This arugula apple salad recipe is a bright and fresh appetizer or side dish, with arugula greens, sliced apples, walnuts, tossed with a 5-minute honey vinaigrette dressing. It’s both simple and elegant, with a nice flavor combination from the peppery arugula and sweet apples and honey.
I absolutely love making this salad all year long, it makes the perfect starter or light lunch. Serve this salad with some toasted simple sourdough or alongside your favorite protein for a nice meal.
I absolutely love the flavor combination of apples and arugula – they balance each other so nicely tossed in this salad. The arugula has a wonderful peppery slightly bitter taste, which is a great vehicle for a sweet dressing and fresh fruit like apples.
I added some goat cheese to this salad too, for a wonderfully deep savory salty flavor in each bite.
Don’t be intimidated by making your own salad dressing, either! This super simple vinaigrette is made with pantry staple ingredients and only takes 5 minutes to make. Once I started making my own salad dressings at home, I haven’t bought any bottled dressings from the store. It’s amazing what a fresh dressing can do for a salad!
This Arugula Apple Salad with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette Dressing Is
- Bright
- Fresh
- Sweet & Savory
- Easy to Make
- Requires No Cooking
- Ready in about 15 Minutes
- Vegetarian
Simple Salad Recipes You’ll Make Again & Again
We absolutely love big bright salads, with fresh flavors and bold dressings. This arugula apple salad is the perfect combination of savory with pops of sweetness from fresh fruit and drizzle of honey.
There are NO boring salads here, we load up different toppings for tasty flavors, crunch, and creaminess. Some salads are light and delicate, some are hearty and satisfying. Browse through all our easy salads to find your next favorite.
What’s In This Arugula and Apple Salad Recipe?
I love shopping for fresh produce through Misfits Market – they sell groceries, healthy pantry staples, and fantastic food finds (even wine!) at a discounted price. Choose your favorite seasonal produce, save up to 40% off grocery store prices & save time by getting free delivery right to your door!
- Arugula – a bright fresh green, also known as rocket.
- Apples – I used honeycrisp, which were juicy, sweet, and really nice in this salad. You can use any variety of apple you like for this!
- Walnuts: for healthy fat and a nice crunch. Amazon actually has an amazing bag of walnuts for a really reasonable price – I buy a big bag like this and throw walnuts in my salads, oatmeal, and even smoothies for some extra healthy benefits!
- Goat Cheese – I love the bright, salty flavor of adding plain chevre goat cheese to this salad. If you don’t love goat cheese, you can substitute it for a sharp English cheddar or even a soft tangy brie.
- Olive Oil: I absolutely love this Zoe brand olive oil, which gives a nice fresh flavor to the dressing. Plus it’s a great value for the price, a liter is really inexpensive online here… and it goes great in this salad dressing, for sautéing, or just adding a drizzle to a soup.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: I use this apple cider vinegar to give this dressing a bright and fresh flavor! I’d recommend using an organic variety “with the mother” for all the added health benefits of ACV.
- Raw Honey: We use our own honey, straight out of the beehives! As beekeepers, we have plenty of raw honey so I try to use it in all my recipes instead of sugar. I’d recommend trying a local farmers market to find the best raw honey in your area. Or else, this raw organic honey online here is the next best thing.
What’s a Vegan Alternative to Honey?
You can substitute out the honey in this recipe for agave nectar or maple syrup. I prefer agave nectar, it’s my go-to kitchen sweetener because it’s thick, absolutely delicious, and buying organic agave is inexpensive online (compared to other organic sweeteners). It also bakes well, so I like to add it to my baked goods.
To make this salad vegan, omit the goat cheese or substitute in a plant-based cheese instead.
How Do I Make This Arugula and Apple Salad Recipe?
- Add the arugula greens to a large serving bowl. Top with the sliced apples, goat cheese, and walnuts.
- In a small mixing bowl or mason jar (I prefer using a jar), add all the salad dressing ingredients and mix well to combine.
- Pour the dressing over the salad, and toss well to every leaf of arugula is coated in dressing.
- Add fresh black pepper to the top of the salad, and serve immediately.
A Fresh Healthy Side Dish Everyone Will Love
This arugula apple salad is one of our favorite Easy Entertaining Recipes – it’s a crowd-pleaser dish that is always a major hit with company. These delicious recipes are perfect to treat your guests (or treat yourself!) when you have a special occasion for dinner.
Browse through our collection of Entertaining Recipes, that we love making for friends and family. If you’re heading to a party, potluck, or BBQ, check out my list of top host gifts for dinner parties for that next-level gift they will love!
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La Scala Chopped Salad – Copycat Recipe
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Get the Same Ingredients for This Apple and Arugula Salad
As always, if you make this easy apple and arugula salad recipe be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe, and tag me @theherbeevore on Instagram so I can feature you. I love seeing all your photos of my recipes!
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Arugula Apple Salad
Equipment
- Large Bowl
Ingredients
For the Arugula Pear Salad
For the Honey Vinaigrette Dressing
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add the arugula greens to a large serving bowl. Top with the sliced apples, goat cheese, and walnuts.
- In a small mixing bowl or mason jar (I prefer using a jar), add all the salad dressing ingredients and mix well to combine.
- Pour the dressing over the salad, and toss well to every leaf of arugula is coated in dressing.
- Add fresh black pepper to the top of the salad, and serve immediately.
Notes
Save Money on Fresh Groceries & Pantry Staples!
I get all the fresh produce for my recipes from my garden and from Misfits Market – they sell organic produce at a discounted price, and it’s purchased direct from farmers to reduce food waste. We get Misfit boxes every other week and love picking out our favorite seasonal produce for delivery. You can save up to 40% off grocery store prices. If you think produce delivery is too expensive… think again, and give Misfits Market a try!Nutrition
Or tag me @theherbeevore in your photo on Instagram!
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Always looking for new salads. This one didn’t disappoint