This apple and Gouda mixed green salad takes minutes to prepare and hits all the right notes with crispy apple, nutty Gouda, buttery croutons and a delicious homemade vinaigrette. You are gonna love this simple green salad!
Hi everyone! How are ya doing?
I’ve been wanting to share a green salad with you for quite some time.
I’ve honestly made this salad (or variations thereof) for what seems like forever.
Better late than never, though. I can pretty much say with full confidence that this will be a go-to salad of yours for busy weekdays (or holiday entertaining, which is rapidly approaching, like, way too fast). Let’s get to the good stuff, shall we?
What Type of Apple Should I Use?
For this recipe, I used my very own apples. They didn’t have to be shipped to me from anywhere. I literally went out into my backyard and picked them straight from the tree. How exciting is that?
The tree is not huge, but it did yield a lot. All of the apples are not perfect, but they taste amazing and are as fresh as can be. I can only imagine just how many we are going to get next year!
I used a lovely honey crisp for this mixed green salad and it works perfectly.
But, really, use whatever variety of apple you enjoy best. I also like this green salad with Granny Smith or Golden Delicious apples.
Homemade Croutons
I don’t always make homemade croutons, but whenever I have a small portion of bread leftover from a loaf, it’s a great way to use it up. Waste not, want not as they say.
Plus, have you ever made homemade croutons? Seriously, it doesn’t even compare to those boxed ones you can buy in the grocery store.
These homemade croutons are buttery and crispy. And to add another element of cheese (twist my arm), I added some of the Gouda to the mix. You already know that these are going to taste fabulous, don’t ya? I could eat these like potato chips they are that good.
If you are pinched for time, though, you can totally use store-bought croutons.
Homemade Vinaigrette
For the dressing I made my homemade go-to vinaigrette. It’s a little savoury and a little sweet and pairs perfectly with this mixed green salad. You just place all the ingredients in a jar, cover, do a little dance, and way to go!
More Easy Salad Recipes
If you make this apple and Gouda mixed green salad, be sure to leave a comment below!
Apple and Gouda Mixed Green Salad
Ingredients
Apple and Gouda Mixed Green Salad
- 4 cups baby arugula, loosely packed
- 4 cups baby spinach, loosely packed
- ½ cup shaved Gouda cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler or shredded
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1 apple, core removed and cut into small wedges (I used honey crisp)
- ¼ cup unsalted pumpkin seeds,
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
Homemade Croutons
- 2 cups cubed bread, day old works great (size of dice)
- 2 tablespoons shredded Gouda cheese
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- pinch salt
- pinch freshly ground black pepper
Maple Dijon Vinaigrette
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Apple and Gouda Mixed Green Salad
- Arrange baby arugula and spinach in bowl. Add Gouda cheese, red onion, apple, unsalted pumpkin seeds, walnuts and homemade croutons. Mix to combine.
- Drizzle with maple Dijon vinaigrette to taste, stirring into salad. Serve and enjoy!
Homemade Croutons
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Meanwhile, toss bread cubes with rest of ingredients in a bowl.
- Place bread cubes on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, carefully turning halfway. Remove and let cool a few minutes before placing on salad.
Maple Dijon Vinaigrette
- Place olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, salt and black pepper together in a jar, cover, and shake to combine.
Nutrition estimate (if provided) is based on 1 Serving.
Nutrition information (if provided) is provided as a courtesy and should be considered an estimate only. Ingredients can vary and Girl Heart Food makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are guidelines only.
Tried this recipe?
If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!
Noel Lizotte
This is a salad lover’s fall dream! Apples are one of my favorite salad ingredients .. the crunch and sweetness is what makes it so good!
Girl Heart Food
Thank you so much, Noel! It really is quite tasty 🙂
Natalie
This salad screams Fall. It looks absolutely delicious and so healthy. I love Maple Dijon Vinaigrette. Can’t wait to give this salad a try.
Girl Heart Food
Thanks Natalie! Hope you enjoy it as much as we do 🙂
Andrea
This is the kind of salad I LOVE making this time of the year, apples (Honeycrisp, granny and pink lady are some of my fav!) with greens and cheese go so perfect together! The dressing sounds amazing too, will definitely make it soon!
Girl Heart Food
So happy to hear that 🙂 Thanks Andrea!
Sam | Ahead of Thyme
YUM, I love all the ingredients and flavour combo in this salad! So refreshing and perfect for fall. Pinning to try later!
Girl Heart Food
Thanks so much Sam! Enjoy 🙂
Eileen Kelly
I eat salad at lunch and dinner just about every day, so does my family! We love it! This salad has every component that we love! I am jealous, the apple tree in your yard, lucky! The croutons are tasty and that vinaigrette, yum! I will be making this for m family, its a perfect salad!
