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Cinnamon Apple and Red Grape Salad With Toasted Pecans

Cinnamon apple and red grape salad with toasted pecans gets a creamy cinnamon-honey yogurt dressing and a bright crunch from celery and grapes. You’ll toss diced apples and halved red grapes with dried cranberries, then fold in toasted pecans for texture.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
chill 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 340
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Salad
  • 3 apples medium; 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 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.06 tsp salt pinch

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Toast the pecans
  1. Toast pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring, until fragrant. Cool completely before adding to the salad.
Mix the salad base
  1. Combine diced apples, halved red grapes, thinly sliced celery, and dried cranberries in a large bowl. Toss just to distribute the fruit and add-ins evenly.
Make the cinnamon-honey dressing
  1. Whisk Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, honey, lemon juice, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth. Continue whisking until the dressing looks glossy and fully combined.
Coat and finish
  1. Pour the dressing over the fruit mixture and toss gently to coat. Keep tossing lightly so the apples stay crisp and the grapes don’t break.
  2. Fold in toasted pecans just before serving. This helps the nuts stay crunchy instead of softening.
Chill (optional)
  1. Chill the salad for 15 minutes before serving if desired. Serve cold for the best contrast between creamy dressing and crisp fruit.

Notes

Pro tip: cool the toasted pecans fully before folding them in so they stay crisp. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; the salad can be dressed ahead of time, but fold in pecans right before serving. Freezing is not recommended for this salad. For a lighter swap, use plain low-fat Greek yogurt in the dressing while keeping the honey and cinnamon the same.