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Apple Salad is a simple revolution of ingredients that results in a most welcome side dish. Immediately inviting to see, yet deceptively easy to make, this salad will please eaters year round — a refreshing and delicious change from the usual, that will be gobbled up.
Apple Salad is perfect for almost every eating style, including those with dietary restrictions, and is super healthy — providing fiber and good ingredients for digestion.
Gluten-free, Paleo, AIP, Whole30, VAD, Anti-Inflammatory, Vegan, GAPS and even Low Oxalate and Low Salicylate if made with the right kind of apples.
Jump to RecipeIngredients in Apple Salad
The only two ingredients in Apple Salad are: fresh apples and fresh lemon juice.
No sweetener is needed or used, so this salad is both sweet and savory. It fits great in settings where you’d see cucumber salad, but it’s sweeter from the fresh apple, so it’s its own unique genre of deliciousness.
Variations on the recipe
Apple Salad is also wonderful with more ingredients added.
You can add one or more of these, but I think you should try the salad with just apples and lemon juice the first time, because it’s that good. 🙂 And simple is part of what makes this salad so unusual and special.
Then, dress it up, according to the season or occasion with other ingredients if you wish.
My family loves these additions:
- fresh pomegranate arils
- raisins
- walnuts (not for AIP)
- halved kiwi slices
- fresh mint
- small slices of crystallized ginger (not for AIP or several other diets); this one is good with both walnuts and raisins added in, too
What varieties of apples are the best for this salad
I like apples that are crunchy, juicy, tart and sweet: Fuji, Pink Lady and Braeburn. Occasionally, I can find Honeycrisp apples that live up to their hype, but usually they’re not that great.
See what you can find that’s crunchy and flavorful is always my first goal with apples!
How to make Apple Salad
- Peel the apples. (Like cucumber salad, with peeled cucumbers, it’s important to peel the apples to give the salad the right texture and flavor.)
- Slice apples thinly, about a 1/4-inch thick.
- Place apples in serving bowl. Add fresh lemon juice. Toss well to coat, and serve.
Make apple salad shortly before serving, or ahead of time.
What to serve Apple Salad with
This lovely side dish goes great with chicken dishes, for dinner. It’s also welcome with any BBQ meal.
While we usually eat Apple Salad with dinner, it’s also perfect for lunch and could even work beautifully with breakfast.
Additional meals that it would work well with: buffets, mezzas, Asian meals, alongside certain pastas, meals with a variety of salads, including pasta salad, potlucks, any fall or winter themed meal, holiday meals, with sandwiches or wraps.
Apple Salad (Paleo, Whole30, AIP, Vegan)
Equipment
- veggie peeler
- knife
- salad or mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 2 whole apples peeled and sliced about ¼" thick. I like to cut each slice in half, so they're bite-size.
- ½ to 1 large lemon juiced, or 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Peel the apples. (Like cucumber salad, with peeled cucumbers, it's important to peel the apples to give the salad the right texture and flavor.)
- Slice apples thinly, about a ¼" thick.
- Place apples in serving bowl. Add fresh lemon juice. Toss well to coat, and serve.
- Make apple salad shortly before serving, or ahead of time.
Naomi says
Oh Megan, Megan, Megan, you have no idea how you have just changed my life! I made this simple apple salad yesterday and it instantly blew me away! I bought some Fugi apples but they also had some called Envy that were super large and seemed firm and so I bought one to try. That may be my new favorite apple! They are crisp and juicy, and large! I peel all my apples because I haven’t found a good way to remove wax from them (not really a fan of placing them in boiling water – wouldn’t that sort of cook them a little bit? The one time I tried it they turned brown right under the skin.) Anyway, so I peeled my huge apple and cut it like you said and added the juice of the whole lemon to it (not wanting to deal with half a lemon left over). Even though you were raving about this salad, I wasn’t really expecting to like it all that much; but I took my bowl of apple salad to the table and had a taste on the way. My taste buds practically exploded! This stuff is wonderful and I was thinking as I ate it, it tastes like crunchy lemonade. I love lemonade but don’t ever have it because I don’t want the sugar required to make it taste good (I don’t use artificial sweeteners and somehow maple syrup and honey don’t fit the bill like sugar does.) This isn’t a drink but it somehow satisfies like a glass of lemonade does. A lovely side benefit is that if you have leftovers the lemon prevents the apple from browning. I ate half of the salad for dinner, and the remainder was my breakfast this morning. Still just as lovely as last night. Everybody, y’all have to make this! Just do it! You won’t be sorry. I’ll be sharing this recipe with my fruitarian group and I know they will love it.
Megan says
Hi Naomi, this is so sweet and awesome to hear! It is just exciting when you feel a certain way about a recipe or a taste and then someone makes it and feels the same way. I’m SO glad this salad brought you enjoyment! Thank you for the rave review and for sharing all of your helpful specifics. YAY! 🙂 Yes, amazing how two ingredients that are so simple can blow you away. And I like how you liken the sweetness of the apples to sugar in lemonade, such a pairing without any sugar, how neat! Thank you for sharing about the Envy apple variety. I have seen it, but I’m not sure if we’ve tried it before. I will seek it out.
Varnamala says
Cant wait to try this recipe…never made an apple salad but taking it to a friend’s home for dinner!! Thank you for the great ideas!
Megan says
Great to hear, and I hope all enjoy! 🙂