What is apple walnut salad?

This vibrant, fall-inspired salad balances sweet, juicy Honeycrisp apples with peppery arugula and buttery butter lettuce, salty, creamy goat cheese, caramelized maple walnuts, and crisp prosciutto. It’s all brought together with a bright maple-Dijon apple cider vinaigrette, then topped with extra prosciutto, walnuts, and goat cheese.

It’s a light yet satisfying dish, perfect for holiday gatherings, dinner parties, or a quick, elegant lunch.

Why you’ll love this fall-inspired salad

• It’s packed with colorful, fresh ingredients, loaded with protein from the prosciutto and goat cheese, and contrasting sweet and salty flavors from the maple walnuts and vinaigrette.
• You can serve it immediately or prep the salad components ahead to assemble just before serving for maximum ease.
• Enjoy it as a light meal or a stunning side to a fall or winter main dish.

Ingredients needed to make apple walnut salad with crispy prosciutto

• Baby arugula: Peppery and tender, it forms the base of the salad and balances the sweetness of the apples.
• Curly endive (frisée): ruffled, curly leaves.
• Honeycrisp apples: Sweet, juicy, and crisp. Thinly slice them for the perfect bite in every forkful.
• Prosciutto: When baked until crisp, it becomes irresistibly crunchy and intensely savory.
• Goat cheese: Creamy, tangy, and crumbled over the top for a rich contrast to the crisp ingredients.
• Shallot: Very thinly sliced for a gentle, mild bite that doesn’t overpower the other flavors.
• Walnuts: Toasted and caramelized with maple syrup and a pinch of salt for a sweet, buttery crunch. Leave a few beautiful halves intact for garnish.
• Maple syrup: Used both for caramelizing the walnuts and in the dressing for a warm, autumnal sweetness.
• Kosher salt: A pinch enhances the caramelization of the walnuts.
• Salad dressing: A combination of extra-virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, pure maple syrup, Dijon mustard, fresh garlic, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Taste to test and easily adjust to suit your flavor preferences.

How do you make apple walnut salad with crispy prosciutto 

Crisp the prosciutto:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and arrange the prosciutto in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 
2. Bake for about 8-10 minutes, until crisp. It will continue to crisp as it cools. 
3. Once cool, break it into larger bite-size pieces.

Make the maple walnuts:

1. Add the walnuts to a dry skillet over medium heat and toast for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. 
2. Drizzle in the 2 tablespoons maple syrup and add a pinch of salt. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the walnuts are glossy and caramelized.
3. Immediately transfer the nuts to parchment paper, separating them a little so they don’t become one big cluster. 
4. Let them cool completely, then roughly chop some while leaving a few beautiful halves intact. 

Make the dressing:

1. Add the dressing ingredients to a jar. Cover and shake vigorously until creamy and emulsified. 
2. Taste and adjust salt or vinegar if needed.

Assemble the salad:

1. Add the arugula and Curly endive (frisée) to a large shallow serving bowl. 
2. Layer in the sliced apples and shallots. Add the goat cheese, maple walnuts and crispy prosciutto.
3. Just before serving, drizzle with about half to two-thirds of the vinaigrette and gently toss. Add more dressing as desired. 
4. Finish with a few pieces of crispy prosciutto, walnuts and goat cheese on top so all those gorgeous ingredients remain visible.
5. Serve immediately!

Serving

Enjoy this stunning apple walnut salad as a beautiful side to an array of fall and winter main dishes, such as roast chicken, pork tenderloin, pot roast, or a hearty pasta bake.

You could also easily turn it into a light main meal with the addition of shredded rotisserie chicken or sliced grilled chicken.

This salad would also be a lovely addition to other party appetizers, like baked brie and crostini.

Have leftover apples? Use them to make any number of delicious fall treats, such as Apple Fritter Bites, Apple Crisp Recipe Without Oats, or Apple Cake with Custard Sauce. 

More fall salads you may want to try:

• Roasted Yam Arugula Salad
• Kale Crunch Salad
• Poached Pear Salad
• Harvest Fall Salad Recipe

Print

Apple Walnut Salad with Crispy Prosciutto

This crisp, sweet, salty apple walnut salad with crispy prosciutto comes together in just 30 minutes! The perfect side for fall gatherings, holidays, and weeknight dinners.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 454kcal

Author Sandy Coughlin

Equipment

• Large Salad Bowl

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 5 oz baby arugula
• 1 small head Curly endive (frisée) torn into bite-size pieces
• 2 large Honeycrisp apples thinly sliced
• 4 oz prosciutto
• 4 oz goat cheese crumbled
• 1 small shallot very thinly sliced
• 1 cup walnut halves
• 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
• Pinch of kosher salt

For the maple-Dijon apple cider vinaigrette:

• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1½ Tbsp pure maple syrup
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 small garlic clove finely grated
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F and arrange the prosciutto in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Bake for about 8-10 minutes, until crisp. It will continue to crisp as it cools.
• Once cool, break it into larger bite-size pieces.
• Add the walnuts to a dry skillet over medium heat and toast for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Drizzle in the 2 tablespoons maple syrup and add a pinch of salt. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the walnuts are glossy and caramelized.
• Immediately transfer the nuts to parchment paper, separating them a little so they don’t become one big cluster.
• Let them cool completely, then roughly chop some while leaving a few beautiful halves intact.
• Add the dressing ingredients to a jar. Cover and shake vigorously until creamy and emulsified.
• Taste and adjust salt or vinegar if needed.
• Add the arugula and frisée lettuce to a large shallow serving bowl.
• Layer in the sliced apples and shallots. Add the goat cheese, maple walnuts and crispy prosciutto.
• Just before serving, drizzle with about half to two-thirds of the vinaigrette and gently toss. Add more dressing as desired.
• Finish with a few pieces of crispy prosciutto, walnuts and goat cheese on top so all those gorgeous ingredients remain visible.
• Serve immediately!

Video

Notes

Sandy’s tips:

• Salad storage: This apple walnut salad is best served immediately, although you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. Keep in mind that the crunchy components will start to soften over time, and the apples may brown.
• Make ahead: Make the dressing and store it in a glass jar in the fridge for up to a week. I prefer to keep my homemade dressings in mason jars (especially to show off their pretty vibrance), but any sealable jar or airtight container will work. It’s normal for the fats to solidify in the fridge – just bring the chilled dressing to room temperature and give it a good shake or whisk before using again. You can also crisp the prosciutto and make the maple walnuts up to 2 days ahead and store them in separate airtight containers at room temperature.
• Skin-on: I prefer to keep the apples unpeeled as the red Honeycrisp skin looks beautiful against the salad greens. 
• Shake before use: Shake the salad dressing jar vigorously for at least 30 seconds to ensure the dressing doesn’t separate too quickly.
• Drizzle just before serving: I prefer to dress the salad ingredients with this maple-Dijon vinaigrette just before serving to keep the greens crisp and the prosciutto crunchy.

Nutrition

Calories: 454kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 434mg | Potassium: 505mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 2962IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 144mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Apple Walnut Salad with Crispy Prosciutto appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.

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