Apple Brie Salad combines fresh, crisp apples with creamy Brie cheese, dried cranberries, and pecans in a fall salad that’s perfect for lunch, dinner, or holiday gatherings!
So. I got called out the other day. By my brother in law….who follows me on Facebook….and was apparently complaining to my sister: “She posts all this delicious looking food on Facebook….and then brings SALAD to family get togethers.” Oops.
He’s right – I do post a lot of delicious food. And I do bring a lot of salads to family get togethers! It’s just that…. I love salad! It’s one of my VERY favorite foods. And I sometimes forget that other people don’t love it as much as I do.
So what do I love so much about it? How about the fact that it’s basically a blank canvas for ALL your favorite toppings!? Savory, sweet, crunchy, creamy – I love them all. And I love combining them in different ways!
This Apple Brie Salad is the kind of salad I’ve been craving lately. Mostly sweet, a little bit savory, with plenty of different flavors and textures. And the BRIE! It’s soooo good with the apples!! It kinda makes me want to add brie to all my salads. Are you with me?
That being said… my brother in law’s complaint has been duly noted. And from now on, I’m making sure I have something cheesy or chocolatey in one hand, and the salad in the other.
what you’ll need for this recipe
Mixed greens – I used mixed greens as the base of this recipe. I like using a 50/50 blend with half spinach, half spring mix, because the spinach helps it hold up better to heavier ingredients like apples.
Apples – Fresh chopped apples are one of the key ingredients in this salad. I used Gala, but any of your favorite varieties will work well!
Brie cheese – Brie cheese is an unexpected yet delicious addition to this salad. I love how creamy and buttery it is and how it pairs with the sweet, crisp apples. You can find brie in the specialty cheese section at your local grocery store.
Dried cranberries – Dried cranberries pair well with the apples and brie cheese and add a delicious sweet, tart element to this salad. Not a dried cranberry fan? Dried cherries would work well too!
Chopped pecans – Chopped pecans add delicious crunch to this recipe. I used unsalted pecans from the baking aisle, but salted would be fine too. You could also consider Candied Pecans instead!
Green onions – Sliced green onions (or scallions) add extra flavor and another savory element to this recipe. Feel free to substitute red onions if you prefer.
Apple cider vinaigrette – I made a simple apple cider vinaigrette using olive oil, apple cider vinegar, apple cider, honey, ground ginger, and pepper. You could also use balsamic vinaigrette or a basic oil and vinegar dressing.
how to make apple brie salad
- In a large salad bowl, combine mixed greens, chopped apple, sliced Brie, dried cranberries, pecans, and sliced green onions.
- In a small container with a lid, combine olive oil, apple cider vinegar, apple cider, honey, ginger, and pepper. Shake well.
- Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine.
what kind of apples should you use in salad?
I used Gala apples in my salad, but any crisp, sweet variety would work well. Other good options include Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Lady. For a different flavor, you could also use a tart variety of apple such as Granny Smith.
Recipe Variations
- Use chopped pears in place of the apples
- Substitute feta or goat cheese in place of Brie cheese
- Substitute walnuts or almonds in place of chopped pecans
- Make Candied Pecans or Candied Walnuts for an extra special touch
- Add additional dried fruit, such as dried cherries, apricots, or dried mandarins
- Use honey mustard dressing or balsamic vinaigrette in place of apple cider vinaigrette
more delicious fall salad recipes
- Brussel Sprout Salad
- Cranberry Apple Pecan Salad
- Apple Walnut Salad
- Pear, Walnut & Gorgonzola Salad
- Apple Wedge Salad
- Cranberry Orange Harvest Salad
- Fall Harvest Salad
more recipes using brie cheese
- Chicken Cranberry Brie Tartlets
- Mushroom Marsala Baked Brie
- Pumpkin Pecan Baked Brie
- Apple Brie Turnovers
- Brown Sugar Walnut Baked Brie
Apple Brie Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 6 ounces mixed greens
- 4 ounces brie cheese cut in 1 inch pieces
- 1 large apple cut in 1 inch pieces
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 4 green onions chopped
Dressing
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
Instructions
- Prepare salad by layering ingredients in a large salad bowl.
- Prepare dressing by combining all ingredients and shaking vigorously.
- Drizzle dressing over salad.
Ahhh! What a beautiful salad! I love the combination of apple and brie on sandwiches, but I never thought to toss them together in a salad. I can’t wait to try this new recipe. Looks amazing!
Thanks so much, Blair! It really was delicious!
This was a totally amazing salad!! We ate outside on the lawn beautiful night! BUT there were 3 of us with beautiful breads, olive oil and Balsamic vinegar, and wine. We ate every single bite! I think to sere 8-10 you would need a much bigger salad! In less of course it was just a side dish.
Right now with the summer weather entrée salads are high on the priority list. Thanks for that fabulous recipe!
What is the best type of Brie cheese to use in the Apple Brie Salad?
I usually use Président brand, but any brand will work!
Apple and brie grilled cheese sandwich
This looks so good! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Thanks, Kristyn! It’s a great salad for winter!
Cathy, this salad is just beautiful. I can hardly wait to try it!
Sinea ♥
Thanks so much, Sinea! We loved it!
Superbly illitunaming data here, thanks!
You’ve really captured all the essentials in this subject area, haven’t you?
Great news Google, we just talking about this with my webmaster friend. Some websites stole text from me, with black hat seo, they was just pass me. they took our jobs 🙂 With new update i think i can focus on good content.thanks Google.
