Recipe: Celery Salad with Apples, Pecans, Raisins & A Dijon Blue Cheese Dressing

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Sometimes a simple salad is all you need, especially when it has the right mix of textures and flavors. I had leftover apple, red onion, and blue cheese from my roasted Brussels sprouts salad and wanted to make something fast, fresh, and light. This salad came together in minutes, no cooking—just chopping, mixing, and tossing. It’s crisp, a little tangy, a little sweet, and makes for the perfect light lunch, side dish, or healthy snack.

Like I always say, be creative. If you have another ingredient you love, add it in. I always eyeball a recipe and tweak it as I go, and I highly recommend doing the same. Taste as you mix, adjust where needed, and make it your own.

For prep, I used my Epicurean cutting board from Sur la Table (super durable and easy to clean, also on Amazon) and my Birchwood Miyabi Kaizen knives to get everything prepped in under five minutes.

Celery – Crisp, refreshing, and the perfect crunch base

Julienned Apples – Adds a fresh sweetness and a little tartness

Red Onion – A sharp bite that balances the flavors

Raisins – Naturally sweet and chewy for a little contrast

Chopped Pecans – Buttery and nutty for added texture

Blue Cheese Dressing – Creamy, tangy, and slightly sweet

Use a crisp apple like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith for the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness.

For extra crunch, toast the pecans lightly in a dry pan before adding them.

Make it heartier by adding grilled chicken or baked tofu.

If you love a stronger blue cheese flavor, add extra crumbles on top before serving.

You can use walnuts if you don’t like or have pecans