Description
A fresh and crunchy celery apple salad dressed with a zesty lemon vinaigrette, enhanced by the creamy texture of shaved Gruyere cheese. This simple, quick-to-prepare salad offers a perfect balance of tart, sweet, and savory flavors, making it a refreshing side dish or light lunch option.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 1 large bunch celery
- 2 medium apples (I used Honeycrisp)
- 1/2 cup Gruyere cheese, shaved
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 lemon, juice only
- 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Make the Dressing: Combine olive oil, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl or jar with a lid. Whisk or shake well to blend all ingredients into a smooth lemon vinaigrette. Set aside.
- Prepare the Celery: Trim off any brown or broken ends from the celery stalks and discard. Cut the celery into thin, bite-sized pieces. Chop the celery leaves finely if they look fresh to use as garnish, minimizing waste.
- Shave the Gruyere: Use a vegetable peeler or a similar tool to shave the block of Gruyere cheese into thin slices or curls for easy mixing and texture.
- Prepare the Apples: Core the apples and slice them thinly. Then cut those slices into bite-sized pieces to match the celery size for consistent texture in the salad.
- Toss the Salad: Place chopped celery, apple pieces, shaved Gruyere, and celery greens into a large salad bowl. Whisk the vinaigrette once more to ensure it is well combined, then pour it evenly over the salad. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, and toss everything gently to combine all flavors thoroughly. Serve immediately for the best fresh flavor and texture.
Notes
- Use fresh celery leaves as garnish to add flavor and reduce waste.
- Choose crisp apples like Honeycrisp for sweetness and crunch.
- Shaving the cheese thinly ensures it distributes evenly and melts slightly when mixed.
- This salad is best served immediately to maintain the crisp texture of apples and celery.
- Adjust salt and pepper in dressing to your taste preference.
