Description

A refreshing and flavorful spinach salad featuring crisp apples, sweet cranberries, tangy feta, and crunchy toasted nuts with a simple apple cider vinaigrette. Perfect for a light lunch or a vibrant side dish.

Ingredients

Scale

10 ounces fresh baby spinach, washed and thoroughly dried
1 large Honeycrisp or Fuji apple, cored and thinly sliced
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup toasted pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped
For the vinaigrette:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

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Instructions

1. In a large salad bowl, combine the thoroughly dried baby spinach, thinly sliced apple, and dried cranberries. Gently toss to distribute.
2. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey or maple syrup. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to your liking. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
3. Pour about half of the vinaigrette over the salad ingredients. Toss gently to coat. Add more dressing as needed, until the salad is lightly coated but not drowning.
4. Sprinkle the crumbled feta cheese and toasted nuts over the dressed salad.
5. Serve immediately.

Notes

Store un-dressed salad components separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Dress just before serving for optimal freshness. Dressed salad wilts quickly and is not recommended for storage. Reheating is not applicable as the salad is served cold.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Category: Salad
Method: No-Cook
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: Approx. 250-300 (varies with dressing amount and nuts)
Sugar: 15g
Sodium: 200mg
Fat: 18g
Carbohydrates: 25g
Fiber: 4g
Protein: 6g