Arugula Watercress Fennel Apple Almond Salad & Apple Cider Vinaigrette – Sure to Become Your New Favorite Salad and Salad Dressing
This light, bright, crisp and tangy salad provides the perfect complement to the typical carb-rich Thanksgiving meal. Arugula Watercress Fennel Apple Almond Salad has everything going for it. Crisp, peppery greens balanced with sweet apples, fennel, toasted almonds tossed in a tangy
Apple Cider Vinaigrette dressing.
Although the dressing can be made in advance, as both watercress and arugula are fragile greens, dress the salad just before serving.
Excellent enjoyed as a side salad or as a light meal on its own.
Thanksgiving less than a week away
Thanksgiving is sooo close. And, as Arugula, Watercress, Fennel, Apple, Almond Salad would 
make such a delicious accompaniment to your holiday meal, I can wait no longer to share this recipe with you. Thus, this post consists of the tried and true recipe and a few pictures to entice you to make it.
In case you have time, I’ve included a link for the definition of vinaigrette. And another link that explains the benefits of raw, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar with “the mother.”
Click here for more great Thanksgiving recipes
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Wishing you a wonderful week of cooking and sharing food, conversation and gratitude with family and friends. Happy Thanksgiving to one and all.
Arugula Watercress Fennel Apple Almond Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
The Arugula Watercress Fennel Apple Almond Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette has everything going for it. Crisp, peppery 
greens balanced with sweet apples, fennel, toasted almonds and tossed in a tangy vinaigrette dressing. Excellent enjoyed as a side salad or as a light meal on its own.
The dressing can be made in advance. Though, as both watercress and arugula are fragile greens, dress the salad just before serving.
Vegan and naturally gluten-free.
Makes 4 entrée salads or 8 side salads Printer-Friendly Recipe
Total Time 45 minutes
Salad Ingredients
⅔ – ¾ cup Apple Cider Vinaigrette
1 bunch watercress, rinsed, dried, thick stems removed
5 ounces baby arugula, rinsed, dried
½ cup slivered almonds
1 small fennel bulb
1 red apple, such as Pink Lady, quartered, cored, thinly sliced lengthwise, halved crosswise
½ cup thinly sliced scallions, white and green parts
Instructions
- Prepare the Apple Cider Vinaigrette. Recipe below.
- Rinse and dry the arugula and watercress. Remove the thick stems from the watercress. Store both of the greens in the refrigerator until just before serving the salad.
- Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Bake the slivered almonds 7-8 minutes until golden and toasted. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- Remove the fronds from the fennel bulb and save them for another use. Quarter and core the fennel bulb. Thinly slice each quarter lengthwise. Put the sliced fennel in a large bowl and toss it with 3 tablespoons of the Apple Cider Vinaigrette.
- Quarter and core the apple. Thinly slice each quarter lengthwise, then halve the slices across the middle. Toss the apple slices in the dressing with the fennel.
- Just before serving the salad, toss the arugula, watercress, scallions and almonds with the sliced fennel and apples.
Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Enjoy Apple Cider Vinaigrette in this Arugula Watercress Fennel Apple Almond Salad. It’s also excellent throughout the year for Grain Bowls, steamed vegetables, slaws and, of course, other salads. Inspired by and adapted from a recipe from The Yummy Life.
- Making Apple Cider Vinaigrette with an immersion blender or in a blender jar makes it thick and creamy without mayo or yogurt.
- The dressing is slightly sweet from apple juice concentrate, and tangy from apple cider vinegar.
- Do let the dressing sit about 30 minutes before using to mellow and marry the flavors.
Makes 1 ¼ cups Printer-Friendly Recipe
Total Time 5 minute
Ingredients
¼ cup organic, raw, unpasteurized, unfiltered apple cider vinegar
¼ cup organic apple juice concentrate, defrosted
1 large clove garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
¾ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon homemade, country-style cultured mustard or Dijon
½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
10 twists freshly ground black pepper
⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Place everything in a blender jar and blend until thickened and thoroughly mixed.
- Store Apple Cider Vinaigrette in a covered container in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.