Girl Heart Food
Yay! Hope you guys love it as much as we do! Thanks Eileen 🙂
lauren
You gouda be kidding me with this recipe! So delish! I love a little sweet on my salad and apples are just perfect with the smokiness of the gouda. love it.
Girl Heart Food
Lol! Gouda one 😉 Thanks Lauren!
Anne Murphy
Your own apple tree? How lovely! When I was a baby we lived in a rental (where my dad was for a year on business) that had an apple tree in the yard – my mom always talked about being able to go out and pick her own, and make me absolutely fresh applesauce… (as well as pies for them.) LOL We’d come home, though, by the time I remember. The salad looks delicious. I’ve never been one for fruit in my salad, but apples and cheese (which I do enjoy) may just change my mind!
Girl Heart Food
Yes! It’s still quite small, but does yield a decent number of apples 🙂 Nothing like growing your own! Thanks Anne!
Jessica (Swanky Recipes)
Homemade croutons are the best! I always make them when I have a loaf of bread leftover and I’ll have plenty next weekend and I make a french toast bake for the family. I love to make meatless meals whenever possible and this salad recipe sounds like it has so much flavor!
Girl Heart Food
I totally agree! So yummy! Thanks Jessica 🙂
Kitty
This is a gorgeous salad! Homemade croutons really make a salad special, but that shaved gouda doesn’t hurt either!
Girl Heart Food
Totally! Thanks Kitty 🙂
Michele
Oh, my! This salad is calling my name right now. Gouda is one of my favorite cheeses and I think it would be perfect with the apples. This is a gorgeous Fall salad. Yummy!
Girl Heart Food
Thank you Michele! It really is a tasty combo 🙂
Shelley
So many delicious fall flavors and wonderful textures happening here! Lovely idea to use gouda – so nice with the apples! And I love the idea to use old bread for the croutons – bread that would otherwise go to waste. Plus, you’re absolutely right that store-bought croutons are just never, EVER very good! What a terrific recipe, all around!
Girl Heart Food
Right? Love not wasting food!! I could snack on those croutons like I would potato chips, lol. Thanks so much, Shelley 🙂
Jenni LeBaron
I love honeycriisp season for this very reason. It pairs so well with a smoky cheese like gouda in salads. This looks fantastic!
Girl Heart Food
Thank you Jenni 🙂 It really is delish!
Heather
I went apple picking the other day and I have so many apples!! It will be nice to have a healthy recipe to use some of them up. And the gouda addition? Genius 🙂
Girl Heart Food
Totally! Thanks so much, Heather 🙂
Gloria
What a delicious looking salad just in time for apple season. The combination of cheese and apples are so good. I would love this for lunch or dinner. It would also be a great addition to the brunch menu too.
Girl Heart Food
Thank you Gloria! It sure would 🙂
Marissa
This is my kind of salad, Dawn! LOADED with so many flavors and textures that I love.
Agness of Run Agness Run
This salad recipe is a great recipe for the upcoming cold days, Dawn. Can I also add a bit of yellow onion as an addition to the red one?
Girl Heart Food
Thanks Agness! Of course 🙂
Rebecca | Let's Eat Cake
I am all about this salad! It sounds so fresh and delicious! And who doesn’t love apple and cheese together? (If you find anyone that doesn’t, I’ll happily take their portion!)
Girl Heart Food
Thank you Rebecca! Haha…I totally agree!!
Jenn
We had an apple tree growing up and it was so amazing to just step outside and grab a snack whenever we wanted. After all the heavy Thanksgiving dishes this week, this salad sounds great!
Girl Heart Food
Something so nice about that, isn’t it? Thank you so much, Jenn 🙂
Brandi
I love the combination of apple and gouda! This looks so amazing for a salad.
Girl Heart Food
So good, right?! Thanks Brandi 🙂
debi at Life Currents
This salad looks amazing – healthy and delicious, and super full of flavors and textures. Perfect for after Thanksgiving to feel better.
Girl Heart Food
Thanks so much! It surely is 😉
Isabelle @ Crumb
I love me a salad with lots of different colours and flavours and textures, and this one definitely delivers on all fronts. That combo of apple and gouda is just so perfect for fall!
And can I just say how jealous I am of your apple tree? We have a couple of little peach trees in our yard, but I’m lucky if I manage to get even one peach for myself by the time the neighbourhood squirrels have gotten to it.
Girl Heart Food
Thank you Isabelle! A peach tree is pretty neat…I think it may be a tad too cold around here for one. Have a great weekend 🙂
karrie @ Tasty Ever After
Why are you holding out recipes on us?? Ruuuuuuudddddde! 😉 I hate boring salads with no character, but this salad is full of personality, That Gouda looks delish and can’t believe you picked apples off you own tree, Farmer Dawn! LOL
Making this soon…probably this weekend after the onslaught of turkey and everything carby tomorrow.
