Can I talk to you about salad, and also, life?
First, salad. No one should be forced to have a conversation on an empty stomach.
This salad is an adaptation of one I’ve been making recently for friends when hosting. It’s so simple in nature you likely already have most of the ingredients on hand right now (the best kind of recipe, in my opinion).
Peppery arugula is combined with crisp apples, toasted pecans, red onion, and dried cranberries, and it’s all dressed with a bright, vibrant lemon vinaigrette.
Plus, just 15 minutes (!!) and 8 basic ingredients to prepare – my idea of salad perfection.
This would make the perfect light and healthy dish to help you fill up on plants and erase some of that pie guilt likely lingering from yesterday’s feast. We’ve all been there. Salad to the rescue.
Now, life.
This time of year, everyone tells you to be thankful for what you have. I agree. Slow down, be grateful – it’s good for the soul.
But what about when life is hard, or things don’t go the way you planned, or something happens and your sense of reality shifts? What then?
2015 was perhaps my most personally challenging year yet, one wherein things didn’t go ‘as planned’ for me. I was left feeling a little sad and angry and frustrated and just generally not like myself (what a bizarre sensation). It all made me realize I’m not as strong or spontaneous or resilient as I thought I was. In short, this year kind of kicked my ass.
The gritty details aren’t the important part. The important part is I think it’s OK to be sad, or angry, or disappointed, or tired, or whatever it is you’re feeling right now that’s not radiant joy. It doesn’t mean you’re not thankful. It just means you’re giving yourself permission to feel your feelings (which is perfectly healthy, by the way). And it’s OK if what comes out isn’t all roses and sunshine.
My encouragement is, cry it out if you need to. No one’s looking anyway. And while you’re at it, eat some pie and hug your mom. I’ve found these to be equally sufficient remedies.
OK, back to this salad because, delicious.
I hope you love this recipe. It’s:
Simple
Seasonal
Fresh
Healthy
Satisfying
Flavorful
& Perfect for fall + winter
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and don’t forget to take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers (and hugs), friends!
Apple Pecan Arugula Salad
Ingredients
SALAD
- 1/2 cup raw pecans
- 7 ounces arugula (organic when possible)
- 2 small apples (1 tart, 1 sweet // peeled, quartered, cored and thinly sliced lengthwise)
- 1/4 red onion (thinly sliced)
- 2 Tbsp dried cranberries (optional)
DRESSING
- 1 large lemon, juiced (1 lemon yields ~3 Tbsp or 45 ml)
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 pinch each sea salt + black pepper
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and arrange pecans on a bare baking sheet.
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Bake pecans for 8-10 minutes or until fragrant and deep golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside.
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While pecans are toasting, prep remaining salad ingredients and add to a large mixing bowl.
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Prepare dressing in a mixing bowl or mason jar by adding all ingredients and whisking or shaking vigorously to combine. Taste and adjust flavor as needed.
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Add pecans to salad and top with dressing. Toss to combine and serve immediately. Serves two as an entrée and 4 as a side (as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).
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Store leftovers (dressing separate from salad) covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days (though best when fresh). Dressing should keep at room temperature for 2-3 days when well sealed.
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with dressing and cranberries.
Nutrition Per Serving (1 of 4 side servings)
- Calories: 258
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated fat: 2.5g
- Sodium: 17mg
- Carbohydrates: 20.9g
- Fiber: 4.7g
- Sugar: 14.6g
- Protein: 3g
I look forward to trying this. I’ve tried a few of your recipes and love the minimalist approach. I want to know: 1) how are you calculating the calories in all items in this recipe; 2) why 20g fat per serving? For a salad with so few ingredients, eve with a sprinkling of nuts, it seems really high. Totally deters me from making this. Thanks for your reply.
It’s from the olive oil and the pecans which are both naturally high in healthy fats. The 20 grams totally shouldn’t deter you! It’s all nutritious, clean ingredients.
Thanks for sharing, Hannah!
BTW, I made this without the olive oil (slipped my mind) and it was still great!
First, this salad looks so goooood! So simple and delicious.
And thank you for sharing about your life, you pretty much voiced everything that’s been whirling around in my head lately. I needed that little reminder that it’s okay to be sad/mad/frustrated, so thank you <3 I also agree that pie is helpful in those situations ;)
I'm sorry to hear that this year kicked your butt, but I just know that so many good things are headed your way! Sending lots of love and positive vibes your way!
Thank you, thank you for the kind words, Leah. I typically just talk about the food, but today felt the desire to share a little more about how my year has gone. Glad you found it encouraging!
