This crunchy celery apple salad with walnuts, dates and a maple shallot vinaigrette is a quick, healthy and delicious side dish for transitioning into fall - when it's still hot but you want all the apple flavors! (gluten-free, vegan)

celery apple salad on a white rectangle serving dish.

It's that awkward time of year where everyone is geared up for all the fall things - pumpkin, apple, sweaters, football games - but here in Texas it's still a hundred degrees some days. So pardon me, but no, I don't want a pumpkin spice latte right now. I'm still into fresh, delicious foods that don't take too much effort or heat. Which is why this crunchy celery apple salad with walnuts and dates is just perfect right now!

Why you need this celery apple salad right now

This celery apple salad with walnut and dates is the best of both worlds for this 'in between' time. It's got some delicious fall flavors - honeycrisp apple, toasted walnuts, and a maple syrup and apple cider vinaigrette - but it's also cool, refreshing and no-cook, so it's a great side dish for those of us in the hot, sunshiny south.

This salad is a flavor stunner that's unexpectedly savory and sweet. It's a lovely side dish to change up your typical salad game. And it's so easy to make!

overhead shot of celery apple salad with walnuts and dates on a rectangle serving platter with a gold spoon.

How to make celery apple salad with walnuts and dates

To whip up this delicious fall salad, you need little more than a cutting board and sharp knife.

Make the dressing.
Toast the walnuts - You can do this in the oven or on the stove in a skillet. Either way, watch them carefully so that they don't burn!
Chop the veggies - Cut celery into pretty slices by making diagonal cuts across the stalks. And don't forget about the leaves (Yes, you can and should eat celery leaves. They're so flavorful!). Slice the apple thinly, chop the green onion and medjool dates.
Mix everything together. That's it!

Recipe variations

Switch up this salad a little and make it your own with the following recipe variations:

I like honeycrisp apples, but any variety you have works just fine.
Add fresh parsley instead of or in addition to the celery leaves, if you'd like.
If you don't have dates, raisins or dried cranberries make a nice substitute.
You can try toasted pecans, hazelnuts, or almonds in place of the walnuts if you'd like.

A note about celery and health

Ah, celery. What was once cast away as a garnish for buffalo wings and a dieter's food is now the 'it' vegetable darling of the wellness world. All because some quack (with no medical expertise, mind you) has decided that exactly 16 ounce of organic celery juice only on an empty stomach has magical healing powers that will cure all of your ails and make you rich and powerful. (Ok I added that last part.) But the truth is, celery juice is not a cure-all, just like no single food is a cure-all. Is celery healthy? Sure, celery has antioxidants, fiber and water. But so do a wide variety of vegetables. Should you include celery in your diet? Sure, if you like it. Should you buy stock in celery and drink a truckload of celery juice each week? No.

Honestly, I don't find celery super exciting and I have a hard time using up a whole bunch. Which is why I love this celery apple salad! It dresses celery up in a fun and tasty way. If you're like me and bought a bunch and have no use for it besides this salad, here are some more ideas for using celery:

Now, into still-kinda-hot-fall you go with this fun, delicious, crunchy celery apple salad with walnuts and dates!

If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating in the comments!

Celery Apple Salad with Walnuts and Dates

Author: Kaleigh
Prep Time: 10 min
Total Time: 10 min
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: salad
Method: baked
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

¼ cup walnuts, chopped
2 cups celery, sliced
½ cup celery leaves, roughly chopped
1 medium honeycrisp apple, thinly sliced
2 green onions, chopped
2 pitted medjool dates, finely chopped
Maple Dijon Dressing (omit the thyme)

Instructions

Add all dressing ingredients to a jar (I usually omit the thyme for this salad). Whisk or shake to combine.
To toast the walnuts, place on a baking sheet and toast in the oven at 375°F for 10 minutes. Alternately, you can place them in a skillet on the stove and toast over medium heat until fragrant, stirring occasionally.
In a large bowl, combine sliced celery, celery leaves, apple slices, green onions, dates, and walnuts.
Pour in the dressing to taste (I start with half) and toss to coat.
Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator up to 2 hours before serving.

Notes

Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 1-2 days.
I like honeycrisp apples, but any variety you have works just fine.
Add fresh parsley instead of or in addition to the celery leaves, if you'd like.
If you don't have dates, raisins or dried cranberries make a nice substitute.
You can try toasted pecans, hazelnuts, or almonds in place of the walnuts if you'd like.

Keywords: apple celery salad, easy celery apple salad