If you’ve never shaved a Honeycrisp apple into a salad, you are genuinely missing out on one of the easiest, most impressive things you can put on a dinner table. This Honeycrisp Apple and Shepherd’s Way Farm Friesago Cheese Salad is a five-ingredient stunner — crisp, nutty, a little salty, and completely addictive. It comes together in minutes and tastes like something you’d order at a very good restaurant and in fact the recipe is based on an old Cafe Lurcat in Minneapolis stand by (RIP)
Most apple salads are too sweet or too fussy. This one is neither. The trick is julienning the Honeycrisp instead of chopping it with a handy juliened peeler or microplane— you get these long, delicate ribbons that catch the olive oil and play beautifully against the shards of aged Friesago cheese. It’s all texture and contrast, and it works.
Shepherd’s Way Friesago is the star ingredient here, and it deserves a moment. Made by Shepherd’s Way Farms in Nerstrand, Minnesota, Friesago is an aged sheep’s milk cheese modeled after Italian Frisona. It’s firm enough to julienne, with a rich, nutty, slightly tangy flavor that pairs perfectly with sweet-tart Honeycrisp apples. If you haven’t stocked it yet, check the specialty cheese case — it’s worth seeking out.
About Shepherd’s Way Friesago
Shepherd’s Way Farms is a small, award-winning sheep dairy farm based in Nerstrand, Minnesota. Their Friesago — a sheep’s milk cheese aged in the Frisona style — has earned national recognition and a devoted following among Midwest cheese lovers. It’s the kind of local ingredient that makes Minnesota’s food scene genuinely exciting. Look for it at specialty grocery stores, co-ops, and the Mill City Farmers Market.
How to Make Honeycrisp Apple and Friesago Cheese Salad
Step 1: Julienne the Apple
Using a mandoline fitted with the medium-sized teeth — or a julienne peeler if that’s what you have — shave the apple directly into a mixing bowl. Work around the core. You want long, fine strips, not chunks. Season the apple immediately with the Maldon salt and give it a gentle toss. The salt will start drawing out just a touch of moisture and mellowing the raw apple edge.
Step 2: Build the Salad
Add the julienned Friesago, minced chives, and olive oil to the bowl with the apple. Now the key move: toss gently. You want everything coated and mingled, but the apple ribbons are delicate — rough handling will break them down into mush, and you want that gorgeous shredded texture to hold.
Step 3: Plate It
Mound the salad upward on the plate — don’t flatten it out. Height gives it presence and lets the ingredients show off their texture. This is a salad that looks like you tried, even though you absolutely did not.
Step 4: Finish with Black Pepper
Hit the top with a few turns of freshly ground black pepper at a medium grind. Not too fine (you want to taste it), not too coarse (you don’t want to crunch through it). That’s it. You’re done.
Serving Suggestions
This apple Friesago salad is endlessly versatile. A few favorite pairings:
- Alongside roast chicken or pork tenderloin — the acidity cuts through rich proteins beautifully
- As a starter before a main course — it primes the palate
- On a charcuterie board — mound it in a small bowl alongside cured meats
Make It Your Own
- Swap the apple: Granny Smith gives you a sharper, more acidic bite. Pink Lady is a lovely middle ground. Just avoid Red Delicious — it doesn’t have the structure to hold up to julienning.
- Swap the cheese: Can’t find Friesago? A young Manchego or aged Pecorino Romano will work in a pinch, though the flavor profile will shift.
- Add texture: A small handful of toasted walnuts or pepitas makes this more substantial.
- Add sweetness: A drizzle of honey over the finished plate plays up the Honeycrisp’s natural sweetness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this salad ahead of time? This one is best served immediately. The apple will start to oxidize and soften if it sits, and the Maldon salt will draw out more moisture over time. If you need to prep ahead, julienne the cheese and mince the chives, then shred and assemble the apple right before serving.
What does Friesago cheese taste like? Shepherd’s Way Friesago has a rich, nutty, slightly sweet flavor with a gentle tang from the sheep’s milk. As it ages, it develops more complexity and a firmer, slightly crumbly texture — similar to a young Pecorino or Manchego, but with a distinctly Minnesota terroir.
Can I use a box grater instead of a mandoline? You can use the large holes of a box grater in a pinch, but you’ll lose some of the texture that makes this salad special. A julienne peeler is inexpensive, widely available, and worth owning for this recipe alone.
Is this salad gluten-free? Yes — every ingredient in this recipe is naturally gluten-free.
Love This Salad? Here are a few others to try:
Apple Salad with Cheese
Prevent your screen from going dark
- 1 large Honey Crisp apples
- 1 teaspoon Maldon finishing Salt
- 1/2 cup Shepherd’s Way Friesago cheese julienned
- 1 Tbsp chives minced
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper medium grind
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Using a mandolin fitted with the medium-sized teeth, or a julienne peeler, peel the apple into the bowl. Season with the kosher salt
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Combine cheese, chives, and olive oil in a mixing bowl. Gently toss all the ingredients in the bowl (taking care not to break up the apple too much) until evenly blended.
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Plate with the salad mounded upwards.
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Finish with fresh ground black pepper.
Calories: 232kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 7gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 1335mgPotassium: 109mgFiber: 2gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 273IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 312mgIron: 0.2mg