Looks so healthy and refreshing! Apples in salads are the best
Oh, I’m so sorry it’s been a hard year for you, Dana!! I’ve had a hard last month, so I totally know what you’re talking about when all the emotions you’re feeling aren’t pure joy and love of life. I wish I could somehow make it easier for you…sending hugs your way!! XX
Sorry you’ve had a rough month, but hopefully this provides a little perspective + encouragement. Sending hugs!
BIG HUGS to you and this salad! Life man, it kicks our butts ( mine included, this year ), but I couldn’t agree more. We must feel our feelings, hug our moms, and keep on keepin’ on.
Dang, 2015. Why you gotta be so mean? Ha! Overall it was good, but it definitely spun me around. Love you lady. Thanks for the encouragements.
I can see this lovely salad with several other greens, but I am sick to death of arugula.
Your website, however is a constant source of inspiration.
Thank you, Dana and happy holidays to you!
Hope you give it your own spin, Judi! xoxo
Hugs and prayers for you, friend! I feel ya — 2015 was a doozy of a year in some ways for me, too. But I am so thankful I got to meet you in person! And I hope the remainder of this year brings you joy and peace. xo
P.S. And this salad. YESSSS.
Same! So lovely to meet you in person lady. Sorry this year was rough on you, too! Sending hugs to you as well. xoxo (P.S. those peppermint meringues you shared on Insta? OH DEAR. Gimme dat.)
Hey Dana,
Just like another comment, please know that you are a great source of sunshine and inspiration to me personally. I truly appreciate your approach to food, bubbly attitude, phenomenal photography and original recipes. I list your blog as one of the ten blogs that inspire me on my own food blog.
If only life and love were as neat and well edited as your blog!
It’s how we react to life’s events that defines who we are. Keep up the great work and know you have a huge fan that’s cheering for you every step of the way. Thank you!
Thank you Dana! (lovely name, btw ;)
I truly appreciate your kind words + encouragements. It means so much to know I bring a little joy to your day! Sending hugs to you as well. xo!
Agreed, Dana! :)
Sorry to hear this years been a challenge. I couldn’t agree more with your sentiments of feeling what your feeling when your feeling it. Do I want to be sad and/or angry? No. But I want to be sad and/or angry when I am sad and/or angry. Ya know? I think feeling what we are feeling when we are feeling it is a requirement for having all the good things in life. Otherwise you end up numbing yourself to everything, the good, the bad, and the in between. I liked hearing your thoughts along with your beautiful recipe. Here’s to gratitude for all of our feelings and ways of being.
XOXO
Well said, Kathryn. Thanks for the kind words! xoxo
Hi Dana,
I hope 2016 makes up for it all, whatever it all is :) I have had a turbulent year myself (like holy shit that was messed up…). Just wanted to let you know that you’ve pretty much been my favorite blogger for three years and I’m grateful for your work, humor and imspiring effort. Thanks for the great reading!
*inspiring
That pretty much made my day. Thanks Danielle! Too kind. I hope 2016 is awesome for you as well! xoxo
Whoops.
Dana, I hear ya. Life can be rough sometimes. I think what you are doing with your blog is amazing. I love your healthy recipes, fun narrative, and beautiful photos. You and your blog and the things you do are a true inspiration to me. I took your food photography video course and my photos have taken a 180 in quality, i learned so much. So, thank you for doing what you do and keep it up. This season of life shall pass. Btw salad looks delicious, as always. Hugs!
That’s amazing news, Emily! So glad we could be of help and inspiration to you. Thanks for the kind words! xoxo
First time to your site. It’s beautiful! Hope you have a nice day, today.
Dana, I drooling all over my keyboard…. not really, but kinda! “Sadly” I just had my last apple and added the last pecans to my home-made granola. But next week I am so going to make this! Delish!
On a different not – yeah, 2015 wasn´t my favorite year thus far as well! I think everyone has their baggage and thinks to deal with and I agree, it´s totally fine to be sad and to just hang in there. It does get better! So, it seems like 2016 can only get better :)
So kind! thanks for sharing, Martina!
This salad looks so good ! i love salads ! hope there will be a lot of them in your new book…
Salad sounds delish! More importantly, thanks for being real about 2015 being rough. You are right, it is ok and sometimes necessary to cry it out, eat pie, and hug your mom! Love the ‘realness’ factor that shined through in this post. Xo.
Of course! I’m so glad you found it encouraging! Thanks for saying hi, Gina. Here’s to a brighter, hopefully less challenging 2016!
