Pickled Apples Are The Sweet And Tart Finishing Touch Your Salad Deserves

Anything can be pickled, including apples. A flavorful way to transform produce, making quick pickled apples is a matter of pouring brine over sliced apples and letting everything rest in the fridge for a few hours. That said, the advantages of pickling the fruit are plentiful. Not only does the process intensify the naturally sweet and sour profile of the apples, but it allows layers of complexity to be imparted, making the condiment a fabulous addition to Cuban sandwiches, charcuterie boards, and everything in between. However, pickled apples really hit their stride when worked into salads.

Pickled apples give salads a wow factor. Able to increase aesthetics by adding a pop of color to otherwise monochromatic green salads, they can amp up visual appeal regardless of whether the apples are sliced, diced, or cut into matchsticks. What's more, the bold ingredient can even provide another dimension of texture by offering a pleasant crunch — especially, when varieties with crisp textures and a firm flesh are used — to bowls of delicate lettuces and tender grains.

In terms of gustatory benefits, pickled apples also do wonders. Given their vibrancy, the unique condiment effortlessly elevates any basic (read: boring) salad that's in need of some brightening. What's more, the tart and tangy apples can even balance flavors. Yet, because the fruit becomes more acidic as it bathes in brine, knowing how to properly pair pickled apples with the right salad is essential.

Sweetly briny apples are perfect for taming salads crafted with bitter lettuces such as endive or cress. They can also be an equally wonderful match for a peppery kale tabbouleh or simple cabbage slaw. Similarly, the apples' acidity even makes them a great addition to decadent salads laden with mayo-based dressings or heartier ingredients. For example, introducing pickled apples into recipes like Waldorf salad or savory pork belly-topped greens can help cut through the dishes' excessive richness.

Zesty as pickled apples may be, they do maintain a certain sweetness. Evidently, this means that they fare well against an earthy beet salad, but still manage to enhance the subtly honeyed nuances of sorghum or spelt in fully loaded grain bowls. Naturally, that isn't to say that the condiment can't complement and contrast salads laced with sweet ingredients like dried fruit, caramelized onions, or a maple vinaigrette either — a few sour apples can even neutralize sugary fruit salads.

Since they're guaranteed to pack a punch, it's important to use pickled apples sparingly. Several slices (or a spoonful, if apples are diced) is enough to improve salads without detracting from other flavors. Should things taste too tart for your liking, you can easily round out acidity with a drizzle of honey or candied nuts just as you can add in buttery avocado or creamy ricotta. With so many ways to experiment, how will you use pickled apples to revamp salads?