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If you’re looking for a beautiful, seasonal salad perfect for autumn, Fall, and Thanksgiving gatherings, this Honeycrisp Apple and Candied Pecan Salad is sure to impress! It has a combination of crisp fruits, creamy goat cheese, sweet and crunchy candied pecans, and a tangy homemade maple dressing.
We are days away from the biggest foodie holiday of the year! Since Thanksgiving is just days away and some of you have requested a salad recipe that would be perfect to serve at your Thanksgiving dinner, this Apple and Candied Pecan Salad is the answer!
This Autumn Salad is made with spring mix, honeycrisp apples, anjou pairs, candied pecans, dried cranberries, fresh pomegranates, cranberry goat cheese all tossed with a homemade maple dressing. It is not only stunning but tastes delicious as well!
It is the perfect balance of sweetness, crunch, and creaminess, it’s bound to be a crowd-pleaser.
Why you will love this Apple Candied Pecan Salad:
- FALL and WINTER FRUITS. The crisp, sweet honeycrisp apples, red anjou pears, sweet and tart dried cranberries, and fresh pomegranates are the stars of the show. This salad highlights everything in season right now.
- CANDIED PECANS. I love nuts in salads but what is even better than nuts in salads? Candied nuts. I grew up with a Mom who threw candied nuts in all of her sweet salads and it just made the salad. It is worth the extra step to make them sweet, savory, and nutty.
- FETA or GOAT CHEESE. The cheese adds that salty creaminess that pairs well with crisp apples and crunchy pecans. Use your favorite type of cheese in this salad. Another option is to add the cranberry goat cheese log, which is heavenly in this salad!
Ingredients:
- Spring Mix (or a mix of spring mix and arugula)
- Honeycrisp Apples
- Anjou Pears
- Candied Pecans
- Goat Cheese or Feta Cheese: I love to use feta cheese for saltiness or cranberry goat cheese for creaminess and sweetness.
- Dried Cranberries
- Pomegrante Seeds (optional)
- Homemade Maple Dressing
You can simplify this recipe by just using spring mix, honeycrisp apples, candied pecans, cheese, and dried cranberries.
How to make candied nuts:
It is so easy to whip up some candied nuts and they add crunch and sweetness to a salad. You can use your favorite type of nut — pecans, walnuts, almonds, etc. For this apple pecan salad, we are using pecans. Here is a simple method to make homemade candied nuts…
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add sugar, water, and salt. Cook until the sugar begin to melt and then add the pecans, stirring almost constantly until the nuts and coated and slightly caramelized.
Pour the nuts on a parchment paper or wax paper lined baking sheet and let them cool. Once the candied nuts have cooled, leave whole or chop into bite-size pieces.
Substitutions & Variations:
- Cheese: Swap feta or goat cheese with cranberry goat cheese or blue cheese, for a different flavor profile.
- Nuts: Use walnuts, almonds, or plain pecans instead of candied pecans for a less sweet salad.
- Fruits: Substitute pomegranate with dried cherries or just don’t use pomegranates at all.
- Greens: Use arugula or baby spinach in place of spring mix for a peppery kick.
- Dressing: Use your favorite type of dressing from the homemade maple dressing to a sweet poppyseed dressing. See below for more salad recipes with homemade sweet dressings.
More Salad Recipes:
If you are looking for some Thanksgiving inspiration, you can find all of my THANKSGIVING RECIPES HERE.
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Autumn Honeycrisp Apple Candied Pecan Salad
Ingredients
- 6 cups Spring Mix or Mixed Greens
- 1-2 Honeycrisp Apples (thinly sliced)
- 1 Anjou Pear
- 1/2 cup Dried Cranberries
- 2/3 cup Feta Cheese or Goat Cheese Crumbles (or cranberry goat cheese)
- 1/2 cup Pomegranate Seeds (optional)
Candied Pecans:
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Water
- 1 cup Pecans
- pinch of salt
Maple Dressing:
- 1/2 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar (or white vinegar)
- 3 to 4 Tablespoons 100% Real Maple Syrup
- 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the mixed greens. Top with sliced honeycrisp apples, sliced pears, cranberry goat cheese crumbles, dried cranberries, pomegranate seeds, and candied pecans (instructions below). Another option is to toss the greens with the maple dressing and then top with the other ingredients.
Candied Nuts:
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add sugar, water, and salt. Cook until the sugar begin to melt and then add the pecans, stirring almost constantly until the nuts and coated and slightly caramelized. Pour the nuts on a parchment paper or wax paper lined baking sheet and let them cool. Once the candied nuts have cooled, leave whole or chop into bite-size pieces.
Maple Dressing:
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, dijon mustard, maple syrup, salt, and pepper until well combined. Taste for seasonings and add more salt and pepper as needed.
- Toss the salad with the maple dressing and serve.
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This salad was fabulous! Really enjoyed the mix of flavors and textures. I brought it to friends last night for a combo Christmas/Hanukkah party and there was nothing left! I got a lot of compliments. I forgot to buy a pear while shopping for the other ingredients so used more of the apple, but will definitely try it with the pear the next time I make it. And really loved the cranberry goat cheese and pomegranate. While I think the presentation in the photo was beautiful, I was afraid it might be challenging to serve it that way so tossed it before adding the dressing. Thanks for a great recipe!
Thank you so much for making this recipe, Vicki! I am so glad glad everyone loved it!
This salad is so delicious. Amazing!!! I made this for my family dinner and it was definitely a crowd favorite and everybody loved it. This will definitely turn heads at your next dinner and I 100% recommend using this recipe!
Thank you for making this salad, Emily! I am so glad everyone in your family love this recipe.
Excellent salad….served to guests at Christmas holiday get together. Everyone commented on salad and how delicious it was. I think this is now my favorite salad!
That makes me so happy, Jennie! Thank you so much for making it.
Such a gorgeous salad! Love the combo of sweet fruit and creamy cheeses!