Description
This Apple Spinach Salad is always a hit! Add some chicken or salmon to make it an entree salad, or serve it as a side that everyone will love. This recipe serves 4; scale up or down as needed.
Ingredients
FOR THE SALAD:
- 5 ounces fresh baby spinach (that's about 5 big handfuls—use small baby spinach leaves)
- 1 large (or 2 small) red apples, cored and thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 3 ounces of crumbled goat cheese (or fresh feta)
- dressing recipe below, or 1/3 cup balsamic vinaigrette
APPLE CIDER VINAIGRETTE INGREDIENTS:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, or fresh lemon juice (or your favorite vinegar*)
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup (or honey)
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small clove of garlic, grated or minced (or smashed open to sit in the dressing**)
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- a few spins of freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Toast the nuts for 3-4 minutes in a dry skillet over medium heat (or in a toaster oven) until fragrant but not overcooked.
- Meanwhile, make the dressing by whisking all of the ingredients in the bottom of your serving bowl. Alternatively, shake the ingredients together in a medium-sized jar until emulsified if you’re making it ahead of time.
- Add the baby spinach to the bowl, tearing any large spinach leaves in half. Use your hands or tongs to coat all of the leaves in the dressing. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss to coat. To make it pretty, save about 1/3 of the nuts and cheese out then garnish the top of the salad after it’s tossed.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
*I’ve made this salad with different types of vinegar and it’s always good. My current favorite is a combo of 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Use what you have and make it your own.
** For a lighter garlic flavor in the dressing, smash open the garlic clove and let it sit in the dressing for 5-10 minutes instead of grating or mincing it. That will perfume the dressing if you want to avoid the pungent raw garlic taste.
Spinach: This is obviously a spinach salad recipe, and it’s also good with arugula or a combo of arugula and spinach.
Apples: Honeycrisp, Gala, Braeburn, or Jonagold are all excellent here. You can even swap in pears.
Cheese: Goat cheese, feta, or sharp cheddar work equally well. For dairy-free, use vegan cheese or omit.
Nuts & Seeds: Walnuts are classic, but pecans, almonds, cashews, or pumpkin seeds all add crunch.
Dried Fruit: Cranberries are traditional; raisins, currants, or chopped dates also fit.
Dressings: Apple cider vinaigrette is a favorite, but balsamic, champagne vinegar, or lemon vinaigrettes are all delicious.
Herbs & Flavor Boosts: Add ½ tsp dried thyme, or toss in fresh mint or basil for brightness.