This crowd-pleasing apple salad is full of crunchy, sweet-tart apples and crisp greens, all topped with creamy, nutty Asiago cheese for just the right balance. A maple-Dijon vinaigrette ties everything together with that lovely sweet-tangy finish you'd expect from Mediterranean-style eating. It comes together in about 10 minutes, making it an easy, wholesome side salad recipe for weeknights, cozy fall meals, or holiday spreads.

A salad consisting of leafy spring mix greens, sliced apples, shaved Asiago cheese, toasted walnuts, and dried cranberries. The salad is dressed with maple-Dijon vinaigrette and accompanied by extra dried cranberries and salad tossers. A red apple sits nearby as an accent.

I paused before adding this apple salad with Asiago cheese to my calendar because there are so many of these greens-apples-walnuts concoctions already. However, part of what I like to write about at Parsley & Parm is how a little extra attention to detail can turn a good recipe into something really excellent. This side salad recipe is a perfect example for how well that can work.

How to elevate your apple salad to something special

The simpler your salad, the more difference the quality and handling of the ingredients and minor prep adjustments will make to the final dish. I won't try to tell you that I do all of these steps every time I make this salad, but I do them whenever I have the time. My family and I think these adjustments are worth the small bit of extra effort:

Shock your greens in ice water for perfect texture and color. Yes, even your pre-washed salad mix! I promise, you'll never want to go back to eating wilted, lackluster greens. I do the same thing in all of my salads that contain greens, including the arugula in this farro and arugula salad with sweet potato.

Fill a large bowl halfway with water and add a tall glass full of ice (I use the bowl of my salad spinner).
Plunge your greens into the ice bath and allow them to sit while you prepare the rest of your meal.
Just before serving, lift the greens out of the water, give them a good shake, and spin them in your salad spinner before adding them to your salad bowl.
You can also shock your greens right when you get home from the grocery store and store them in the refrigerator. The extra plumpness will last a day or two.

Pick the best apples for the job. First, look for an apple variety known for being crunchy. Cosmic Crisp, Braeburn, Pink Lady, and Gala apples are all known for their firm, crisp textures and have the sweet-tart flavor we're looking for.

Toast your walnut pieces for depth of flavor. This step can be skipped, but the toasted walnuts add a richness that, along with the cheese, is a really excellent counterpoint to the sweet, tart and tangy flavors in this apple salad.

For a special occasion, try candied nuts. These maple syrup candied pecans from Fit as a Mama Bear would also be divine in this recipe! Maple syrup has a lower glycemic load than sugar, and the little bit of sweet boost makes this a great Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner side salad.

Ingredients and substitutions

Ingredients for apple and asiago salad include salad greens, asiago cheese, walnuts, dried cranberries, apples, apple cider vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and kosher salt.

Walnuts - I buy most of my nuts at Trader Joe's, which has quality nuts at affordable prices. Pecans are also delicious in place of the walnuts.
Apple cider vinegar - My favorite ACV is Bragg Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar, but the Heinz floating around in your pantry will work just fine.
Pure maple syrup - Please, no Log Cabin or other maple-flavored syrup...get the real stuff! Cost Plus Worldmarket carries travel-sized maple syrup, and most store brands (such as Kroger's Simple Truth Organics) are good quality and affordable as well.
Dijon mustard - Use the best Dijon mustard you can find and afford. Safeway has a nice store-brand Dijon in a convenient squeeze bottle. I typically use Maille Dijon.
Fine sea salt - I use fine sea salt to season all of my vinaigrettes.
Extra virgin olive oil - I am a big fan of Graza olive oils, which are single-origin, minimally processed olive oils produced in Spain. I use their "Drizzle" EVOO in this dressing.
Apples - Super-crunchy sweet-tart apples really elevate the texture of this salad. My favorite variety is Cosmic Crisp, but Braeburn, Pink Lady, and Gala apples work well too.
Mixed greens - Use your favorite baby greens mix in this salad. If you have the time, shock your greens in ice water for 10-20 minutes to make them bright and crisp.
Dried cranberries - I always use the low sugar version. Any kind of dried berry (dried cherry, dried blueberries, dried berry mix) will work in place of the cranberries.
Asiago cheese - Asiago cheese is available in the deli cheese department at most grocery stores. The best alternative for Asiago cheese that I have found is Manchego, which is a Spanish cheese that is widely available. Parmesan is good too, though it will have a sharper, saltier flavor.

