This Apple Wedge Salad deserves a place on your holiday table! Loaded with fresh apples, chopped walnuts, crispy bacon, gorgonzola cheese, and creamy golden balsamic dressing, it’s everything you love about a classic wedge salad… with a delicious fall twist!
Apple Wedge Salad! It’s a little idea I’ve been cooking up for a while, using all my favorite fall flavors, and the end result was even better than I could have imagined. Sweet, crisp apples, creamy gorgonzola cheese, crunchy walnuts, crispy bacon, and the best creamy balsamic dressing. It’s like fall on a plate. In the best possible way.
what you’ll need for this recipe
Lettuce – Lettuce is the base of this salad. Unlike traditional wedge salad which uses iceberg wedges, I used 1 heart of romaine lettuce. You can feel free to substitute iceberg or another variety if you prefer.
Apple – I used 1/2 of an apple, which I chopped into 1/2 inch pieces. Feel free to use any kind of apple you have on hand.
Bacon – Cooked, crumbled bacon adds delicious flavor and a savory element to this salad. I used 2 pieces of bacon. You can also use store bought bacon crumbles as a time saver.
Walnuts – Chopped walnuts add more delicious flavor and a crunchy texture to this salad. I used 2 Tablespoons of chopped walnuts, but you could also use pecans or slivered almonds.
Gorgonzola – I used 2 Tablespoons of gorgonzola cheese, which is a slightly less pungent version of blue cheese crumbles. I love the apple + gorgonzola combo, but if you’re not a gorgonzola fan feel free to substitute feta, goat cheese, Parmesan, cheddar, or any of your favorites.
Onion – 1 Tablespoon of thinly sliced or chopped red onion adds just the right kick to this salad. Feel free to substitute green onions if you prefer.
Dressing – No salad is complete without dressing, and this recipe calls for homemade creamy golden balsamic vinaigrette. You can also use honey mustard, apple cider vinaigrette, balsamic, or any type of dressing you enjoy!
how to make apple wedge salad
Prepare romaine hearts. Prepare the romaine hearts by washing and drying the leaves. (Leave them intact when you do so.) Place them on individual plates.
Add the toppings. Add the chopped apples, pecans, bacon, onions, and gorgonzola cheese. Feel free to adjust the amounts according to your preferences.
Prepare the dressing. Combine the vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together until combined. You can also use a small jar with a lid and shake vigorously to combine.
Dress & garnish. Drizzle salad with vinaigrette as desired. Top with additional bacon crumbles, pecans, or fresh pepper.
prep it in advance
Prep this salad in advance by washing the romaine hearts, cooking and crumbling the bacon, chopping the onions, and chopping the apples (sprinkle them with lemon juice to avoid browning!) Store each ingredient separately in the refrigerator and combine them when you’re ready!
Recipe Variations
- Use any of your favorite types of lettuce, including iceberg, butter lettuce, spinach or mixed greens
- Add or substitute pears for the apples
- Use apple slices instead of chopped apples
- Use any type of apple (Granny Smith, Gala, or Golden Delicious would all work well)
- Add halved cherry tomatoes
- Substitute feta or goat cheese for blue cheese
- Substitute pecans, almonds or any type of nuts for the walnuts
- Top it with honey mustard, apple cider vinaigrette, blue cheese dressing or balsamic vinaigrette
- Make it chopped by chopping the lettuce first
More Fall Salads You’ll Love
Looking for more salads to love this fall? These are some of our favorites!
Apple Wedge Salad
Ingredients
- 2 romaine hearts
- 1 apple chopped
- 4 pieces cooked crumbled bacon
- 1/2 cup walnuts chopped
- 1/3 cup gorgonzola cheese crumbled
- 2 Tablespoons red onion thinly sliced
Creamy Golden Balsamic Dressing
- 6 Tablespoons mayo
- 2 Tablespoons light olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons golden balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- pinch of pepper
Instructions
- Wash & dry the romaine hearts, leaving them intact. Place on individual plates.
- Add the chopped apples, pecans, bacon, onions, and gorgonzola cheese. Feel free to adjust the amounts according to your preferences.
- Combine the vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together until combined.
- Drizzle salad with vinaigrette as desired. Top with additional bacon crumbles, pecans, or fresh pepper.
