How To Turn Apple Peels Into The Perfect Salad Topping

When chopping and peeling vegetables, we're often left with a pile of scraps and ends that are perfect for making soup stock. But when preparing fresh fruits, such as apples for a pie, we're also left with scraps with no obvious use. Apple peels are often discarded as kitchen waste, but they can be up-cycled and used as a secret ingredient for adding color, flavor, and a nice crunch to a salad. Often ending up in the trash (hopefully at least the compost), using apple peels reduces food waste. Plus, peels are nutritionally dense and packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

A few situations call for apples to be peeled — for pie, muffins, fritters, smoothies, jam, cakes, applesauce, and fritters. Removing the peel helps ensure a smoother texture in these applications and less chewing. If you've just made one of these treats, take that leftover pile and turn them into salad toppers. Apple peels are naturally thick strips, so to make them into a better salad topping, julienne the peels, much like you would a carrot, for an easier bite. That's it; the peels can be eaten raw as a salad topping. Peels from any type of apple can be used — Granny Smith, Fuji, or Golden Delicious are all fair game. The natural sweetness of apple peel pairs nicely with bitter greens, especially kale or arugula.

If you're a fan of crunchy salad toppings like toasted nuts and croutons, try cooking your apple peels instead of keeping them raw. A bake in the oven will result in a dry, crispy texture. If you've ever eaten a bag of apple chips, this is what the flavor and texture will be like. Slice the peels however you like them, whether in chunks, rough pieces, or thin strands. Toss the apple peels lightly in some oil, add a sprinkle of sugar and salt, then mix in any additional desired seasonings. Cinnamon or smoked paprika would be tasty here. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 12 minutes; the edges should just start to turn golden brown but be careful they don't burn.

Doing a pan sauté is also possible. You would need to use a high-heat oil and bring it to a shimmer in the pan. You can then add the apple peels cut in whatever desired shape, though small pieces will get crispier quicker. After a few minutes of frying in the oil, carefully remove when the color begins to darken, and toss in salt and sugar. Once cooled, the pieces will crisp up and become more brittle.

As an added bonus, if you still have a lot of apple peels on hand, you can either use them to make a zero-waste apple peel tea, a fruit-forward batch of vinegar, or as the autumnal infusion for your bottle of bourbon.