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Spinach Apple Salad is a fresh, flavorful combination of crisp apples, baby spinach, crunchy nuts, and a homemade dressing. This easy salad recipe is perfect for holidays, potlucks, weeknight dinners, or as a healthy side dish any time of year.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Everyone needs a go-to spinach salad recipe, and this Spinach Apple Salad is mine. It’s fresh, flavorful, and versatile enough to serve with everything from a simple weeknight meal to a holiday dinner. Because the ingredients are easy to customize, you can swap in your favorite nuts, cheese, or seasonal fruit depending on what you have on hand, making it a recipe you’ll reach for again and again.
The real star of this salad is the homemade dressing. It comes together in just a few minutes and has a bright, tangy flavor that’s far better than anything you’ll find in a bottle. The red onion gives the dressing its beautiful blush-pink color while adding just the right amount of savory flavor to balance the sweetness of the apples. Once you’ve tried this simple homemade dressing, you’ll want to keep a batch in your refrigerator at all times.
Ingredients Needed
- Fresh Baby Spinach
- Granny Smith Apple
- Bacon
- Slivered Almonds
- Sugar
- Oil
- Salt
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Red Onion
How to Make Spinach Apple Salad
- Combine sugar, oil, salt, vinegar and red onion. I use canola oil but you could use any mild oil you like.
- Allow dressing to sit for a bit before serving to allow the red onion flavor to infuse the dressing.
- Place spinach in a bowl. You can also add in other greens if you like.
- Add sliced crumbled bacon, feta cheese and sliced apples.
- Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat.
Tips
- For the freshest flavor, use crisp apples such as Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, or Pink Lady. Their sweet-tart flavor and crunchy texture pair perfectly with the tender spinach.
- To keep sliced apples from browning, toss them in a bowl with a little salt and soak for a few minutes. Remove and pat try and store in a airtight bag until ready to use.
- Wash and thoroughly dry the spinach before assembling the salad. Dry leaves help the dressing cling better and keep the salad from becoming watery.
- Make the dressing up to several days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Give it a good shake or whisk before serving, as the ingredients may separate.
- Wait to dress the salad until just before serving. This keeps the spinach crisp and prevents it from wilting.
- Toast the nuts before adding them to the salad for extra crunch and deeper flavor. Just a few minutes in a dry skillet or the oven makes a big difference.
- This salad is easy to customize with ingredients you already have on hand. Try adding dried cranberries, feta or goat cheese, blue cheese, candied pecans, walnuts, or grilled chicken to make it a complete meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best kind of apples to use in this salad?
Crisp apples such as Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Fuji, Gala, or Cosmic Crisp all work well. They hold their shape and add the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness.
How long will homemade dressing last?
Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, the dressing will stay fresh for up to 5 days. Shake or whisk well before using
Can I use other kinds of lettuce?
Absolutely. While baby spinach is the classic choice, you can substitute spring mix, arugula, or a blend of leafy greens if you prefer.
Can I make this salad ahead of time?
Yes! Prepare the dressing and chop the toppings ahead of time, but wait to slice the apples and toss the salad with the dressing until just before serving for the freshest flavor and texture.
What protein can I add to the salad?
Grilled chicken, rotisserie chicken, grilled salmon, sliced steak, or even roasted turkey all make delicious additions and turn this salad into a satisfying main dish
Check out more of my favorite salad recipes:
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Spinach Apple Salad
Ingredients
- 1 10-oz bag fresh baby spinach
- 1 med. Granny Smith apple cored, and thinly sliced
- 1/2 lb. crumbled fried bacon
- 3/4 cup toasted slivered almonds
Dressing:
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 3 Tbsp cider vinegar
- 1/8 small red onion sliced thin
Instructions
- Toss salad ingredients together
For dressing:
- Place ingredients in blender
- Blend until onion is very fine and mixture is well blended
- Dress salad and serve immediately
- Garnish with apple slices
Tips & Notes:
- For the freshest flavor, use crisp apples such as Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, or Pink Lady. Their sweet-tart flavor and crunchy texture pair perfectly with the tender spinach.
- To keep sliced apples from browning, toss them in a bowl with a little salt and soak for a few minutes. Remove and pat try and store in a airtight bag until ready to use.
- Wash and thoroughly dry the spinach before assembling the salad. Dry leaves help the dressing cling better and keep the salad from becoming watery.
- Make the dressing up to several days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Give it a good shake or whisk before serving, as the ingredients may separate.
- Wait to dress the salad until just before serving. This keeps the spinach crisp and prevents it from wilting.
- Toast the nuts before adding them to the salad for extra crunch and deeper flavor. Just a few minutes in a dry skillet or the oven makes a big difference.
- This salad is easy to customize with ingredients you already have on hand. Try adding dried cranberries, feta or goat cheese, blue cheese, candied pecans, walnuts, or grilled chicken to make it a complete meal.
Nutrition Facts:
Jessica Newby says
Holy yum! Made the salad with the Lemon Chicken & it was divine. That is some good chicken too! My husband said, “This seems like it’s from a restaurant!” Thanks!
Lisa says
…maybe with apples though 🙂
Lisa says
This sounds awesome! AND… I just bought a HUGE bag of raw spinach from Costco. I can’t wait to make this!
Stephanie says
That is one of my most favorite salads, its good all year round 🙂
Tamara Reber says
Raw spinach is one of my favorites too. This looks amazing–definitely going into my “to try” file.