Orchard Crunch Salad with Creamy Dill Dressing
A modern take on a classic fruit and nut salad, featuring crisp apples and toasted walnuts in a tangy, herb-infused dressing. It’s a refreshing, texture-rich dish perfect for a light lunch or vibrant side.
Servings 6
Calories 364kcal
Equipment
- Small rimmed baking sheet
- Wide, shallow mixing bowl
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Whisk
- Serving platter
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 ½ cups raw walnut halves
- 3 medium sweet-crisp apples like Gala or Fuji, cored and diced
- 3 cups thinly sliced celery about 5-6 ribs
- 1 ½ cups red seedless grapes halved
- ⅓ cup finely chopped fresh dill
- ⅓ cup snipped fresh chives
For the Dressing & Seasoning
- ⅓ cup 80g labneh or strained plain Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ⅔ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- For Garnish
- Reserved celery leaves
- Extra fresh dill sprigs
Instructions
- Toast the Walnuts: Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Spread the walnut halves on the baking sheet and toast for 8–10 minutes, shaking the pan once, until fragrant and a shade darker. Remove from the oven and, while warm, toss with the smoked paprika. Set aside to cool completely, then roughly chop.
- Prepare Produce: While the nuts cool, dice the apples into ½-inch pieces. Slice the celery ribs thinly on a bias, reserving any tender leaves for garnish. Halve the grapes. Place the apples, celery, and grapes into the wide mixing bowl.
- Add Fresh Herbs: Add the finely chopped dill and snipped chives to the bowl with the fruit and celery.
- Whisk the Dressing: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the labneh, mayonnaise, fresh lemon juice, and maple syrup until smooth.
- Combine Salad: Pour the dressing over the apple mixture. Add the cooled, chopped walnuts. Using a spatula, gently fold everything together until evenly coated.
- Season and Serve: Sprinkle the sea salt and several grinds of black pepper over the salad and give it one final fold. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with reserved celery leaves and fresh dill before serving.
Notes
Storage: This salad is best enjoyed fresh. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Make-Ahead Tip: Prep components ahead of time: toast the nuts, chop the celery and grapes, and whisk the dressing; store each in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. Dice the apples and combine everything just before serving to prevent browning.
Ingredient Swaps: Swap walnuts for toasted pecans, or replace dill and chives with fresh tarragon and parsley for a different flavor.
🍽️ Nutrition (Per Serving, Approximate)
Serving Size: about 1 ¼ cups- Calories: 364
- Total Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 8 mg
- Sodium: 375 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 30 g
- Dietary Fiber: 5 g
- Total Sugars: 20 g
- Includes Added Sugars: 2 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Vitamin C: 11 mg
- Calcium: 93 mg
- Iron: 1.1 mg
- Potassium: 501 mg