Apple Salad with Yogurt Dressing

Make this simple and decadent Apple Salad with Yogurt Dressing! It’s the perfect side salad, or you could add some protein to make it an entree salad.

A Note From Teri on This Recipe

This apple salad recipe is the most perfect, refreshing and delicious side salad. It comes together with a luscious and creamy yogurt dressing that takes it over the top. This salad would be the perfect side dish for a pork tenderloin.

I’m the queen of entrée salads and I absolutely love them, but sometimes it’s really fun to just create a special side salad that feels next level. If you’re looking for other side salad inspiration, this holiday salad or Waldorf inspired salad are great options. If you do want to turn this into an entree salad, it is very easy to do! You could make some steak, or cook up some every day chicken breasts and shred them up.

This side salad is something I love to prep ahead. You can prep all of the ingredients, except for the apples and avocados, in jars so they are ready to assemble when you want to eat.

Ingredients

For the Yogurt Dressing:

• Greek yogurt 
• Red wine vinegar 
• Chives
• Parsley
• Basil
• Garlic, pressed or grated 
• Kosher salt

For the Apple Salad:

• Bacon (or more)
• Romaine lettuce or baby spinach
• Kosher salt
• Apples (we use Honeycrisp, but you can use Braeburn, Pink Lady or Gala)
• Comte cheese (If you can’t find Comte, Manchego, cheddar or Swiss would work fine)
• Pecans, toasted
• Celery
• Avocados (optional)
• Freshly ground pepper
• Chives

Variations

I love the toasted pecans in this salad, but you can use any nuts. Walnuts would be delicious. If you would like, you could also add some dried fruit, like cranberries or blueberries.

You can do it as is, or if you’re going to do the spinach, it would be fun to slightly wilt it in the bacon grease! I love the sweet taste of honey crisp, but if you prefer a more tart flavor, you can use granny smith apples.

I prefer a hard cheese in this particular salad, but you could certainly use soft cheese such as blue cheese, goat cheese, or feta cheese. For your dressing, you could also substitute mayonnaise as the base in place of yogurt. I love to make my own mayo with egg, light olive oil, a pinch of salt and black pepper, lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar. If you prefer a sweeter dressing, add a touch of honey.

How to Make This Apple Salad with Yogurt Dressing

Make Your Yogurt Dressing and Bacon

To a blender, add the yogurt, red wine vinegar, chives, parsley, basil, garlic, and 2 pinches of salt and blend until well-combined. Set aside. The dressing can be done a day ahead. 

Heat the oven to 375F. Arrange the bacon on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Check the bacon and if you’d like it crispier, continue baking for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. When cool, chop into bite-size pieces and reserve. 

I am not a microwave gal, but you can also microwave the bacon instead of cooking it in the oven. You won’t get that same beautiful crisp, but it can get the job done. Arrange the slices in a single layer on a plate lined with at least 2 paper towels (for soaking up the grease) and then top with 2 additional paper towels. Microwave on high for 3-4 minutes, remove and check for doneness. Continue cooking in 30-second intervals until the bacon reaches your desired doneness. 

Prep the Salad

Add the greens to a large bowl and salt them. Add the apples, cheese, pecans, avocado (if using), celery, and bacon pieces and drizzle salad with dressing. Toss until everything is well-coated and sprinkle the chives, if using. Serve and enjoy. 

Teri Tips

This recipe is a great side for pork dishes or even steak. It would work great with baby spinach at a potluck, as the dressing would wilt the greens slightly and soak in as it sat (romaine would just get soggy). To make it an entree salad, add some grilled chicken or roasted chicken to the mix!

Storage

This salad is best enjoyed immediately. If you are not going to finish the salad, I recommend reserving some undressed and unassembled. Save the extra ingredients in the refrigerator for a prepped lunch in the future!

Try These Other Salad Recipes

• Creamy Buffalo Salad
• Spatchcock Chicken Caesar Salad
• Red Rock Salad with Pears

If you make this Apple Salad recipe, be sure to rate and review the recipe to let me know what you think. And if you want to follow along, head to Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest for more inspiration!

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