This simple salad is made with tart apples, salty cashews, and a simple homemade dressing! Try this salad when you need a quick and delicious meal.

Lately, I’ve been craving quick and simple salads and this apple cashew salad came together so easily, it’s a definite weeknight winner! This would be a great salad to pack for lunch or make on a busy evening. You can add your favorite protein to turn it into a full meal or just enjoy this as a little side salad!

apple cashew salad
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You only need a few pantry ingredients and this salad comes together in just a few minutes! The homemade dressing is super simple to make and it’s delicious paired with apples and cashews! Skip the bottled dressing and make this basic vinegarette at home!

Apple Cashew Salad Ingredients & Substitution Ideas

  • Olive oil- I like a bright, fruity olive oil like California Olive Ranch.
  • Red wine vinegar- This adds a nice tangy flavor but you can substitute with champagne vinegar if you prefer.
  • Lemon juice- I keep a jar of lemon juice in the fridge, but fresh lemon juice is great!
  • Romaine lettuce- I like a crunchy lettuce like romaine but you could also make this with spinach or a spring mix.
  • Granny smith apple- I like the tart crunch of a granny smith apple but you can substitute other apples.
  • Cashews- I like the flavor of a roasted, salted cashew but raw cashews are delicious too.
  • Parmesan cheese- This is optional and you can leave it out if you want to make this recipe vegan.
Apple Cashew Salad

Optional Protein Ideas

If you want to add a protein to your salad, here are a few ideas:

  • Canned chickpeas- This is an easy, vegetarian way to add plenty of protein and fiber.
  • Sunflower seeds- A sprinkle of shelled sunflower seeds is a great way to add a salty crunch with a little protein.
  • White beans- Cannellini beans or navy beans would also be delicious!
chickpeas

How to Wash Salad Greens

It’s important to properly wash and dry your salad greens, if they aren’t prewashed. Rinse them in a colander then place them in a salad spinner. Use a salad spinner to dry the leaves. If you don’t have a salad spinner, use paper towels to dry the leaves. Wet leaves will repel the dressing, making your salad watery and flavorless. Dry greens are key to a good flavor. When storing greens in the fridge, keep them in an airtight zipper top bag, with a paper towel placed inside. The paper towel will help absorb moisture and prevent the lettuce from wilting.

apple cashew salad

The cashews add such a perfect crunch, and the apples provide some delicious tartness. My only complaint is that they’re green and they blend in with the lettuce. It would probably be prettier with red apples. But the green ones are perfect here!

If you’re trying to decide what to pair with this apple cashew salad, try my penne rosa pasta or this creamy Tuscan tortellini!

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Apple Cashew Salad

Apple Cashew Salad

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Liz Thomson
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 large salad 1x
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: No Cook
  • Cuisine: Salad

Description

This simple salad is made with tart apples, salty cashews, and a simple homemade dressing! Try this salad when you need a quick and delicious meal.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • Pinch of salt
  • 3 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 1 small granny smith apple, cored and diced
  • 2 tablespoons roasted or raw cashews
  • 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, and salt.
  2. Toss the lettuce, apples, cashews, and parmesan with the dressing, and serve immediately.

I feel like there are probably a million variations of this salad. But for now, I’m just happy with the marriage of cashews + granny smith apples. Match made in heaven.

Looking for other easy salad recipes? Here are a few of my favorites!

Panera Greek salad

Modern Greek Salad (Panera Bread Copycat!)

fattoush salad

Simple Fattoush Salad

What’s your favorite simple salad?