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copycat wendys apple pecan salad

Apple Pecan Salad Recipe

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 5 oz romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 2 oz baby spinach
  • 1 medium Fuji or Honeycrisp apple, thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
  • 1 cup pecan halves
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 3 tbsp pomegranate juice
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 4 tbsp olive oil

Method
 

  1. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the pecan halves, sugar, salt, and cayenne, stir constantly for 3 to 4 minutes until the sugar melts and the nuts are glossy, then spread on parchment to cool for 2 to 3 minutes.
  2. Whisk together the pomegranate juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt. Drizzle in the olive oil while whisking until the dressing comes together.
  3. Add the romaine and baby spinach to a large bowl, lay the apple slices on top, and toss with two-thirds of the dressing.
  4. Scatter the dried cranberries, blue cheese, and candied pecans over the top, and serve the remaining dressing on the side.

Notes

You can make the dressing and the candied pecans up to 5 days ahead. Keep the pecans in a sealed bag at room temperature and the dressing in a jar in the fridge. If you are packing this for lunch, keep the dressing separate and add it right before eating.