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Apple Brie Salad

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This Apple Brie Salad is a show-stopper! Plus, it's quick, easy, sweet + savory. You and your guests will love the contrasting flavors and textures. Perfect for the fall and winter holidays.

A person in a dark red sweater holding a scalloped platter with an Apple Brie Salad pm a grey background.

This Apple Brie Salad is a gorgeous, vibrant addition to any menu, bursting with crispy apple slices, creamy brie, crunchy candied pecans and citrusy orange-flavored dried cranberries with a homemade apricot balsamic vinaigrette. This loaded salad features contrasting flavors and textures that are sure to wow you and your guests. Perfect in the fall for everyday nights and of course, this Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner.

If you are looking for more holiday favorites you have to try my Truffle Honey Baked Brie and Ornament Pesto Sun-dried Tomato Cheese Balls. Or serve this salad with a bowl of my Pumpkin Ricotta Pasta for a warm and cozy meal.

Angled Apple Brie Salad on a white scalloped platter on a white marble table. The mixed green salad as the base with sliced apples, whole candied pecans and dried cranberries. A whole wheel of brie is sliced into 8 pieces. Behind the platter is a small white bowl of dressing with a small silver spoon and behind it is a light brown wooden background.

Why You'll Love this Recipe

Keeping it Simple - This salad is easy to make with just a few simple steps and its ready in 15 minutes or under.

Showcase Salad -  Such a great salad for Thanksgiving or Christmas. It's stunning and super festive.

So Customizable – The great thing about salads is they are so very customizable. See more on that below, but you can add and subtract just about any ingredient you want and make it your own!

Ingredient Notes

Apple Brie Salad Ingredients on a white marble background. Each item is labeled with a dark red rectangle box with white text inside in all caps.
  • Mixed Greens - I love the variety using mixed greens but other options could be kale, arugula, or spinach.
  • Apples - I love Honeycrisp apples and always have a couple on hand. I love sweetness and crunch from a Honeycrisp. However, Granny Smith apples would give a delicious tartness to the salad. You could also use a Gala, Fuji or Pink Lady.
  • Candied Pecans -  Both pecans and walnuts fit in well here. I use a candied pecans because I love the crunch and sweetness. I found a great store-bought brand but you could make your own. Spicy candied pecans could also be a wonderful twist as well if you enjoy a bit of spice.
  • Dried Cranberries - Dried cranberries make a wonderful addition to this fall/winter salad. I use an orange flavored dried cranberries because I love the addition citrus that I get from each bite. However, regular dried cranberries work just as well if you can't find orange flavored.
  • Brie Cheese -  a small 8-ounce wheel of Brie is all you need for this salad. Camembert would be a good substitute.

Dressing Ingredient Notes

Apple Brie Salad Dressing Ingredients on a white marble background. Each item is labeled with a dark red rectangle box with white text inside in all caps.
  • Olive Oil - We love the flavor of extra virgin olive oil, but a lighter one will work if that’s all you have.
  • Apricot Preserves - I like to find a variety without high fructose corn syrup, but use what you like best!
  • Balsamic Vinegar - Apple cider vinegar would also work in this recipe.
  • Dijon Mustard - A touch of mustard ties it all together and helps the dressing emulsify (so it doesn’t separate).
  • Salt + Pepper - to season

Variations

  • Use pears in place of the apples
  • Substitute feta or goat cheese in place of Brie cheese
  • Substitute walnuts or almonds in place of pecans. Can be candied, raw or toasted
  • Substitute dried cherries, dried apricots or pomegranate arils in place of dried cranberries

Step-by-Step Instructions

A small white cutting board with lots of sliced apples. Off to the bottom is a small circle white plate with brie cut into 8 even wedges, A large chefs knife is off to the side. Above the cutting board is a mandolin slider. In the upper left corner is a dark red circle with a white '1' in the center.
  1. Prep Ingredients - Slice apples thinly either using a knife or a mandolin slicer. Also, cut brie into 8 equal wedges. If you are making homemade candied pecans or nuts, make those now as well.
A small food processor with the lid removed on a white marble background. In the container is a brown-orange colored sauce with bubbles. In the upper left corner is a dark red circle with a white '2' in the center.
  1. Make Dressing - In a small food processor or handheld blender, add in all ingredients and blend for at least 30 seconds until dressing has been blended together.
Angled Apple Brie Salad on a white scalloped platter on a white marble table. The mixed green salad as the base with sliced apples, whole candied pecans and dried cranberries. A whole wheel of brie is sliced into 8 pieces. Behind the platter is a small white bowl of dressing with a small silver spoon and behind it is a light brown wooden background. In the upper left corner is a dark red circle with a white '3' in the center.
  1. Assemble Salad - On a platter or in a large bowl, add in mixed greens, sliced apples, candied pecans, dried cranberries and brie. Serve dressing on the side. If you are wanting to pre-toss, toss all ingredients including dressing except for brie. Add brie on top and serve right away.

