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    Home » Pairings

    Oct 9, 2020 · Modified: Jul 1, 2022 by Lindsey Jenkins · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    What Goes Well With Apples?

    What goes well with apples? Learn the best ingredient pairings, meal ideas, popular flavor combinations, and other helpful tips.

    Have you ever wondered why caramel and apples work so well together?

    It's because they have similar flavor profiles making them great flavor pairings or matches.

    Knowing what goes well with apples will help you come up with endless possibilities to keep your tastebuds happy and your meals exciting and varied.

    basket of apples

    How to Choose Which Apples to Use

    There are over 7,500 varieties of apples. Many of the less well-known varieties will have to be trial and error as to where they fall on the tart-sweet scale.

    The sweeter the apple is, the more water it contains.

    This explains why you're typically going to reach for a Honeycrisp or Fuji apple over a granny smith when eating apples raw. The Honeycrisp and Fuji apples are crunchier, juicier, and sweeter.

    Making something sweet?

    Using an apple that's more tart will help to balance out the dish. This is why granny smith apples are often used in apple pies. Sweet apples work really well in savory dishes because again, they help to balance out the flavors.

    You can still use sweet apples in sweet dishes but pull back on the added sugars to prevent them from being overly sweet.

    Popular American Varieties

    Fuji – sweet
    Gala – sweet
    Golden delicious – not too sweet, not too tart
    Granny smith – tart
    Honeycrisp – sweet-tart

    How to Prepare Apples

    Apples can be baked, caramelized, fried, grilled, poached, sautéed, stewed, or eaten raw.

    Best time to buy apples: Apples are in season in autumn. Buying them during this time will ensure they have the best flavor and are at the lowest price.

    See what else is in season right now in this seasonal produce guide.

    What Goes With Apples?

    Vegetables

    • beets
    • cabbage, carrots, celery, celery root, chiles (chipotle, jalapeños), cucumbers
    • endive
    • fennel
    • ginger
    • horseradish
    • jicama
    • kale
    • onions
    • parsnips, pumpkin
    • rhubarb, romaine lettuce
    • sorrel (leafy greens), spinach, sweet potatoes
    • watercress, winter squash (acorn, butternut, delicata, etc)
    • zucchini

    Fruit

    • apricots
    • bananas, blueberries
    • cherries, cranberries (dried or fresh)
    • figs
    • grapes
    • lemon (juice and zest)
    • oranges
    • pears, plums (dried or fresh)
    • quince
    • raspberries

    Spices

    • allspice
    • black pepper
    • caraway seeds, cardamom, cayenne, cinnamon, cloves, coriander
    • fennel seeds
    • mace, mustard seeds
    • nutmeg
    • sumac

    Herbs

    • lavender, mint, rosemary, and sage

    Nuts & Seeds

    • almonds
    • cashews, chestnuts
    • hazelnuts
    • peanuts, pecans, pine nuts
    • sesame seeds, sunflower seeds
    • pistachios
    • walnuts

    Sweeteners

    • brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, and molasses

    Dairy-Free Products

    • butter, buttermilk, caramel, cheese, cream, sour cream, and yogurt

    Proteins

    • bacon, beef, chicken, duck, and pork

    Pantry Items

    • amaranth*
    • brandy
    • dried fruit (cranberries, currants, dates, prunes, raisins)
    • farro
    • kasha* (toasted buckwheat)
    • lentils
    • millet*, mustard
    • oats*
    • peanut butter, phyllo dough
    • quinoa*
    • rice*, red wine
    • sauerkraut
    • vanilla, vinegar (apple cider)
    • wheat berries

    *Gluten-free. Check out the ultimate guide to gluten-free grains to learn how to cook & use them.

    Popular Apple Flavor Pairings

    • almonds + caramel (check out my dairy-free caramel sauce)
    • apricots + pine nuts + rosemary
    • brown sugar + cream (cashew, oat, or coconut cream) + walnuts
    • caramel + cinnamon
    • caramel + peanuts
    • celery + walnuts
    • cinnamon + dark chocolate + yams
    • ginger + hazelnuts
    • red cabbage + cinnamon
    • honey + lemon thyme
    pantry ingredients

    Meal Ideas

    Apples are a commonly used ingredient in French cuisine as well as in both savory dishes and sweet desserts (pies, crisps, custards, pastries, tarts) alike.

    What to Make With Apples

    • Simple Baked Apples
    • Spiced Oatmeal (just sub out the pears for apples)
    • The BEST Coleslaw (No Mayo)
    • Easy Dairy-Free Apple Crisp
    • Make Homemade Trail Mix with dried apples
    • Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad With Za'atar Vinaigrette

    More Ingredient Pairings

    • Artichokes
    • Leeks
    • Cauliflower

    More Ingredient Pairings

    • Juicy red watermelon wedges with black seeds and a green rind.
      What Goes With Watermelon?
    • Several bunches of yellow cavendish bananas with green stems on top of each other.
      What Goes With Banana?
    • A bin of cream-colored parsnips of all sizes laying horizontally.
      What Goes With Parsnips?
    • Ripe red strawberries with vibrant green stems.
      What Goes With Strawberries?

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    Hi, I'm Lindsey. My goal is to teach you how to become a better cook, rely less on recipes, and be more adaptable in the kitchen depending on what's in season, in your pantry, or to fit your dietary needs. All recipes are dairy-free but come with a "make it your way" substitution section to get you started.

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