Apple and Asiago Salad features crisp salad greens, crunchy apples, sweet-tart dried cranberries, and toasted walnuts. It is dressed with maple-Walnut vinaigrette. Extra walnuts and cranberries sit nearby.

Meal prep strategies

Get your apple salad on the table even faster with these prep-ahead ideas:

Make your maple-Dijon vinaigrette up to a week ahead and store it in the refrigerator. Better yet, make a double or triple batch and use it on your salads all week!
Toast the walnuts up to a week before serving. I recommend storing them in the refrigerator to keep them fresh.
Shred or shave the Asiago cheese several days ahead and refrigerate it in a sealed container.
Slice your apples 2-3 hours ahead and toss them with the vinaigrette. Keep them refrigerated in a sealed container until you are ready to serve. Please note they won't be as crunchy if you do this, but it's a good strategy for holiday side salads and potlucks.
Be sure to toss the salad with the greens just before serving. Salad greens start breaking down quickly once they are dressed.

This image features a bowl filled with salad consisting of spring mix greens, shaved Asiago cheese, toasted walnuts, sliced apples, and toasted walnuts. It is dressed with a maple-Dijon vinaigrette and has been tossed using the salad tossers in the bowl.

Storing leftovers

Store leftover salad in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It won't be as good as a freshly tossed salad, but leftovers are often still enjoyable the next day. Shocking your greens in ice water before assembling your salad can help them stay a little crunchier as leftovers.

The maple-Dijon vinaigrette will last for a week in the refrigerator.

Did you make this recipe?

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More side salad recipes from Parsley & Parm:

Apple and asiago salad in a bowl, featuring crisp salad greens, sliced red and green apples, shaved asiago cheese, toasted walnuts, and tart dried cranberries. It is dressed with an easy maple-Dijon vinaigrette.

SAVE PIN PRINT

5 from 6 votes

Apple Salad with Asiago Cheese and Maple-Dijon Vinaigrette

Recipe By: Lisa Porter

This easy side salad features sweet-tart apples, nutty, creamy Asiago cheese, and bright, crisp greens finished off with a zippy maple-Dijon vinaigrette.

Prep Time15

Total Time15

Calories267.4kcal

Protein5.4g

Servings 6 as a side salad

Ingredients

½ cup walnut pieces
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt see notes
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 sweet-tart apples such as Cosmic Crisp
4 cups mixed greens
½ cup dried cranberries low sugar
2 ounces Asiago cheese shaved or grated

Instructions

Fill a large bowl or the bowl of your salad spinner halfway with cool water, and add a large glass of ice. Plunge your greens into the cold water and set aside to crisp.
Place a skillet on the stove over medium heat. Add the walnut pieces and toast, stirring frequently, until their color starts to deepen and they begin to smell toasty. This should take 4-5 minutes. Watch them carefully so they don't burn! Remove to a plate or bowl and set aside to cool.
½ cup walnut pieces
Make the dressing: place the apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, sea salt, and EVOO in a jar with a lid and shake well for at least 15 seconds. Alternatively, use an immersion blender or a whisk to mix. Dip a piece of lettuce into the dressing and give it a taste, and add more salt by the pinch if needed.
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Core and slice (or chop) your apples.
2 sweet-tart apples
Drain and spin your greens and add them to a salad bowl or platter. Add the apples, dried cranberries, toasted walnuts, and Asiago cheese. (NOTE: If you are not serving the salad immediately, I recommend tossing the apples with a bit of dressing and keeping them separate to prevent browning.)
4 cups mixed greens, ½ cup dried cranberries, 2 ounces Asiago cheese
Just before serving, add the dressing to the salad and toss to combine. Top with extra Asiago cheese if desired.

Notes

Seasoning the dressing: If you are using kosher salt, start with the same amount, and taste carefully-you may need an extra pinch at the end.
If you are using table salt, start with ¼ teaspoon.

Sweet-tart apples are best in this salad; sweet-tart varieties include Cosmic Crisp, Gala, Pink Lady, and Braeburn.

Manchego cheese is the best alternative for Asiago cheese, and Parmesan cheese will work too.

Nutrition*

*All nutritional values are estimates only. They are calculated by an online resource.

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