Name: Apple Pecan Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into bite-size pieces, about 2 medium apples; 1 cup Red Delicious apple, cored and cut into bite-size pieces, about 1 large; 1 cup shredded carrot (1 medium size); 1/4 cup raisins; 1/2 cup pecans, chopped; 1/4 cup dairy-free mayonnaise

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Apple Pecan Salad is ready to eat in less than 30 minutes and that includes the chilling time. Mixed varieties, more fruit and veggie ingredients make this healthy and vegan apple salad recipe shine with flavor.

Overhead photo of a cropped white plate full of tossed apple pecan salad.

Apples are one of the most popular fruit in America and I feel sure that they are in the top five in the world.

Just think of all of the varieties there are and all of the types that are your favorite. There are two varieties in this salad.

Granny Smith because it is always crisp and tart and Red Delicious because when it's fresh you can't find another that's crisper or sweeter. They are perfect together.

The other great thing about this apple salad recipe is that you can choose any of your favorites. All of the ingredients go with all of the varieties.

Jump to:

🥘 Ingredients
📖 Variations
🍎 Fun apple facts
🍏 Apple recipes
📋 Recipe

Closeup view of a forkful of apple salad with the plate behind.

Also ... apple salads aren't just for summer. They are popular year-round and one of the recipes from my blog that ranks high in every month of the year is this Apple Broccoli Salad. You may even have already tried it.

Let's talk ingredients!

🥘 Ingredients

Granny Smith, - always crisp and full of flavor.
Red Delicious - give a sweet crisp bite to the salad.
Carrot - is a sweet addition that adds an extra texture.
Raisins - more sweetness and chewing satisfaction.
Pecans - adds the perfect crunch that rounds out the textures.
Dairy-Free Mayonnaise - is used sparingly to meld the ingredients together.

An overhead photo of a bowl with all the raw chopped fruit and vegetables inside.

📖 Variations

Switch out the pecans for walnuts to get closer to the wildly popular Waldorf Salad.
Only use one variety.
You can add a few grapes.
Sliced and diced celery would be great for a contrasting flavor addition.
Use Fuji apples for a fantastic salad.
Add a teaspoon of organic sugar to the mayonnaise for a sweeter dressing.
You can even add sugar, lemon juice and salt to the mayo and you'll be very close to a Waldorf Salad dressing.

A side view of the ingredients being tossed with the apple salad dressing.

🍎 Fun apple facts

All 50 states grow apples.
The crabapple is the only one that's native to North America.
A bushel of apples is about 42 pounds.
So if someone loves you a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck - that's a lot!
There are over 7000 varieties of grown around the world.
One of George Washington’s hobbies was pruning his apple trees.
The largest and heaviest varieties are grown in Japan.
The top three apple producing states are Washington, New York and Michigan.
Thank goodness that apple season is July to November.
They can be eaten raw, baked, roasted, fried, grilled and whole, sliced, diced, grated and quartered.

Wide view of a forkful of apple salad leaning against the salad plate.

The salad is perfect for a small snack. It's mildly sweet, a tad savory, and a little tart, a great combination of flavors and textures.

Cut the apples right before tossing them with the dressing. This will help keep them from turning brown.

It's the air that makes sliced apples turn brown. A great way to deal with this is to fill a large bowl with water and a little cider vinegar.

Place the cut fruit in the water until you are ready to toss the salad. Quickly pat dry before tossing with the other ingredients.

It's really common to add a tad of sugar to the mayonnaise for apple salad recipes but the extra sweetness isn't needed with this recipe.

The raisins, carrots take care of all of the sweetness that you need.

Angled plate full of tossed apple salad on a white napkin and pecans sprinkled around.

🍏 Apple recipes

Apple Turnovers with Puff Pastry is so easy for that quick sweets craving.
If you’re looking for a delicious breakfast or brunch sweet then Vegan Coffee Cake with Apple Cinnamon Streusel is the one you’ll want to make.
Crockpot Apple Crumble is worry-free and darn good too.
The grated fruit is used in these delicious Apple Waffles.

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Find me on Pinterest for more great recipes!

Looking down at a serving plate with fresh fruit and veggies salad piled in the center.

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📋 Recipe