Apple Pecan Salad with Raisins

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

 
Apples are one of the most popular fruits in America, and I feel sure 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.

Also … apple salads aren’t just for summer. They are popular year-round, and one of the recipes from my blog that ranks high 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.

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.

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.

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 apple cider vinegar. 

Place the cut apples in the water until you are ready to toss the salad.

The apple salad is a great appetizer but also a side dish. The apples are key ingredients in this salad, so always choose apples with a nice crunch to them. The best apples for salad are Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Fuji, Pink Lady, and Empire.

How do you prevent apple salad from turning brown?

If you are planning to make the salad a few hours before serving, coat the apples with an acidic juice, such as lemon or pineapple juice.

Other option is to keep the apples while you make the salad in a bowl with water and a drizzle of apple cider vinegar.

Tips for making ahead

• When making ahead, I recommend storing ingredients in a separate container and in a fridge. When ready, toss the ingredients and add desired dressing or Vegan mayo in this case.

How to store the apple pecan salad?

This recipe is best eaten immediately after serving. If saving for leftovers, use within 24 hours if the dressing (Vegan mayo) is being added. Without the dressing, this salad will last in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing the apple pecan salad.