Crisp Apple Salad with Lemon Yogurt Sauce
This sweet and tangy Apple Salad with Lemon Yogurt Sauce recipe is easy to throw together for a weeknight side dish and great for a special occasion. Crisp apples in a zesty sauce with raisins and nuts make a flavorful combination with any pork dish, roast turkey, and grilled meats.
- Prep Time: 20
- Total Time: 20
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: chopping
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Units Scale
Yogurt Sauce
- Zest of one lemon
- 1 lemon, juiced-divided
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries, cherries, or golden raisins
- 1 cup plain, unsweetened yogurt*
- 2–3 Tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, optional
Salad
- 4 Gala or Honeycrisp apples, medium size
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped unsalted walnuts, pecans, or slivered almonds
Instructions
- Prep Ingredients. Zest the lemon. Cut the lemon in half and juice it. Place half the lemon juice in a small bowl with the dried fruit to plump them. Preheat a nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat on the stovetop (no oil needed). Toast nuts in the pan until slightly browned and fragrant, about 3 – 5 minutes. Allow nuts to cool. Core and dice apples. Dice celery.
- Combine Yogurt Sauce. Stir yogurt, honey, remaining lemon juice, lemon zest, and spices in a serving bowl.
- Add Salad Ingredients. Add celery, apple pieces, and half the nuts to the yogurt sauce and mix until combined. Add dried fruit with lemon juice.
- Garnish. Top salad with reserved nuts and a few dashes of cinnamon sprinkled on top. Serve cold.
Notes
*Plain, unsweetened yogurt can be cow—or plant-based. You can use homemade, Greek, or standard yogurt, with the fat content you prefer. I like yogurt made from whole milk because it is generally processed less than skim or fat-free varieties. For the Mediterranean diet, use whole milk yogurt; for SCD, use homemade yogurt. For a detox meal, sweeten coconut or plant-based yogurt with dates soaked and pureed in the food processor.
