Apple Salad with Parmesan Crisps
This Red Leaf Lettuce and Apple Salad with Parmesan Crisps is light, easy to make and absolutely delicious.
I remember vowing that I would be sharing more salads didn’t I? The thing with salads is that I so often just throw one together; including the dressing, and then after the fact the next day have to not only recreate it for a photo but first things first…I have to remember exactly what I used. I’m glad I made a point of that with this Apple Salad with Parmesan Crisps.
I haven’t bought a bottled salad dressing in years preferring to grab things from the fridge and the pantry and often make something as simple as olive oil, balsamic vinegar and whatever the spirit moves me. Blogging about it is usually not on my mind…until after I’ve enjoyed the results!
This salad is my version of a recipe I saw in a Bon Appetit magazine from last year so I just had to make a couple of notes during preparation. I’ve made some major changes; red leaf lettuce was perfect and a trip to the grocery for specialty lettuces really was not necessary.
I’ve changed up the dressing quite a bit too. I wanted garlic and decided to saute it and the shallots to mellow them a bit and this dressing was so good I can only recommend that as an absolute necessity.
This was simple and absolutely fantastic. Despite my modifications, it has the same spirit with the apple slices and Parmesan cheese crisps and it is an absolute winner. I’ve made Parmesan crisps before and wonder why I’m not making them every single day of my life and then I eat them up with such abandon that I answer my own question. I would be rolling around like a Parmesan wheel!
Crisp apples and Parmesan cheese, especially slightly melted and crispy Parmesan cheese. Really how could this be wrong?
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Apple Salad with Parmesan Crisps
Ingredients
For the Parmesan Crisps:
- 4 oz grated Parmesan
For the Dressing:
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ½ small shallot finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves finely minced
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 ounces Parmesan grated
For the Salad:
- 2 medium heads red leaf lettuce
- 1 large Pink Lady apple thinly sliced
- Flaky sea salt such as Maldon and pepper
Instructions
- To Make the Parmesan Crisps
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- On a baking sheet using either a silicone mat or parchment coated with nonstick spray, divide 4 oz. grated Parmesan into 8 mounds.
- Press with your fingers to flatten. Bake until the cheese is golden and melted, 6–10 minutes.
- Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack and let cool; break crisps into coarse pieces.
- To Make the Salad Dressing
- Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, add the chopped shallots and saute for 3-4 minutes; add the garlic and saute for another minute.
- Remove from heat and add honey; mix well. Add the remaining dressing ingredients, whisk together and allow to cool down.
- Add Parmesan and mix well.
- Plate salad greens; add apple slices and Parmesan crisps and drizzle with dressing.
- Season with sea salt and pepper.
We really enjoyed the salad. The salty cheese, sweet apples, and the dressing are a great combo.
I’ve enjoyed your website, stories and recipes for years and I appreciate your work very much.
Thank You.
You are like a gift today MJ! The recent trend with food blogs is all about nothing but the dollar; write a post to satisfy Google and make a ton of money! I saw in a group the other day everyone complaining about stories that are told…’just give me the recipe’ they all cry!
But but but…what about me? What about my need to share something that makes each dish meaningful or is a memory I want to preserve. I’m old school…determined to keep some old traditions while my advertising company pushes us to comply as if we are all Stepford Wives.
THANK YOU! The ‘fluff’ they complained about really is the value for some still; that is good to know!
Divine salad, I am fan of the parmesan crisps and love the idea of sweet and savory this is a winner recipe for me =)
This looks great! Where is the recipe for the parmesan crisps? They look great! This salad looks so simple but refreshing!
The recipe includes how to make the Parmesan crisps.
I got silicone baking mats for Christmas and still haven’t tried used them to make cheese crisps. I really need to do this. I know my hubby would love it. I think the dressing sounds divine. I love garlic and shallots together. 🙂
They are perfect for these Shannon…no sticking at all! And the dressing? It’s now on my regular rotation; it was perfect for lots of salads; I’ve even got another coming up soon with flank steak, tomatoes and pine nuts and just used the same one. Umm umm good!
My kind of salad!
This is my kind of salad! Can’t wait to try that dressing!
The dressing is so good Rachel that I already know it’s going to be a standard around here; I just LOVE it!
This salad looks perfect for winter! I love the addition of sweet apples and those Parmesan crisp are calling my name like you don’t even know. BUT it’s the dressing that is really speaking to me. I could put that on everything!!!
I felt the same way and in a turn of events that I would say is not really normal I made another salad last night with flank steak, grilled onions, cherry tomatoes and pine nuts that I’m blogging about…and I used the same dressing. It’s definitely a keeper!
Barb, I promise I’ll make the salad (so don’t call the nutrition police on me please), but honestly it’s the parmesan crisps that really caught my attention. Oh my goodness those look fabulous. I’m almost afraid to try them; I make a pile of them, they’ll all be gone before I can serve them to someone else.
I wish I could give you some assurances but I would be a liar. I made double the recipe so I could nosh during the shoot. And then I made some more. And I ate them.
I make homemade dressings for us around here, too. Yours sounds so good! The zingy dressing with the crisp apple and salty Parmesan crisp in each bite–salad perfection!
They are so easy aren’t they Jean; I think it’s just changing habits more than anything. And yes, this really was salad perfection!
I love this salad! I love the idea of using cheese crisps in place of croutons! Genius!
I am now finding ways to use them a lot. I’m thinking too many ways. 🙂
I am now craving this salad and especially those parmesan crisps! Your bourbon nuts would be wonderful in this!
Salads sound like a good way to start off a healthy new year. I feel like Jan 1 just happened and apparently the rest of the world has moved along to February!! I started to say that I would try these parmesan crisps the next time I have company…but who am I kidding– I’d much rather make it (and eat it all!) for myself! Thanks, Barb!
They are so easy and so good and really added such a terrific element to this salad. I had a couple more last night in another salad with flank steak. They are addictive!