Apple Salad with Grapes

My creamy apple salad recipe with grapes is loaded with crunchy walnuts, crisp apples, and sweet marshmallows swimming in a flavorful tart dressing. This easy fruit salad is perfect to serve at any party or potluck, or simply enjoy it as a sweet snack or dessert on hot summer days!

This easy apple salad with grapes recipe is not a traditional leafy salad. Instead, it is a creamy mayo-based fruit salad similar to a classic chicken salad. A sweet and savory mixture of crunchy apples, juicy grapes, chopped walnuts, and dried cranberries are tossed in a tart mayo dressing spiked with lemon juice. The best part is, this classic recipe is great to make in advance!

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Mayonnaise - I recommend making this apple salad with mayo because it blends perfectly with lemon juice to create a sweet and tangy dressing, but plain greek yogurt can be substituted. Alternatively, you can also make a fruit salad with yogurt.
• Fresh lemon juice - Apple cider vinegar can be used as a substitute.
• Fresh apples - Granny smith apples are great for this simple salad, as are honey crisp and pink lady. Feel free to use your favorite apples found at your grocery store or apple picking. However, I would avoid red delicious apples.
• Red grapes - I think red seedless grapes are best for this easy recipe, but you can use green grapes for a more tart flavor.
• Miniature marshmallows - These can be left out if you want a healthier salad. Alternatively, you can substitute crunchy celery to make this like a classic Waldorf salad.
• Walnuts - Pecans are an equally good substitute.
• Dried cranberries - Dried cherries or raisins would be a perfect substitute.

How to make it

To make your apple grape salad begin by stirring the mayo and lemon juice together in a mixing bowl until well combined. Then add your chopped apples, marshmallows, sliced grapes, chopped walnuts, and dried cranberries. Stir everything together well.

You can enjoy the apple salad immediately, but the flavor will improve if you let the flavors meld in the refrigerator overnight.

If you are serving this at a potluck where it will sit out all day, I recommend placing it in an iced serving bowl to ensure the creamy dressing stays cold. Letting a mayo-based dressing sit at room temperature for hours and hours on end is asking for food poisoning otherwise.

Storing Leftovers

Leftover apple salad should be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container to preserve the flavor. The flavor and texture will be best if it is enjoyed within five days.

This recipe was originally published on September 3, 2019, on FoxValleyFoodie.com.