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Apple Arugula Salad

Apple arugula salad with crisp thin apple slices, toasted walnuts, and shaved Parmesan in a lemon-honey Dijon vinaigrette. Quick toss method keeps the apples bright and the greens peppery and fresh.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 360
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Baby arugula
  • 6 cup baby arugula baby arugula
Crisp apples
  • 2 crisp apples thinly sliced
Walnuts
  • 1 cup walnuts toasted; measure after toasting if possible
  • 0.5 walnuts
Shaved Parmesan
  • 0.33 cup shaved Parmesan
Dried cranberries
  • 0.25 cup dried cranberries
Olive oil
  • 0.25 cup olive oil
Lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
Honey
  • 1 tbsp honey
Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
  • Salt and pepper to taste to taste

Method
 

Make the vinaigrette
  1. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until emulsified. Stop when the dressing looks glossy and uniform with no oil streaks.
Assemble the salad
  1. Toss apple slices with a spoonful of the dressing to prevent browning. Coat the slices lightly so they stay crisp and bright.
  2. Add baby arugula to a large bowl and top with apples, toasted walnuts, and dried cranberries. Spread the toppings so every forkful has a mix of textures.
  3. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and toss gently. Visual cue: the greens should look lightly coated, not drowned.
  4. Top with shaved Parmesan and serve immediately. Add it at the end so it stays airy rather than melting into the vinaigrette.

Notes

For the freshest flavor, slice the apples and toss them with a spoonful of vinaigrette right away to limit browning. Store assembled salad covered in the refrigerator up to 1 day, but keep the Parmesan separate if possible for best texture. Freezing is not recommended. For a dietary swap, use maple syrup instead of honey for the same sweet-tang vinaigrette profile.