You may be familiar with the classic Spanish recipes for salads such as the ensalada de zanahoria and the ensalada de espinacas, but others provide creative twists.
The ensalada de manzana is one of them, blending sweet and savory flavors to perfection, with an amazing crunchy texture that you get from the apples and walnuts.
Continue reading this article to learn how to prepare this recipe at home, with some expert tips for storing, serving, and ingredient replacements that you could follow.
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Background of the Dish
Spanish salad ideas are infinite, and Southern Spain is the home of some of the most innovative and flavorful combinations, often incorporating fresh, local ingredients and giving them a twist.
The ensalada de manzana is one of them, and it was developed as a way to give a new life to traditional salad recipes by combining the crispness of apples with unique flavors and textures.
Other modern Andalusian salads include the honey mustard chickpea salad and the apple manchego salad, but the ensalada de manzana stands out thanks to its freshness and variety of flavors.
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Things You’ll Need for Ensalada de Manzana
To prepare one of the best Spanish salad recipes, you will need apples, nuts, celery stalks, mayonnaise, yogurt, and honey as the main ingredients.
Ingredients
- 5 large apples (Granny Smith or any tart variety)
- 1 cup (120gr) walnuts
- 1 celery stalk
- 1/2 cup (70gr) raisins or dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup (110gr) mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup (60gr) plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped (optional, for garnish)
- 5 candied cherries for garnish (optional)
How to Make Ensalada de Manzana – Step by Step Guide
- For the first step in this apple salad recipe, wash the apples, and remove the core and seeds. You could peel the apples, but it isn’t necessary if you clean them properly. Chop them into bite-sized squares and set aside.
- After that, cut the walnuts in half. Also, thinly slice the celery stalk.
- Now, to prepare the apple & walnut salad dressing you have to grab a small bowl and mix the mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper.
- Then, grab a large bowl and combine the diced apples, chopped walnuts, sliced celery, and raisins or dried cranberries.
- To continue with this Spanish summer salad recipe, pour the dressing on top of it. Gently toss the ensalada de manzana until everything gets coated with it.
- After that, cover the traditional Spanish salad with a lid, plastic wrap, or a clean plastic bag, and let it cool in the fridge for up to 30 minutes.
- Now, do a taste test and adjust the seasoning and dressing of the ensalada de manzana if desired.
- To finish this recipe, serve the ensalada de manzana cold as a side dish or an appetizer. Optionally, you can top it with chopped parsley and cherries.
Substitution of Ingredients
Something that we love about Spanish salad recipes is that they usually allow you to make a few ingredients as long as you have the main one, and fortunately the ensalada de manzana is no exception.
First, you can prepare this recipe with other types of apples, such as Fuji, Honeycrisp, or Gala, depending on your preference for sweetness and texture.
Besides that, you can make this apple salad with chicken, shrimp, tofu, or hard-boiled eggs to add more protein.
Different from other authentic Spanish salad recipes, this one calls for a creamy dressing that you can adapt by using dairy-free or vegan products if you prefer.
You will need fresh apples to make this recipe, but we have other easy Spanish salad recipes that feature ingredients that are available year-round, such as the chickpea and chorizo salad, the roasted beet salad recipe, and the summer chickpea salad.
Try our latest Spanish potato salad recipe with eggs, a nutritious and easy-to-make Spanish salad recipe or the chicken salad with yogurt.
Tips on Serving Ensalada de Manzana
The ensalada de manzana is the most refreshing side dish or appetizer that you can have, showcasing the perfect blend of sweet and salty flavors.
To add new flavor profiles, you can top the ensalada de manzana with crumbled feta cheese, sliced green onions, or a sprinkle of smoked paprika.
Besides that, you can serve it as the Spanish salad bowl and let your guests serve as much as they want, even adding smaller bowls with different toppings like grated cheese, bread croutons, or more nuts.
Lastly, there are more Spanish-style salad recipes that you can prepare this summer to have a fully Andalusian tapas table, such as the Spanish summer salad, the ensalada de remolacha, and the ensalada de pepino.
How to Store Ensalada de Manzana
The ensalada de manzana can only be stored for a couple of hours in the fridge because the apples may start to brown and lose their crispness, and the dressing can become watery over time.
If you are planning on storing it, then make the recipe but don’t add the Spanish salad dressing until right before serving, and be sure to do a taste test as well.
If you are looking for traditional Spanish salads or different dishes that could be stored for longer than that, then you can visit our Spanish apple empanada, basic chickpea salad, or gazpacho salad recipe.
Recipe Card: Ensalada de Manzana
Easy Ensalada de Manzana Recipe
You may be familiar with the classic Spanish recipes for salads such as the ensalada de zanahoria and the ensalada de espinacas, but others provide creative twists.
The ensalada de manzana is one of them, blending sweet and savory flavors to perfection, with an amazing crunchy texture that you get from the apples and walnuts.
Continue reading this article to learn how to prepare this recipe at home, with some expert tips for storing, serving, and ingredient replacements that you could follow.
Ingredients
- 5 large apples (Granny Smith or any tart variety)
- 1 cup (120gr) walnuts
- 1 celery stalk
- 1/2 cup (70gr) raisins or dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup (110gr) mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup (60gr) plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped (optional, for garnish)
- 5 candied cherries (optional for garnish)
Instructions
- Wash the apples, and remove the core and seeds. You could peel the apples, but it isn't necessary if you properly clean them beforehand. Chop into bite-sized squares.
- Cut the walnuts in half. Thinly chop the celery stalk.
- In a small bowl mix the mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper. This will be the dressing for the Spanish salad.
- In a large bowl, combine the diced apples, chopped walnuts, sliced celery, and raisins or dried cranberries.
- Pour the dressing on top of the apple salad. Gently toss it until everything gets coated with it.
- Cover the apple walnut salad with a lid, plastic wrap, or a clean plastic bag, and let it cool in the fridge for up to 30 minutes.
- To continue with this Spanish salad recipe, do a taste test and adjust the seasoning and dressing if needed.
- Serve the ensalada de manzana cold as a side dish or an appetizer. Optionally, top it with chopped parsley and candied cherries.
Notes
Like most salads with green apples, you can balance the acidic flavor with a touch of honey or another sweetener, along with creamy elements like yogurt or mayonnaise.
This recipe calls for a different dressing from the one that you will find in most traditional Spanish salad recipes, so if you are craving that one you must check out our Spanish chopped salad and our Spanish vegetable salad.
If you have a nut allergy or follow a dairy-free diet, then you can use other Spanish salad ingredients, such as olives, chickpeas, and roasted red peppers.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 485Total Fat 20gSaturated Fat 1.8gCholesterol 4mgSodium 176mgCarbohydrates 77.8gFiber 10.3gSugar 46.3gProtein 8.9g
Hola, I’m Paulina! Together with my team, we are passionate about Southern Spain. Here we share all you need to know for great times in Southern Spain with the best places to visit, stay and, of course, the best food to eat.
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