June 19, 2015
5

Apple Gorgonzola Salad

Apple Gorgonzola Salad – the best salad ever loaded with Granny Smith apples, crispy bacon, crumbled gorgonzola, and pecans with balsamic dressing!

Apple Gorgonzola Salad with a side of balsamic dressing

What apples are best for salads?

I love Granny Smith apples for this recipe. The tartness of a Granny Smith apple pairs so well with the sweet balsamic dressing.

But you can really use any type of apple you like. Honey crisp would be great in this salad too.

How do you keep apples from turning brown in this apple gorgonzola salad?

You can toss them with some lemon juice. But I feel like that tends to make the apples very tart. Another option would be orange juice.

You can also soak them in a salt water solution (half a teaspoon of kosher salt per cup of water). But that will leave them a little salty.

To be honest, I don’t mind the apples turning a little brown! It doesn’t change the flavor of the apples and it’s very normal. I think honey crisp apples turn the least brown. So I would use that type of apple if you are worried about browning but don’t want to change the flavor of the apples.

Dressing being poured on the apple gorgonzola salad

What to serve with this salad?

This would be wonderful with some steak. And maybe lemon parmesan asparagus on the side.

It would also be great with BBQ ribs or BBQ chicken nuggets.

Apple Gorgonzola Salad

The best salad ever loaded with Granny Smith apples, crispy bacon, crumbled gorgonzola, and pecans with balsamic dressing!
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Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4 as a side

Ingredients

For the salad:

  • 8 cups spring mix greens
  • 4 slices bacon cooked until crispy and crumbled
  • 1 medium Granny Smith Apple diced
  • 1/2 cup dried cherries or cranberries
  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1/2 cup toasted pecans or almonds
  • 1/4 cup Gorgonzola cheese crumbled

For the sweet balsamic dressing:

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons water
  • 1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

Instructions

To make the dressing:

  • Add all dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk ingredients together, until sugar and oil are blended. It may take a couple minutes – just keep whisking. Set aside.

To make the salad:

  • Toss everything together in a large bowl, except for the dressing, until combined. Pour desired amount of dressing overtop, toss and serve immediately.
If you make this recipe I'd love to hear in the comments!
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