10 Savory Apple Recipes That Celebrate Fall’s Greatest Fruit Without the Sugar

Apples are the PSL of fall produce. As soon as the leaves start changing colors, excitement for the fruit starts building. Apple cider, apple cider donuts, apple pie…yes to it all. But have you ever stocked up on them (whether from an apple-picking outing, the farmers’ market, or a trip to the grocery store) and thought, “what the heck am I going to do with all these?”

There’s plenty of desserts you can bake using your haul, but apples taste downright delicious in savory dishes too. Case in point are the 10 recipes rounded up here. From simple salads to savory tarts and even pizza, these recipes all prove that there’s no shortage of what you can do with apples. Ready to get creative? Keep reading for the goods.

10 savory apple recipes to make this fall

1. Fall harvest salad

One of the easiest ways to make use of your apple haul (without having to bake something), is by slicing one up and adding it to your salad. This one is full of scrumptious fall ingredients like butternut squash, radish, and a homemade maple mustard vinaigrette.

Get the recipe: fall harvest salad 

2. Apple thyme tart

Not all apple tarts have to be sweet. Pair your fruit with Gruyere cheese, yellow onion, thyme, and Dijon mustard and you have a very different baked good on your hands. Truly, can you ever go wrong pairing apples and cheese?

Get the recipe: apple thyme tart 

3. Apple and fennel stuffed mushrooms

Having some friends over? Chop your apples and use them as an unexpected ingredient in stuffed mini portabello mushrooms. Also tucked inside are fennel and onion. These bites may be small, but they’re full of flavor.

Get the recipe: apple and fennel stuffed mushrooms

4. Brie stuffed with piloncillo-carmelized apples

Yes, it’s another apples and cheese pairing—this time using warm, gooey brie. The apples are caramelized with piloncillo (a raw form of pure cane sugar that is commonly used in Mexican cooking), butter, thyme, and rosemary. Make a batch, pour some wine, and you’ll feel fancy, even if all you’re doing is watching Hulu in your PJs.

Get the recipe: brie stuffed with piloncillo-caramelized apples

5. Apple cheddar pizza

Even if you have pizza night once a week, chances are you haven’t made an apple pizza yet. So fun, right? Yellow onion, cheddar cheese, walnuts, and a touch of maple syrup are the recommended other toppings here, but just like any other type of pizza, it’s totally customizable so feel free to add or omit ingredients depending on your dietary preferences.

Get the recipe: apple cheddar pizza 

6. Apple spinach salad

This salad only takes 15 minutes to make, so it’s a great weekday lunch option. Besides the apple and onion, the other ingredients don’t require any chopping whatsoever. Adding dried cranberries really gives it a fall feel and the tartness brightens the whole bowl.

Get the recipe: apple spinach salad 

7. Sweet potato and apple tart

Now *this* is an impressive apple tart. The savory star of the show is sweet potatoes, found in abundance during the fall. The tricky part when making this tart is working with the phyllo dough, but the recipe steps explain exactly how to master it. It actually only takes 10 minutes of active work to make this tart!

Get the recipe: sweet potato and apple tart

8. Instant Pot Indian apple chutney

This Indian apple chutney is loaded with anti-inflammatory spices: cumin, fennel, turmeric, ginger, and cayenne are just a few of them. The heat balances out the apples’ sweetness perfectly. Use the chutney to add flavor to meat or enjoy simply with naan bread.

Get the recipe: Instant Pot Indian apple chutney

9. Spiced rice pilaf with apples

Apples can be incorporated right into rice dishes too, as with this pilaf. The key is incorporating warming spices like allspice and cinnamon with a few strong savory ingredients like thyme, onion, and red pepper flakes.

Get the recipe: spiced rice pilaf with apples

10. Apple sweet potato hash

One-skillet hash makes a great breakfast or dinner. Eggs ensure there’s plenty of protein while sweet potatoes and apples cover the fiber base. You can add other veggies too—it’s hard to mess up hash!

Get the recipe: apple sweet potato hash

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