Apple Celery Salad Walnuts (Printable)
Sweet apples and crunchy celery combine with toasted walnuts in a light lemon dressing for a fresh dish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Produce
01 - 2 medium apples (Gala or Granny Smith), cored and thinly sliced
02 - 4 celery stalks, thinly sliced
03 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
→ Nuts
04 - ½ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
→ Dressing
05 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
06 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
07 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
08 - ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - In a small dry skillet over medium heat, toast the walnuts for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Transfer to a plate to cool.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, honey (or maple syrup), Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until well combined.
03 - Add the sliced apples and celery to the bowl. Toss gently to coat with the dressing.
04 - Add the toasted walnuts and parsley. Toss again until evenly distributed.
05 - Serve immediately, or chill for up to 1 hour before serving for extra crispness.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It comes together in fifteen minutes flat, making it perfect for those nights when you want something fresh but have zero energy
- The contrast of crisp apples and celery against creamy walnuts keeps every bite interesting
02 -
- I learned the hard way that toasting walnuts directly from frozen makes them steam instead of toast—always start with room temperature nuts
- Granny Smith apples brown faster than Gala varieties, so toss them in dressing immediately if you are using the tart ones
03 -
- A mandoline makes perfectly thin apple slices, but a sharp knife and patience work just fine
- Make the dressing ahead and keep it separate until you are ready to serve so nothing gets soggy