Tena koe Bob, I can feel you sitting in the bush, letting this piece ferment inside you. It is there in your writing. I see in your comment to Marja you will be in New Zealand in July. Any chance you might get up this way for a wander in the Rauhine? You are certainly welcome here. Have a great evening!Rangimarie,Robb
Apple and brie is one of my favorite combos. What a gorgeous salad you’ve made!
It’s one of my favorites too, Des! Thanks so much!
This is a fav salad combo for me. Ill have to try your dressing option. Thanks!
Thanks, Heather! I hope you give it a try!
Now this is my kind of salad! Love the added crunch from the pecans & apples. 🙂
Thanks, Carrie! Every good salad needs some crunch, right? 🙂
I absolutely LOVE this!! Brie and apples are the best!!
Thanks, Dorothy! It’s a great combo for sure! 🙂
I can’t wait to try this salad todsy!
This is what moderation is all about! I am a sucker for Brie cheese in every form, and love the idea of having some tastes of my favorite cheese while always munching on healthier ingredients.
Thanks so much! I feel like the brie tastes even better when it’s surrounded by fruits & veggies!
I love salads too! And this one looks perfect!
Thanks, Serene!
This looks delicious and like you, I think it’s a huge success if you can get the family on board with dinner salads! So I love feta and fruit, walnuts – and I love the flavors in this salad! Win win!
Thanks, Jess! I feel like I would love any salad combination of fruit, nuts, and cheese. It’s fun experimenting!
This salad is gorgeous! I’m making this to go with dinner this week for sure. I can eat salads like these for every meal!
SAME, Jessica! I’m such a salad lover! Thank you!
Hi Jessica,
A combination of apple and brie, it sounds just this like “wow” in my head !!! Can’t wait to taste it this week-end, event if it is summer now, I am sure it will be perfect!
Thank you very much!
This was an easy delicious salad that even my 5- and 7-year-old grandchildren sampled. Nice light dressing. I will be making this again…a lot!
How many servings and calories per serving???
I purchased a special bottle of fig jam to serve over the top of a warm Brie for this thanksgiving, but I have decided to make this salad instead! It looks amazing. I was wondering, since I have this $9.00 jar of jam, is there any way to incorporate it into the salad as well??? Would adding a couple of diced figs, if I can find them, be a nice addition, or just ruin the salad? I want to have this for Thanksgiving. I also am a newly diagnosed diabetic and want healthier choices to eat this year. Please help me to love the holidays once more! I’m tired of always breaking down and wanting to cancel the holidays!
Making this for Thanksgiving, it looks amazing!
Doubled this and made it for 10 for Thanksgiving. It was a hit. I added some Himalayan sea salt and extra olive oil to soften the bite of the vinegar. My brother-in-law was licking his bowl. Delicious!
So glad it was a hit! Thanks for letting me know!
Hi! Do you cut off the rind of the brie or leave it on? Thanks!
I leave the rind on but you can feel free to cut it off if you don’t like the flavor 🙂
I just made your salad today and it was so delicious . Everyone in my family loved it. Thank you so much
Doubled your recipe for today’s potluck at work and had several requests for your recipe. Delicious! Thanks!
What kind of apples do you use?
I used Gala apples.
For a nut-free family, what would be a good crunch substitute?
Can I use spinach in this salad?
Hi there! This salad looks delicious! I’ve never tried Brie before but I’d like to try it. If I don’t like it, is there a substitute cheese that you think would be good with this? Im
I’m thinking of trying Feta…what do you think?
Can you make this in advance or do the apples brown?
Made this tonight really liked it! I did make 2 just because changes I had an Asian pear so I subbed that for the apple and I had honey roasted pecans.
This salad looks absolutely amazing!! But I do have a question though….for us boring people who unfortunately are dairy intolerant and can’t do the cheese, is there something else you would suggest as a good substitute for it??
Thank you so much!
I’m trying to have this for Thanksgiving.My question is can substitute pecans for walnuts and brie cheese for blue cheese thank you
You will love the Brie!
What store bought dressing do you recommend? Thanks
I would recommend balsamic vinaigrette, poppy seed, or honey mustard!
For the ginger in the dressing recipe, is it just dry ground ginger? Looks like something else in the video
Do you happen to know the nutritional information for the salad?
Question has already been asked but not answered, IS IT GROUND GINGER OR GRATED GINGER, please reply, thank you in advance.
Fantastic recipe. I used ground ginger. Make sure to emulsify the dressing really well! The dressing kept for 3-4 days.
I love this salad! It’s one of my regular go-to’s for my lunches at work. I use honey poppyseed dressing from the grocery store occasionally if I don’t feel like making dressing and it works well with this salad too! Thanks for sharing!
I’m allergic to yeast and can not have vinegar. What could I substitute?
That’s just for the dressing… feel free to substitute any of your favorite dressings!
I just made this salad in a single serving for lunch, and it is delicious!! I used Feta and almonds instead of Brie and pecans, but can’t wait to try it with Brie. Thank you for the recipe!!
I love Brie cheese & I’m always looking for simple delicious recipes to showcase it. This recipe did not disappoint! The dressing was amazing & I got so many compliments on how all the ingredients went so well together. Thank you for this, it’s now one my favourite salads!
This Apple Brie Salad looks absolutely delicious! I love how the flavors combine, and the presentation is so inviting. Can’t wait to try making it for my next gathering!
This Apple Brie Salad looks absolutely delicious! I love the combination of creamy brie and fresh apples – it sounds like the perfect balance of flavors. Can’t wait to try making this for my next gathering!
This Apple Brie Salad looks absolutely delicious! The combination of flavors and textures sounds so refreshing. I can’t wait to try it out for my next gathering! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
This Apple Brie Salad sounds absolutely delicious! I love the combination of sweet and savory flavors. Can’t wait to try it out for my next gathering!