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–+ servings

Granny Smith Apple Salad

Iceberg lettuce salad with apples, dried cranberries, candied pecans, cheese, and sweet and creamy Italian dressing.
5 from 3 votes
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Chilling Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 23 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 310 kcal

Equipment

  • parchment paper or a silicone mat

Ingredients
  

Salad Dressing
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 4 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon dehydrated onions (found on the spice aisle in grocery store)
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 pinches of garlic powder
Candied Pecans
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 ½ cup pecan pieces
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Salad
  • 1 medium head iceberg lettuce, torn into small pieces
  • ¾ cup candied pecan pieces
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • ¼ cup feta cheese, chopped into small pieces
  • ⅓ cup mozzarella cheese, finely shredded
  • ⅓ cup Granny Smith apples, unpeeled and diced into small pieces (about 1/2 of a medium to large apple)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½ cup salad dressing

Instructions
 

Salad Dressing
  • In a medium bowl, mix all of the dressing ingredients together and stir well. Place in the refrigerator and let the dressing sit for about an hour to soften the dehydrated onions.
Pecans
  • In a skillet, melt the butter. Add the pecans and sugar.
  • Stir constantly over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until the sugar melts, and all the pecans are coated. The sugar will burn quickly, so remove the pan from the heat if it starts to brown. Immediately pour the pecans from the pan onto parchment paper (or silicone mat) and spread out to cool, breaking up any large clumps with a knife.
  • After the pecans cool, break the small clumps into smaller pieces.
Assembling the Salad
  • Dice the apples into small pieces. Place in a bowl with 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Let them sit for at least 5 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Then drain and dry them with a paper towel.
  • Measure out cranberries, pecans, and mozzarella cheese and set aside.
  • Chop the feta cheese into fine pieces. Set aside.
  • Tear the washed, dried, and chilled lettuce into small pieces, then place it in a large serving bowl. Toss with 1/2 cup of salad dressing to lightly coat all of the lettuce. Be careful not drench the lettuce, but add more dressing if needed.
  • Add the pecans, cranberries, mozzarella, feta cheese, and apples, and toss with the lettuce to distribute. Keep the salad chilled until ready to serve.

Notes

Salad Dressing

This recipe makes extra salad dressing, which can be saved for later or used to create a heavier coating on your salad if desired. If you prefer not to have leftovers, feel free to halve the dressing ingredients. Please note that the nutritional information provided is based on using 1/2 cup of dressing on the salad.

Pecans

This recipe yields a double batch of candied pecan pieces, which can be stored for later use or added to the salad for extra crunch. If you don’t want any leftovers, feel free to halve the pecan ingredients. Please note that the nutritional information is based on using 3/4 cup in the recipe.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 310kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 4gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 293mgPotassium: 170mgFiber: 2gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 523IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 112mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Copycat Fratelli's Italian Streakhouse Salad, Copycat Italian Restaurant Salad, Delicious Salad Recipe, Easy Salad Recipe, Granny Smith Apple Salad
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