Just made this salad and it is delicious. I brought some to my neighbor who has broken ribs and can’t do much for herself. Thanks for blessing us both. :)
That was so thoughtful! Glad she liked it!
All of this is so true! I think the most important thing to do is to acknowledge that you’re feeling hurt and sad, because that’s much better than pushing it off to the side. It’s okay to feel let down sometimes! I know you’re strong and you have this whole support system cheering you on! Thanks for being my biggest inspiration in blogging. I would’ve never started this amazing journey had it not been for your gorgeous photos and mouth-watering recipes.
And yes, a hug from mom always does the trick <3
Thanks for the encouragement, Emilie! It’s so true that it’s OK to feel down sometimes – it’s natural and just a part of life! And you’re right, I have an amazing family, friends, and group of supporters here on the site! I feel so uplifted by all of your comments. Thanks for sharing! xoxo
This looks positively delicious. I love salads, especially when there are nuts in them!
This salad looks like a perfect starter for a dinner party! And I just so happen to be getting a lot of arugula and pecans from my CSA these days :)
Your post (and the comments that follow it) are a great reminder that few people have perfect, constantly joyous lives. So much of our world is centered upon virtual reality, and through photos and written words it is often easy to misinterpret other people’s lives as perfect. We all deal with sadness, frustration, and disappointment, and sometimes it’s difficult to focus on the good things in our lives. I love your blog, writing style, and photos, and I really liked that fact that you were open in a different way throughout this post. I hope to one day be able to influence as many people as you do!
P.S. crying it out and hugging your mom are cure-alls.
Thanks for the kind words, Shelby! I know our readers mostly enjoy the recipes on our site – it is a food blog after all. But I’ve been realizing lately that I’m drawn to authenticity in real life and online, and sometimes I’m not the best about being open online. I appreciate your feedback and hope you found it somehow encouraging, even if it merely communicated ‘I’m a person and I’m not happy 100% of the time because life is hard, but that’s OK!’ All the hugs your way. xoxo
This salad was WONDERFUL. Thank you! I’ve tried and loved a few of your recipes in the last few weeks, but this is my first time commenting. I am definitely making this again – the mix of bitter arugula and sweet apples and dried cranberry was delightful, and the roasted pecans made this a perfect winter salad. I left the skin on the apples, but otherwise followed the recipe to a T.
A good cry can make you feel better sometimes :) So sorry 2015 kicked you in the face. It wasn’t the best for me either…but am excited to venture into 2016 with an open mind and heart! You continue to amaze me on the daily, Dana! Happy holidays!
My boyfriend and I made this salad and we are instantly obsessed! I added blue cheese crumbles, I know it’s not the healthiest, but I just can’t do without cheese!! This salad is so easy to make, and absolutely delicious. Thanks for giving me my new favorite salad :)
I absolutely love this salad. It has become my new go-to healthy snack. And now I know how to make dressing, I never knew it could be THAT incredibly simple. I love the red onion with the sweetness, it’s the perfect punch of flavor. Thank you for your amazing recipes! You are the best :)
1. Thank you for being real. 2015 was such a rough year. I hope 2016 will be nicer to us!
2. I’m eating this salad right now and I’m shoveling it into my mouth! All the flavors are insane! Thank you for blowing my mind.
Hi Dana,
This salad looks great!!
I was wondering what I can use to substitute for maple syrup?
Will it ruin the whole salad if I don’t put the Maple syrup at all?
Thanks!
Kate
Oh boy, oh joy! Can’t wait to make this tonight. And I actually have everything. Dont you love it when it works out that way? Usually missing something. I’m so giddy. Just happened to pick up some arugala ftrom local organic farm, have a bearing Lemon tree, some beautiful apples, pure maple syrup, a very special olive oil i recieved for my birthday, etc. Thanks for sharing. I know it will be delish. Love your blog.
Wow – this salad was delicious! I did not have maple syrup so substituted with honey . . . and it was good. I will definitely make this yummy salad again! Thank you!
Made this tonight and it was spectacular. I even put in the lemon zest as well. So peppery, sweet and tangy all at one time. I also threw in some pears and gorganzola cheese.
Should have made a bigger batch, so delicious
This recipe was even better than I expected. It was a delicious combination of healthy ingredients. Thank you for sharing!
awesome!! i used slivered almonds, just what i had on hand, but the dressing was phenomenal! super clean and light. We normally opt for a balsamic vinaigrette so this was a wonderful change up!
Delicious!
I made this to go with a butternut squash lasagna for a vegetarian Canadian Thanksgiving – lovely fall salad and perfect after a heavy, rich dinner. I added about 1/2 teaspoon of dijon to the dressing and soaked the red onions in the dressing before adding to the salad.
