Crunchy Celery Apple Salad with Cranberries and Walnuts

This crunchy celery apple salad with cranberries and walnuts takes 15 minutes: celery stalks sliced thin on the diagonal, a tart green apple, red onion, dried cranberries and toasted walnuts or pecans, in a dressing of olive oil, lemon, Dijon mustard and honey. We made it at home for Friday dinner, and it was the first salad to run out.

Why a Granny Smith apple

The salad is built on a balance of sweet and sour. The cranberries and honey bring sweetness, and a tart green apple like Granny Smith balances it. A sweet red apple would push the salad toward dessert. Granny Smith also has firm flesh that stays crisp next to the celery instead of turning watery. Cut it into matchsticks or small cubes, about the size of the celery slices, so every bite gets a bit of everything. For a vegan version, swap the honey for date syrup (silan); the taste stays very close.

Shake the dressing in a closed jar until it thickens and comes together. The mustard holds the oil and lemon juice together, so the dressing coats the vegetables instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.

Why the nuts go in last

Toasted nuts that sit in dressing soften within an hour and lose their crunch. So they go into the bowl right before serving, scattered on top. If your nuts aren't toasted, toast them for a few minutes in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, and let them cool before chopping.

Everything else can be made ahead. The celery, apple, onion and cranberries in their dressing keep for a few hours in the fridge, and the lemon in the dressing stops the apple from browning. Serve it as a side with chicken or fish, or next to couscous salad with roasted vegetables on a table of salads.

The recipe

Crunchy Celery Apple Salad with Cranberries and Walnuts

Thin-sliced celery, green apple, red onion and cranberries in a mustard, lemon and honey dressing, with toasted nuts added right before serving.

• Servings 4 to 6 side servings
• Prep 15 min
• Total 15 min

Print recipe

Ingredients

For the salad

• 5-6 celery stalks (with a few leaves, thinly sliced on the diagonal)
• 1 tart green apple (Granny Smith) (cut into matchsticks or small cubes)
• 1/2 cup / 60 g dried cranberries (preferably unsweetened)
• 1/2 cup / 50 g walnuts or pecans (toasted and roughly chopped)
• 1/4 cup / 40 g red onion (finely chopped)

For the dressing

• 3 tbsp / 45 ml olive oil
• 2 tbsp / 30 ml fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp / 5 ml Dijon mustard (smooth or whole-grain)
• 1 tsp / 7 g honey or date syrup (silan)
• 1/2 tsp / 3 g fine salt
• black pepper (a pinch)

Instructions

1. If your nuts aren't toasted, toast them for a few minutes in a dry skillet, let them cool and chop roughly.

2. Shake all the dressing ingredients in a closed jar until emulsified.

3. Put the celery, apple, onion and cranberries in a large bowl.

4. Pour over the dressing and toss.

5. Add the nuts just before serving so they stay crunchy.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far ahead can I make celery apple salad?
Up to a few hours in the fridge, dressed, but without the nuts. Add them just before serving so they stay crunchy.

Can I use the celery leaves?
Yes, the recipe calls for a few leaves along with the stalks. They have a stronger celery flavor, so keep it to a small handful.

What can I use instead of dried cranberries?
Raisins or chopped dried apricots. Choose unsweetened cranberries if you can, since the dressing is already sweet.

Is this celery salad vegan?
Not as written, because of the honey. Use a teaspoon of date syrup (silan) instead and it's vegan.