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.
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
Homemade Croutons
- 2 cups cubed bread, day old works great (cubes of bread should be cut to about the 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
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
- â…“ 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
Instructions
- Make the croutons: Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss bread cubes with Gouda cheese, butter, olive oil, salt and black pepper. Place bread cubes on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, carefully stirring halfway through cooking. Remove and let cool.
- Make the vinaigrette: Place olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt and black pepper together in a jar, cover, and shake to combine.
- Make the 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 the salad with maple Dijon vinaigrette to taste, stirring into salad. Serve and enjoy!
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
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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 🙂