I made this a few weeks ago for a very tough crowd. OK, so it was really my folks and their best friend, and my brother and his family, but they are total foodies :) My husband couldn’t stop eating it, which is saying a lot as well (food lover too, but more on the plain jane picky side). And everyone else couldn’t stop talking about how wonderful the flavors worked together. All in all, a fantastic side for my “Bring on the Fall” dinner party. So glad I found your blog, and just bought your cookbook. Excited to try more. Thanks you ~Di
So kind!!!
Loved this salad made for a dinner party. People went bananas for the dressing!
Great! Thanks, Deb!
i was wondering what you thought about the combination of fruit and veg? i always thought that was not good to do for the digestive process. can u elaborate on this?
otherwise this looks absolutely delish!
My husband last night: “This might be the best salad I’ve ever had in this house. Possibly ever.”
My husband tonight: “Can we have that salad from last night again?”
He’s pretty right. It is a great, simple, clean salad. From two folks who eat a LOT of salad, thank you for helping us mix it up.
My husband last night: “This might be the best salad I’ve ever had in this house. Possibly ever.”
(My 5-year old: “Apples in salad… that’s fancy.”)
My husband tonight: “Can we have that salad from last night again?”
He’s pretty right. It is a great, simple, clean salad. From two folks who eat a LOT of salad, thank you for helping us mix it up.
It was great! Served with seared marinated Salmon. I used raisins in place of cranberries though because thats what I had on hand
I was looking for a salad to make with a quiche and wanted to use up the arugula in the fridge. This came up when I googled arugula salad and I have to say it is one of the best salads I’ve made (and I make a lot of salads). Used a fresh lemon from our tree out back and the dressing was amazing. I will use it for other salads too. The combination of all the flavors just worked. Don’t leave out the dried cranberries!
This salad was fantastic! The apples and maple syrup balanced the peppery arugula and the pecans added a great richness. Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
An absolutely wonderful salad! I would better to differ, however, about using organic arugula. Greens such as these tend to hold onto bacteria like a sponge and organics make me fear e-coli. Many warnings on FDA/CFIA recall websites. Absolutely nothing wrong with well-washed normal arugula. Thank you for the recipe.
I love how simple the recipe was, but also how fancy it was/looks. :) I felt like a grown up making/eating it. Haha! Love your website and recipes. Hope to continue making more delicious recipes.
Very light, full of flavor!
i made this salad it’s out of this world the cambinatin of apples i use tow different kind and the arugula is amazing and i had to it pomegranate thanks 1 of my best salad i made . and was so easy to make i used low calories may pale strop
Loved this salad, added grilled chicken for a light but filling dinner meal. So easy and so flavorful.
We all have tough days, months and sometimes years. But thankfully I don’t fight the fight alone and try to rest in Gods peace as he works it out for my best.
Hi Dana,
Thanks for sharing.
Didn’t have all the ingredients on hand, made it only with arugula, red onion, and the dressing (sweet almond oil instead of olive). Delicious and refreshing!!!
Will make it again :-)
Trust 2017 is starting out well for you.
Be blessed!
Hey, usually I scroll to the recipe but some of your speech stopped me. Thanks for that. I really needed to read that today. I beat myself up for not being happy all the time. The reminder to live in the present with what I currently feel was awesome. You are awesome!
Have made this salad, oh, probably 15 times in the last months and it’s always a hit. Not a huge cranberries-in-salads fan, so swapped them out for dried cherries. So good. Nearly every time, someone asks me for the recipe. Also, that dressing is good on just about any salad. Thanks for helping us switch up our salad rotation!
Hello Dana,
I came across your Apple Pecan Arugula Salad today (May 22, 2017) while searching on-line for an arugula salad. It definitely caught my eye for two reasons; the picture looked absolutely delicious and I had all the ingredients on hand. That doesn’t happen very often. So I gave it a try.
It was delicious and it certainly is a keeper! I can see making this salad for dinner parties and family and showing off just how good this salad is! Thank you for sharing. I hope to find more wonderful recipes on your site.
Made this with a few changes. Sweet instead of red onion; half apple cider vinegar half lemon juice with a dash of garlic powder for the dressing; vegan shredded parmesan cheese lightly sprinkled on top. The man loved it. Light and delicious!
Thank you for the recipe. I made this tonight, it was so clean and refreshing. I used roasted almonds and sunflower seeds it was perfect (my husband is allergic to most nuts). Also I was hesitant because I couldn’t picture maple syrup in a dressing but it was amazing with the mix of fruit and veggies!