Girl Heart Food
Hehehe 😉 Indeed it does! You’re too funny, Karrie! Hope you love it! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! XO
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness
You have your own apple tree?? I am beyond jealous!!
Girl Heart Food
Haha! It’s still only little, but I’m still happy with it 🙂
Luci's Morsels
Your homemade croutons look amazing! Love this light and healthy salad, such a perfect Thanksgiving side dish!
Luci’s Morsels | fashion. food. frivolity.
Girl Heart Food
Thank you Luci! Indeed it is 😉
Jolina
I love everything about this salad! From the apples to the yummy cheese and the dressing. We eat lots of salads too and you bet this will make it into our rotation! And what what what you have an apple tree? I say this with tears and sadness as I look at our dead herbs on the balcony (which Red completely forgot to bring in one stormy day haha!). I’m really loving all your cheese recipes!
Girl Heart Food
Thank you, Jolina! It’s getting quite cold around here now too….brrrrrrr
Shashi at Savory Spin
Dawn…an apple tree in your backyard! I AM EXCITED for YOU!!!! Now, I’m kinda wishing I was your neighbor so some of those apples accidently “blew” into my yard – of course I’d bring most of them back to you (except for the ones that ran into my teeth by accident) 🙂
Buuuutt – getting back to this! I have been craving salad these past few days! The weather finally took a nose dive and instead of eating ALL the soup – I’ve been wanting a textured salad and THIS with it’s crispy apple, nutty gouda (one of my fav cheeses), buttery croutons and a DARN delicious homemade vinaigrette is calling me – especially after I feasted my eyes on it on Insta!
Hoping you have a wonderful rest of the week, my friend! xoxo
Girl Heart Food
Hahaha! I would share with ya 😉 Well, this salad would be perfect! Thank you so much, Shashi! Stay warm 🙂 Enjoy your Thanksgiving! XOXO
Sues
Uhh I’ve never craved a salad so much before!! Apple, gouda, and croutons?? Sign me up! OK, I’ll take the greens, too 🙂
Girl Heart Food
Woo hoo! Thanks so much, Sues 🙂
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking
This salad sounds amazing! And after reading your post, I’m currently craving gouda and apples! I’ll be saving this recipe to make over the holidays. It would make a great, light appetizer. Happy Monday Dawn!
Girl Heart Food
Thank you Leanne! It was really tasty 🙂 Hope you enjoy it!! Have a great week!
Nicoletta Sugarlovespices
A nice mixed salad is my go to for most of my lunches, every season. This one is a winner in my book! Love all the flavors and we know that cheese so well, we buy it at our local Farmers Market and we know the guy that makes it ?. All his gouda cheeses are fantastic! Your apples are beautiful and I love homegrown produce! Great recipe, Dawn!
Girl Heart Food
Yay! That’s so awesome to hear that you’ve tried it before 🙂 It’s really unique and yummy! Thank you so much for the kind comment, Nicoletta!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen
What an awesome salad Dawn. Gouda is at the top of the list of my favorite cheeses! Can’t wait to try this one. I love The maple Dijon vinaigrette and the homemade croutons! Pinned!
Girl Heart Food
Thanks Mary Ann! Hope you love it as much as I do 🙂
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice
I’ve been on a major salad kick lately and this one looks fabulous! I love apples in salads, especially when some gouda cheese is involved! And red onions too, because I looove them! This sounds perfect for the season. And homemade croutons…yessss! I bet that makes this salad even better. I think I could munch on this for all meals and be one happy girl. Pinned! Hope you have a wonderful week!
Girl Heart Food
Thanks Gayle! Agreed 😉 Gotta love those buttery, cheesy croutons! Have a wonderful week too!
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen
I love that you grew your own apples! I planted a lemon tree in my backyard over the summer and I think it’s going to be YEARS before I see any fruit. . .I’ve never seen gouda that’s hard like parm and I want to try it! Gouda is soooo freaking good! I’m loving this delicious salad, Dawn. Have a great week!
Girl Heart Food
That’s exciting too! Would love to have a lemon tree, but it’s not warm enough around here. Thanks Kelsie 🙂
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
What a beautiful salad and I am smitten with that cheese! Gouda is one of my favourite cheese and I love the idea of an extra-aged version. I will be seeking this one out 🙂
Girl Heart Food
Thanks Jennifer! I’m sure you’ll love it 🙂
[email protected]
Wow! I love everything about this salad! From the gouda to the handpicked apples to those gorgeous croutons!! You can make my salad, anytime!! This is a wonderful recipe, not to mention beautiful! Have a great week, my friend! Cheers! XOXO
Girl Heart Food
Thank you Annie! You’re sweet! Have a great week too! XOXO