Walnut Crisp Greens Salad (Printable)

Crisp greens combined with toasted walnuts, fruit, and a vibrant vinaigrette for a refreshing light dish.

# What You Need:

01 - 4 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, baby lettuce)

02 - 3/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

03 - 1 medium apple, cored and thinly sliced

04 - 1/3 cup dried cranberries

05 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese

06 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

07 - 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

08 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard

09 - 1 tsp honey or maple syrup

10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

01 - Toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

02 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until emulsified.

03 - Combine mixed greens, apple slices, dried cranberries, and cooled walnuts in a large salad bowl.

04 - Drizzle vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to evenly coat all ingredients.

05 - Sprinkle crumbled feta or goat cheese atop the salad if desired. Serve immediately.

01 -

It comes together in under 20 minutes, making it perfect for nights when you want something fresh but have no time.
The toasted walnuts stay crunchy even after the vinaigrette hits the greens, giving you that satisfying bite every single time.
It's endlessly flexible—swap the fruit, the cheese, the nuts—and it still tastes like something you meant to make.

02 -

Toast the walnuts in a completely dry pan—any oil from a previous dish will turn them bitter and ruin the whole thing.
Dress the salad as close to serving as possible, or the greens will start to wilt and lose that crunch that makes people go back for seconds.

03 -

Don't skip toasting the walnuts—raw walnuts taste flat and slightly bitter, but toasted ones become the hero of the salad.
If your vinaigrette breaks or separates, whisk it again with a tiny pinch of mustard to bring it back together.