer
- Salad Bowl
- Salad Serving Tongs
- Magic Bullet
- Salad Spinner
- Wooden Teaspoon Set
- produce wash
- marble serving bowl
WHAT PAIRS WELL WITH THIS SALAD
Although you can eat this delicious salad recipe as your main meal, sometimes it is nice to add a little something to pair with this salad. Here are some great options.
- breadsticks
- crusty bread
- homemade rolls
- roasted potatoes
- mashed potatoes
- cheesy potato casserole
- rosemary fries
- zucchini fries
- sweet potatoes
- grilled sandwiches
- panini sandwich
- grilled chicken
- grilled salmon
- fresh fruit
- fruit salad
- pasta salad
APPLE PECAN SALAD RECIPE
Apple Pecan Salad
Ingredients
- 6 cups mixed salad greens spinach
- 1 cup gala apple chopped
- 1 cup blackberries
- 1/2 cup pecans candied optional
- 1/3 cup feta cheese crumbled
Instructions
-
In large bowl, toss salad greens, apple, blackberries and pecans.
-
Sprinkle with feta cheese.
-
Serve with your favorite Poppy Seed Dressing.
OTHER SALAD RECIPES
- Citrus Berry Salad with Orange Vinaigrette Dressing
- Berry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
- Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
- Best Chicken Salad Recipe
- Italian Pasta Salad
- Cold Tortellini Salad Recipe
- Spring Veggie Pasta Salad
- Frog Eye Salad
- Raspberry Pretzel Salad
- Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
- Cafe Rio Cilantro Ranch Dressing Recipe
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Jill MATYASTIK says
I LOVE all the options listed – so helpful!
I’d like to make the candied nuts and don’t see any recipe amounts. How much brown sugar, maple syrup……? Thanks, JILL
Jill- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a skillet add 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 tbsp water, and 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon. Heat until bubbly and sugar dissolves.
Add 1 cup pecan halves. Cook and stir until syrup thickens, about 2 minutes.
Immediately transfer candied pecans to baking sheet and spread out. They will harden as they cool.
Fresh & crisp..I love this! I love all the different textures. This time of year, salads are my favorite!
Natalie- It really is so good!
Love, love, love this salad!! It’s healthy & light & I love the crunch from the pecans!
Kristyn- Thank you. It really is SO GOOD!
Just purchased the ingredients, will be having with dinner. Can hardly wait! Mouth watering. Thanks for sharing, yum!!!
Ivory- Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!