So simple and so delicious! Definitely something I will make again and again for lunch
I made this salad for a co-workers retirement pot luck lunch and it was fabulous. I doubled the recipe and there was not a leaf to be left over and many asked for the recipe. This is definitely a keeper in my recipe file. Thanks Dana!
I made this today and it is absolutely delicious!!!
Planned this but didn’t plan that my daughter would use up the lemon, so substituted organic apple cider vinegar instead and it was delicious (this from a family that does not particularly enjoy arugula). Added some shaved Parmesan too, but the recipe was better without it – next time will make exactly as planned – my new go to for arugula!
I made this! It was lovely! I added goat cheese!!! It was so lovely.
We are currently obsessed with this salad! To add a fall vibe we added roasted butternut squash, seriously yum!
This salad is excellent. Even my husband loved it. Don’t skip toasting the pecans. It really adds to the taste.
I ended up making this salad twice last week – once with your pumpkin mac n cheese and once with homemade pizzas. Both times, it was a hit. For me, there is a bit too much fruit in the salad, so the second time I made it I only added one apple and it worked fine. The cranberries are a great add in for an extra punch of flavor. The dressing is simple and quick to make. I did leave the red onions on the side – this is a personal preference (I hate onions!), but had them available for my boyfriend, who liked the salad with them. This will definitely be a salad that is added into our rotation.
I made it and I loved it! I think it would be good with some feta or goat cheese too.
My sister and her family went vegan a little over a year ago.
I always felt so bad for them at family gatherings because there were never any choices for them other than what they would have to bring themselves and to me that just never seemed quite fair. I decided to make Thanksgiving this past year a much more vegan friendly place.
Let’s just say this salad was gone and it was not by just the three vegan family members. I doubled the recipe to make enough just in case and I am glad I did because it was a hit.
It was so good and I personally love how easy the dressing is, and consisting of pure ingredients that I can actually pronounce and know what they are without googling them.
This looks delicious! Will baby arugula work if I can’t find regular?
Thanks!
Yes!
I loved this dish, the flavors were outrageously good, and I couldn’t stop eating the goodness.
Additionally, it is now my favorite salad!
Delicious! The dressing is light and flavorful and easy to make. We served the salad as a side at a dinner party and everyone loved it. Will definitely make it again. Next time I will try it with the dried cranberries, as I meant to this time but forgot I had used them up in another recipe.
Dana…it looks like you posted this recipe a few years ago but I just made it last night for my husband and I and we give it 5 stars! Because the salad dressing was so simple, I was doubtful I’d like it but it was absolutely divine for this salad! Thank you for sharing this. <3
This was so tasty. Great combination of sweet, sour, savory and bitter. I don’t normally like arugula so I was skeptical but somehow this simple combination really works well.
We are glad you enjoyed it, Miranda!
Very, very good. We get arugula in our CSA and I’ve made this salad twice now this summer and I’ll make it again the next time we get arugula (even if I have to buy it at the store). So good.
This is my go to salad for guests! Easy to tweak based on ingredients on hand, but sticking with the base of items listed. Dressing is so yummy!
Yay! Glad to hear that, Sally!
Due to the recent Romain lettuce alerts I tried something new and bought arugula. My husband said he does not like arugula but as he was eating he said this was one of the best salads he has ever had. Thank you for the awesome recipe!
It was pretty darn good! I didn’t have pecans so I subbed out a turkey jerk strip that I cut into little pieces. I was the only one eating it so probably should have halved the salad dressing. This made for a quick, easy and plant-based lunch with leftovers in the fridge and pantry!
We are doing a keto/low carb type diet soon to support our son with PANDAS and Lyme, for 8 weeks!
I can’t wait to try and adapt as many of your recipes as possible to get him eating more produce!
This is a great recipe for us to still get our veggies in- not sure if he can have the apple slices but blueberries might work instead!
I made this salad on christmas day and I loved it, I paired it with roasted chicken and a simple rice. It has the perfect balance of sweet, salty and tangy. I also make a bologna sandwich with this salad and it’s like they were destined for each other, it is soo good. My boyfriend, who has never being a salad fan, he loves it too and keep asking me to make it all the time. So, as you can see, it is a BIG hit in my house, thank you for sharing it with us. Happy new year! 🎉
Yum! Thanks for sharing, Rita!
This is our new favorite salad and I get requests to bring it wherever we go ! New to your site, but will definitely be using it from now on ! ( I add a little more syrup than you recommend, but otherwise prepare exactly as you say. ) Yummy !!!!