Expert Tips

  • Make it a Meal - If you want to serve this as a main dish, add a sliced grilled chicken breast or salmon for a complete dinner.
  • Dividing Brie - Depending on how many people you are serving, I like to serve 1-2 pieces of brie per person. Cutting the brie into 8 pieces could serve 8 people OR 4 people can get 2 wedges of brie cheese. If you are serving 5-6 people, You could just cut the brie into slightly larger wedges so everyone can get a piece. See my next tip.
  • This is a Knife & Fork kind of Salad - When serving this salad, make sure knives are available. While the inside of the brie is soft and creamy. The brie rind can be a bit hard to cut through with just a fork. You could of course, slice the brie into much smaller piece but I found the brie cubes would stick together and there is something really elegant about serving the brie in wedges.
Overhead of Apple Brie Salad on a white scalloped platter on a white marble table. The mixed green salad as the base with sliced apples, whole candied pecans and dried cranberries. A whole wheel of brie is sliced into 8 pieces and wooden salad servers are on the side of the platter.

Recipe FAQ

How do I keep apples from browning?

Wait until just before you are ready to serve the salad to slice the apples. They will turn brown if sliced and held too long before adding to the salad.

If you need to slice and prepare the apples hours before serving use a water bath made of 1 cup of water mixed with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. After you slice the apples soak them in the lemon water for 3-5 minutes then remove and rinse them.

Can I make this salad ahead?

Because this salad comes together so quickly I would recommend making the salad right before serving. However, you can prep the dressing ahead and make homemade candied pecans as well a day or two ahead.

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Angled Apple Brie Salad on a white scalloped platter on a white marble table. The mixed green salad as the base with sliced apples, whole candied pecans and dried cranberries. A whole wheel of brie is sliced into 8 pieces. Behind the platter is a small white bowl of dressing with a small silver spoon and behind it is a light brown wooden background.

Apple Brie Salad

Mara
A delicious salad with crunchy apples, creamy brie cheese, sweet candied pecans, dried cranberries and apricot balsamic dressing. A perfect fall salad!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Total Time 15 mins
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people
Calories 550 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 5.5 ounces mixed greens
  • 2 honeycrisp apples
  • ½ cup candied pecans
  • ½ cup dried cranberries ( I used an orange-flavored)
  • 8 ounces brie cheese

Dressing

  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup apricot preserves
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground pepper

Instructions
 

  • Prep Ingredients - Slice apples thinly either using a knife or a mandolin slicer. Also, cut brie into 8 equal wedges. If you are making homemade candied pecans or nuts, make those now as well.
  • Make Dressing - In a small food processor or handheld blender, add in all ingredients and blend for at least 30 seconds until dressing has been blended together.
  • Assemble Salad - On a platter or in a large bowl, add in mixed greens, sliced apples, candied pecans, dried cranberries and brie. Serve dressing on the side. If you are wanting to pre-toss, toss all ingredients including dressing except for brie. Add brie on top and serve right away.

Notes

Dividing Brie - Depending on how many people you are serving, I like to serve 1-2 pieces of brie per person. Cutting the brie into 8 pieces could serve 8 people OR 4 people can get 2 wedges of brie cheese. If you are serving 5-6 people, You could just cut the brie into slightly larger wedges so everyone can get a piece. See my next tip.
This is a Knife & Fork kind of Salad - When serving this salad, make sure knives are available. While the inside of the brie is soft and creamy. The brie rind can be a bit hard to cut through with just a fork. You could of course, slice the brie into much smaller piece but I found the brie cubes would stick together and there is something really elegant about serving the brie in wedges.
 
Nutritional information for this recipe is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. Please calculate your own nutritional information if you want it exact to what you make and use my calculations as a guide only.

Nutrition

Calories: 550kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 579mg | Potassium: 279mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 847IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 130mg | Iron: 1mg
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