Mediterranean Apple Walnut Salad

let's get our autumn glow on with this Mediterranean Apple Walnut Salad. It's a MUST for delicious, glowy eating! Roasted Walnut, crunchy apples, smoky grains and pockets of sweet gem-like cranberries. It's like eating all the best of autumn in a bowl!!!

You're going to Fall in Love with this Fall Salad!

Freekeh has quickly become one of my favourite grains to use in salads and for fall dining, warm salads like this Mediterranean apple walnut salad is always a winner in the cooler seasons.

Did you know that freekeh is actually wheat? Yep, it's immature green wheat that's been fire-roasted to remove the husk. Plus you cook it just like any other grain⏤boil and drain and POOF a delicious and satisfying side dish is on your plate.

I know you're going to love Freekeh in this salad. It packs the perfect toothsome punch, and pairs perfectly with a zesty dressing like the one used in this salad, made with olive oil, lemon, honey, and garlic. Not to mention it also complements the sweet notes from the apples and Cranberries, savoury onions and earthy walnuts.

Seriously what's not to fall in love with?

How to Make the Mediterranean Apple Walnut Salad

Unlike other salads, this salad is pretty low-maintenance! The only chopping you're going to be doing is the apples and shallots. Everything is pretty much as is...except the lemon, you cut that in half but that's not real chopping. 😉

You're just three simple steps away from having a beautiful glowy salad on your table;

1. Simmer the freekeh in spiced water for 25 minutes. If you're a rockstar prepster you'll do your prep at the same time and be eating in 25 minutes too.
2. SHAKE SHAKE Youurr dressing...throw in all in a jar and let's dance my friend. (you know the kitchen for dancing, right? 💃🏻)
3. Mix it all up and enjoy the glow! That's it!

Frequently asked questions

Can you make it ahead of time?

Yes, this salad will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. If you are making it ahead, I strongly recommend adding the apples before serving so that they don’t brown.

Can I use another grain other than Freekeh?

Yep, any whole grain of your choice will work really well in this salad.

Where can I find Freekeh?

Depending on where you live to find freekeh may be a challenge, thankfully there's always amazon. Here's a link for Freekeh, I've personally never purchased this brand but I'm sure it will be fine. (I'm not an affiliate, it's general recommendation)

What can I serve with this salad? 

I like to eat this as a meal, but if you want to level up the dish you can try pairing it with a roasted chicken or za'atar chicken. You could even just throw some beans in it and call it a day!

Looking for more salad warm salad ideas? Try these out

• Roasted zucchini salad
• Mediterranean bulgar salad
• Roasted cauliflower salad
• Beet and Lentil salad

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Mediterranean Apple Walnut Salad

Sarah

Mediterranean Apple Walnut Salad.

It's a MUST for delicious, glowy eating! Roasted Walnut, crunchy apples, smoky grains and pockets of sweet gem-like cranberries. It's like eating all the best of autumn in a bowl!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Course Dinner, mezze, Salad

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 2

Ingredients

  

Freekeh Pilaf

• ½ cup freekeh dried
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon ground
• ½ teaspoon Allspice ground
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 4 cup Water

Lemon Honey Dressing

• ¼ cup lemon juice about 1 lemon juiced
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon dried minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ¼ teaspoon black peppercorns grinded
• ½ teaspoon salt

Salad Ingredients:

• 2 cup baby spinach
• 1 large sweet apple (gala, tango, or pink lady) 1" inch cubes
• ¼ cup cranberries dried
• 1 shallot diced
• ½ cup Walnuts roasted
•  

Instructions

 

Prepare the Freekeh

• Wash the Freekeh.

  Remove any stones or debris from the freekeh. Place the freekeh into a large prep bowl. Fill the bowl of freekeh with water, swoosh the freekeh around in the bowl a few times, pour out the water in fast motion in between rinses. All the freekeh should remain at the bottom of the bowl except for the debris rising to the top of the water. Rinse the freekeh about three times; during the final rinse, remove all water from the grains. You'll see the difference from the first rinse to the third: the debris will be less, and the water should be clear.
• Cooking the freekeh. Fill a medium-size pot with the 4 cups of boiling water, add the freekeh, cinnamon allspice and salt. Turn the heat on a medium-high and simmer the grains for 25 minutes. Once cooked, turn off the stove and drain the freekeh in a mesh colander to remove the remaining water. Place the freekeh back into the pot and set aside until really to use.

Mix the Dressing

• Place all of the dressing ingredients into a small jar, seal, and shake to combine. Set the dressing aside.

I recommend preparing the dressing well the freekeh is cooking and allowing the dressing to sit for a bit of time. 

Finishing the Salad

• Place the baby spinach into a shallow salad bowl, top with warm freekeh.
• Add the shallots, apples and cranberries.
• Pour on the dressing and mix everything together.
• Enjoy!

Keyword apple salad, freekeh salad, mediterranean diet