Skip to main content
Wednesday, October 28, 2026Oct 28
Subscribe
All Sections
Search
More

This story is free to read.

Gretchen’s table: Fall in love with an apple salad with maple vinaigrette

This fall salad is made with sliced apples, craisins, toasted pecans and blue cheese on a bed of arugula, kale and shredded cabbage. / Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS
This fall salad is made with sliced apples, craisins, toasted pecans and blue cheese on a bed of arugula, kale and shredded cabbage. / Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS This fall salad is made with sliced apples, craisins, toasted pecans and blue cheese on a bed of arugula, kale and shredded cabbage. / Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS

By Gretchen McKay / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS) 3 min read

When it comes to fall fruit, it’s hard to beat the versatility of the humble apple.

Pennsylvania farmers grow more than 100 varieties of apples. What’s more is a lot of orchards double the fun by offering their fruit in a you-pick format, allowing for the freshest fruit from farm to table.

Gala and the ubiquitous Red Delicious tend to be the most popular for eating out of hand, but sweet-tart cultivars such as Honeycrisp and the bright green, citrusy-tart Granny Smith are also great for a quick after-school or workday snack.

They’re also delicious on top of a salad, providing both a satisfying crunch and a fresh fall flavor that speaks to the season.

Here, thinly sliced apples add a bright and colorful crunch to a healthful, tossed salad mix of spicy arugula, shredded kale and cabbage. It’s dressed in a sweet and tangy, mustardy vinaigrette sweetened with another fall favorite, maple syrup.