This rocket, apple, parmesan, and walnut salad is one of the most popular cold sides on our Premium catering menu, and it’s not hard to see why. Peppery rocket, crisp apple, salty parmesan, and toasted walnuts in a honey balsamic dressing. You can have it on the table in about 10 minutes, and it looks the part every time.
We’ve been serving this salad at weddings, corporate events, and big backyard gatherings across the Sunshine Coast for years. It’s a natural pairing with our rotisserie pork. The acidity of the apple and the dressing cuts right through the richness of the meat, especially when there’s crackling involved. But honestly, it works alongside just about any meat or at any event.
The recipe below is scaled for 6–8 servings as a side. If you’re catering for a crowd, it scales up easily. Just keep the ratio of dressing to greens the same, and you’re set.
Ingredients
Salad
- 120g rocket leaves (about 4 large handfuls)
- 2 medium apples—Granny Smith for tartness, or Pink Lady for a touch of sweetness and colour
- 60g Shaved parmesan
- 80g walnuts, roughly broken by hand
Honey Balsamic Dressing
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp honey
- Salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
Method
There’s not much to this. Which is exactly the point. Ten minutes, no cooking, minimal washing up.
- Make the dressing. Combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and honey in a small jar or bowl. Season with salt and cracked black pepper, then whisk or shake until combined. Taste and adjust. You might want a touch more honey if the balsamic is sharp, or a splash more vinegar if you like it punchy.
- Prep the apple. Core the apples and slice them thinly—about 3mm. Leave the skin on for colour. Prep these right before serving. Apple browns quickly once cut, and no amount of lemon juice fully compensates for leaving them sitting too long.
- Assemble. Arrange the rocket on a wide serving platter or in a large bowl. Scatter the apple slices over the top, then add the shaved parmesan and walnuts.
- Dress just before serving. Drizzle the dressing over the salad right before it goes to the table. Not a minute before. Rocket wilts fast once dressed, and you want it fresh and peppery when people plate up.
A Few Tips Worth Knowing
Granny Smith vs Pink Lady. Both work. Granny Smith gives you more tartness and a cleaner green-and-white look. Pink Lady has a touch more sweetness and the blush skin adds colour to the platter. Either way, use apples that are firm. Soft, mealy ones fall apart when sliced.
Toast the walnuts if you have time. It’s not required, and the salad works either way. But three minutes in a dry pan over medium heat deepens the flavour noticeably. Let them cool before adding to the salad, or they’ll wilt the rocket.
Shave the parmesan fresh. Pre-grated parmesan from a bag doesn’t do this salad justice. A vegetable peeler run along a block of good parmesan gives you thin, wide ribbons that look the part and melt slightly against the warm components if this is served alongside something hot off the spit.
Don’t dress too early. We prep this salad assembled and undressed at our events, then dress it on-site just before service.
What to Serve It With
Rotisserie pork is the classic pairing. The acidity in the dressing and the tartness of the apple are exactly what you want against a rich, fatty cut. If there’s crackling on the menu, even better. The crunch of the walnuts echoes the crackling texture in a way that works really well on the same plate.
It’s also excellent with rotisserie beef, particularly a medium-rare rump where you want something fresh and sharp to cut through the richness. Less obvious with lamb, where we tend to lean toward herb-based sides, but it absolutely works if lamb is what you’ve got.
For a full spread, this pairs nicely with our rosemary-roasted baby potatoes—one hot, one cold, both punching well above their weight. For more ideas on building a side dish spread that actually works together, our guide to the best spit roast side dishes covers the combinations we come back to most.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I make this salad ahead of time?
Yes. Assemble the salad without the dressing up to a couple of hours in advance and refrigerate it. Keep the dressing in a separate jar. Dress it right before serving. Rocket wilts quickly once dressed, so this is the only way to keep it fresh if you’re prepping ahead.
What type of balsamic vinegar should I use?
A standard balsamic vinegar from the supermarket works fine. You don’t need to use aged balsamic or balsamic glaze. The honey in the dressing adds the sweetness and body you’d otherwise get from a premium aged balsamic. If your balsamic is quite sharp, add a touch more honey to balance it out.
Is this salad gluten-free?
Yes, all ingredients in this recipe are naturally gluten-free. It’s also vegetarian. If you’re serving guests with dietary requirements, it’s one of the easiest options to accommodate alongside a spit roast spread, since the rotisserie meats themselves are also naturally gluten-free.
How much salad do I need per person?
As a side dish alongside meat and other salads, this recipe comfortably serves 6–8 people. As a standalone starter or light lunch salad, it serves 4. If you’re scaling up for a large event, the ingredients double and triple easily. Just keep the dressing ratio the same and dress in batches if needed.
Looking for catering for your next event?
If you’d rather leave the cooking to us (spit roast and all), get in touch about our catering packages. We cook everything from scratch on-site over real charcoal, and this salad is one of the cold sides available on our Premium menu. See what past clients think on our Google Reviews.
