Description
A refreshing and sweet Apple Salad combining crisp Honeycrisp apples, crunchy celery, sweet grapes, pecans, and dried cranberries, all tossed in a creamy and lightly sweetened mayonnaise dressing. Perfect as a light side dish or a healthy snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruits and Nuts
- 4 large Honeycrisp apples, cubed
- 1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup dried cranberries
Dressing and Flavorings
- 1 lemon, juiced
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Prepare the apples: Toss the cubed Honeycrisp apples with fresh lemon juice to prevent them from browning and maintain their crisp texture.
- Make the dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and brown sugar until the mixture is smooth and creamy, ensuring the brown sugar dissolves well for balanced sweetness.
- Combine ingredients: Add the prepared apples, thinly sliced celery, halved grapes, chopped pecans, and dried cranberries into the bowl with the dressing. Gently stir until all ingredients are evenly coated with the creamy dressing.
- Chill: Cover the salad tightly with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Chilling allows the flavors to meld together and the salad to become refreshing and crisp when served.
Notes
- Using Honeycrisp apples provides a sweet and crisp texture, but other sweet-tart apples like Fuji or Gala can be substituted.
- The lemon juice is essential to prevent apple browning and to add a fresh acidity balance.
- Chilling the salad for longer than 30 minutes can enhance the flavor melding but avoid too long to keep the apples from becoming soggy.
- For a lighter version, substitute mayonnaise with Greek yogurt or a low-fat alternative.
- This salad can be served as a side dish for picnics, barbecues, or as a healthy snack at any time.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: apple salad, Honeycrisp apples, creamy salad, fruit salad, easy salad recipe, mayonnaise dressing, sweet salad, healthy side dish
