Celery Salad with Apples

A simple lemon and olive oil dressing gives this celery salad recipe a bright sharpness. Apples provide a touch of sweetness, while creamy hazelnuts round it all out. The recipe comes together in less than ten minutes. It's an easy way to lighten up a hearty autumn dinner.

In autumn when the dinner table is filled with hearty soups and stews, sometimes you want for a little brightness. Something fresh and light. This celery and apple salad recipe scratches that itch.

The key to the recipe is balance. Balance in flavor. Balance in texture. Celery, apples and hazelnuts form the foundation of the recipe. Fresh parsley brings a lovely herbaceous note while lemon and olive oil pull it all together.

And the beautiful part? It is so simple to make. The ingredients are simple. You can find them at any grocery store. Then, you start the dressing in a large bowl, toss in the rest of the ingredients. In less than ten minutes you'll have a beautiful, autumn salad and only a single dish to wash.

Key Ingredients

Celery is the heart of this salad. Slice it thinly on the diagonal, about ¼-inch thick. It needs to be fresh and crisp for this salad to work, so make sure to use it within a day or two of purchase. We also add celery seeds to the dressing which amplifies the celery flavor while also adding a delicate earthy note.

Parsley is in the same botanical family as celery, and their flavors complement one another. Its deep green color provides a beautiful visual balance to celery's paler hue. Choose flat-leaf parsley as it has a pleasant leafy texture and more intense flavor than curly parsley (an herb mostly used as garnish).

Apples bring a little sweetness to the plate, balancing celery's mild bitter notes. Look for an apple with high acidity, crisp flesh and a sweet-tart flavor. My favorite variety for this recipe is Cosmic Crisp. It stays crisp, resists browning, and strikes just the right balance between sweet and sharp.

Hazelnuts add crunch and a rich, creaminess that pairs beautifully with apples and celery. Choose roasted, salted hazelnuts if possible. Roasting deepens their nutty flavor. If you can't find hazelnuts, just about any nut can work in a pinch: almonds, walnuts, pecans -- whatever you happen to like best.

If you're looking for more autumn-inspired salads, check out my Brussels Sprout Slaw and Red Cabbage Salad. They're also intensely seasonal with a beautiful balance of sweetness, acidity, and crunch.