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Cinnamon Apple And Red Grape Salad With Toasted Pecans

Cinnamon apple and red grape salad with toasted pecans, tossed in a creamy yogurt-honey dressing for a crisp, juicy bite. Diced apples, halved grapes, thinly sliced celery, and cranberries are coated lightly so the fruit stays bright.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Chilling 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 310
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Salad
  • 3 medium apples Mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp, cored and diced.
  • 1 cup red seedless grapes Halved.
  • 0.5 cup celery Thinly sliced.
  • 0.5 cup pecans Toasted.
  • 0.25 cup dried cranberries
Dressing
  • 0.25 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 0.5 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 0.25 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 salt Pinch.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Toast the pecans
  1. Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring until fragrant. Transfer to a cool surface to cool.
Mix the salad base
  1. Combine the diced apples, halved grapes, thinly sliced celery, and dried cranberries in a large bowl. Toss gently so the fruit and cranberries are evenly distributed.
Make the cinnamon-honey yogurt dressing
  1. Whisk the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, honey, lemon juice, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt together until smooth. Taste and ensure the mixture is evenly blended.
Assemble and chill
  1. Pour the dressing over the fruit mixture and toss gently to coat. Stop once everything looks lightly covered rather than saturated.
  2. Fold in the toasted pecans just before serving. If desired, chill the salad for 15 minutes for a slightly firmer, colder texture.

Notes

For the best crunch, toast the pecans ahead and stir them in at the very end so they don’t soften. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 2 days; for best texture, keep pecans separate if making in advance. Freezing isn’t recommended for this fresh fruit salad. If you want a lighter dressing, replace the mayonnaise with an equal amount of plain Greek yogurt (the flavor will be tangier).