Forget boring salads, this tuna apple white cheddar salad is loaded with delicious and filling ingredients.
This salad starts with a generous bed of lettuce, then we add a heaping serving of a light, yet creamy tuna salad. For some crunch, there’s walnuts and shredded carrots. White cheddar cheese adds even more flavor and a creamy touch. Top it all off with a homemade apple cider vinaigrette and you’ll have a salad you will look forward to eating.
For more delicious salads try this Spring chicken salad or this super easy citrus shrimp salad. Enjoy!
Salad Ingredients
12 ounces White Albacore Tuna in Water, drained if in a can
2 ounces Cream Cheese
2 tablespoons Mayonnaise
2 tablespoons White Onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons Celery, finely diced, plus extra for garnish, if desired
½ teaspoon Yellow Mustard
¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper, or to taste
8-10 ounces Lettuce, Spring Mix or use your favorite
2 Medium Apples, cored and diced into bite sized pieces – we used gala apples
3 ounces White Cheddar Cheese, shredded or cubed
½ cup Shelled Walnuts
¼ cup Shredded Carrots
Homemade Apple Cider Vinaigrette Ingredients
½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar, raw
¼ cup Apple Juice, fresh pressed
3 tablespoons Honey
¼ teaspoon Onion Powder
¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
Make the dressing
Add all the dressing ingredients to a jar, or a container with a tight fitting lid. Cover the jar and shake vigorously to mix. Refrigerate until ready to use, stir vigorously before each use too.
Make the tuna salad
Add the tuna to a large bowl. Make sure the bowl is large enough so you can really get in there and stir without spilling. Break up the tuna, then add the cream cheese, mayonnaise, onion, celery, mustard, salt and black pepper. Stir well to combine.
Taste the tuna salad and add more salt and pepper only if needed. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until the tuna salad is nice and cold.
Build the tuna apple white cheddar salad
Divide all the salad ingredients into four portions. Add the lettuce to 4 individual bowls. Top with a scoop of the prepared tuna salad, apples, cheese, walnuts and shredded carrots.
Serve the tuna apple & white cheddar salad with the homemade apple cider vinaigrette and enjoy!
Cook’s Notes
The secret to perfect tuna salad is to break up the pieces of tuna really well. Stir the tuna with a fork, pressing down and breaking up any chunks. Do this, basically, until your hand hurts. Then take a break, and keep stirring and breaking up the tuna.
Dice the onions and the celery as finely as possible. The trick is, to have a subtle flavor and just a little bit of crunch. Any large pieces of celery or onion will take over the tuna. The smaller the pieces, the more they will take a background role.
If you’re using pouch tuna there is no need to drain. If you’re using canned tuna, drain it, but don’t leave it bone-dry.
Tuna Apple White Cheddar Salad
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 12 ounces White Albacore Tuna in Water drained if in a can
- 2 ounces Cream Cheese
- 2 tablespoons Mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons White Onion finely diced
- 2 tablespoons Celery finely diced, plus extra for garnish, if desired
- ½ teaspoon Yellow Mustard
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper or to taste
- 8-10 ounces Lettuce Spring Mix or use your favorite
- 2 Medium Apples cored and diced into bite sized pieces – we used gala apples
- 3 ounces White Cheddar Cheese shredded or cubed
- ½ cup Shelled Walnuts
- ¼ cup Shredded Carrots
Homemade Apple Cider Vinaigrette Ingredients
- ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar raw
- ¼ cup Apple Juice fresh pressed
- 3 tablespoons Honey
- ¼ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
Instructions
Make the dressing
- Add all the dressing ingredients to a jar, or a container with a tight fitting lid. Cover the jar and shake vigorously to mix. Refrigerate until ready to use, stir vigorously before each use too.
Make the tuna salad
- Add the tuna to a large bowl. Make sure the bowl is large enough so you can really get in there and stir without spilling. Break up the tuna, then add the cream cheese, mayonnaise, onion, celery, mustard, salt and black pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Taste the tuna salad and add more salt and pepper only if needed. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until the tuna salad is cold.
Build the tuna apple white cheddar salad
- Divide all the salad ingredients into four portions.
- Add the lettuce to 4 individual bowls. Top with a scoop of the prepared tuna salad, apples, cheese, walnuts and shredded carrots.
- Serve the tuna apple & white cheddar salad with the homemade apple cider vinaigrette and enjoy!