Notes
Recipe Variations
- Use any of your favorite types of lettuce, including iceberg, butter lettuce, spinach or mixed greens
- Add or substitute pears for the apples
- Use apple slices instead of chopped apples
- Use any type of apple (Granny Smith, Gala, or Golden Delicious would all work well)
- Add halved cherry tomatoes
- Substitute feta or goat cheese for blue cheese
- Substitute pecans, almonds or any type of nuts for the walnuts
- Top it with honey mustard, apple cider vinaigrette, blue cheese dressing or balsamic vinaigrette
- Make it chopped by chopping the lettuce first
Sammie says
This apple wedge salad looks amazing. With 2 apple trees full of fruit in our garden this is the perfect way to use some of them up. Thank you for such a great recipe. Sammie
Cathy Trochelman says
Thanks so much, Sammie! I hope you enjoy it!!
Kay Price says
So delicious!!! The only substitution I made was apple cider vinegar in place of the golden balsamic. I will certainly make this one again! Thank you!
Jess says
This looks delicious! I love a good wedge salad and I haven’t had one in a while! I have to try this recipe soon especially when the apples are fresh! I don’t like to FaceTime – good for her grandparents and grandkids but that’s about it in my opinion!
Cathy Trochelman says
I’m not a huge fan of Face Time either…..I find it awkward and I feel bad doing anything else while I’m talking!!
Happy Valley Chow says
What a lovely salad with awesome flavors, perfect fall salad! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says
I never remember to use Face Time. I don’t know why, but I need to do it more!! And this salad too. Perfection !
Amy @Very Culinary says
Goodness, Cathy! DELICIOUS!!
Kacey @ The Cookie Writer says
Love everything about this salad! Seriously, it is so pretty and refreshing. I would probably use goat cheese because I am still working on bringing myself to love blue cheese, but otherwise, perfection!
Heather Cheney | heatherlikesfood.com says
I love this salad! It took me a while to be a bleu cheese fan but I’m all in now!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wedge salads have always been a favorite of mine – this one looks SO good! I wish so much I had this for dinner right now!
Angie says
Wow, that looks fantastic! You have a real talent for food display and photography. I’m sure it’s just as delicious as it looks.
Sheena @ Tea and Biscuits says
What a delicious looking salad!, And I love your photos too, especially the one with the dressing pouring onto the salad 🙂
Laura O |Petite Allergy Treats says
Lol, FaceTime is sooo one of those things that never seems to work out. But this salad is just perfect, love the use of apples in here. Gorgeous!
Andi @ The Weary Chef says
I’m not a fan of FaceTime either. It always turns into a circus! I can’t believe Myla is big enough to run off with the phone! This salad looks completely amazing. I would love to have it for dinner, Cathy.
Gerry @ Foodness Gracious says
Wow, that looks super-healthy and uber tasty!!!
Jamie @ Love Bakes Good Cakes says
Omgosh! I could dive right into this salad!
M.Adeel Khan says
That’s yumm <3 nd seems best to have it in my day routine. I make vegi salad for lunch but only with few veg ingredients that includes cucumber, onion, garlic, tomato, cabbage, green or black neat olive, cos lettuce nd little olive oil just to smooth the vegs. Best for those who are trying to lose weight or those who remain stable 🙂
Love to practice your recipes specially the breakfast menus <3
Nancy | The Bitter Side of Sweet says
FaceTime has been a blessing to us because it allows the kids to see their grandparents every week who live in Italy. On the other hand they don’t want to sit around the iPad long enough to talk. They want to say hi and move along quickly. This is my kind of salad!
Deb@ Cooking on the Front Burner says
Cathy, you always make the best salads that I want to devour! Another winner!
Cathy Trochelman says
Yay! Thanks, Deb!
Crissy says
I loved this salad so much! The flavors tasted so good together! I hate raw red onions so I soaked them in water for a few minutes and they were perfect. I couldn’t find golden balsamic at HEB so I used a bottled champagne vinaigrette. I can’t wait to make this one again.
Juliana Fendez says
This salad is delicious! We loved it!!! Definitely making it again!
Andrea M Simon says
How many servings would this make?
Cheryl May says
How many people will this salad serve?
Cathy Trochelman says
It’s made with one romaine heart, so I’d say it would serve 1-2 people.
Deena Bartley says
Love , love love this salad! The dressing is what makes it so special. I have made it many times now.
Cathy Trochelman says
So happy to hear it!