Why This Spinach Salad Isn’t Your Average Green Dish!

You might think of spinach salad as a simple side, but this recipe is designed to be a true centerpiece. The inspiration struck after a baking spree for my favorite apple pie and cobbler, leaving me with an abundance of crisp apples. I craved something fresh, vibrant, and utterly delicious – and this Spinach Salad was born!

It’s the quintessential mix of sweet and savory, bringing together the natural sweetness of apples and cranberries with the irresistible crunch of bacon and pecans, all balanced by the sharp bite of red onion and the creamy tang of feta. This salad is more than just a dish; it’s a total showstopper. Its vibrant colors and compelling flavors make it a guaranteed hit, especially for special gatherings and holiday tables like Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Whether you’re serving it as a light main course or a festive side dish, its versatility is unmatched. Easily customize it to fit your preferences or make it heartier by adding grilled protein like tender grilled chicken or succulent steak. This recipe truly redefines what a spinach salad can be.

Key Ingredients for a Perfect Spinach Salad

Crafting the perfect spinach salad begins with selecting high-quality, fresh ingredients. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need and some tips for each component to ensure your salad is nothing short of amazing:

• Fresh Baby Spinach: The foundation of our salad, baby spinach is tender, slightly sweet, and packed with nutrients. Opt for pre-washed bags for convenience, but always check for vibrant, unwilted leaves. Its mild flavor provides a versatile base that beautifully complements the richer ingredients.
• Crisp Apples: For an optimal flavor and texture contrast, I highly recommend using a mix of sweet and tart apples. A crisp Fuji or Honeycrisp apple pairs wonderfully with a Granny Smith. Their refreshing crunch and sweet-tart notes are essential to this salad’s profile. Remember to slice them just before assembling to prevent browning.
• Red Onion: Adding a delightful zing and a pop of color, thinly sliced red onion provides a sharp contrast to the sweetness of other ingredients. If you find raw red onion too strong, a simple trick is to soak the slices in cold water for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, then drain well. This significantly mellows its pungency without sacrificing flavor.
• Candied Pecans: These are a game-changer! Their sweet, buttery crunch elevates the salad from good to extraordinary. While store-bought honey-roasted pecans are a convenient choice, making your own candied pecans is surprisingly easy and incredibly rewarding. Alternatively, plain toasted pecans will still add a fantastic nutty flavor and crunch.
• Dried Sweetened Cranberries: These jewel-toned berries bring a burst of chewy sweetness and a lovely tartness that cuts through the richness of the bacon and feta. They’re a classic fall and winter flavor, but delightful year-round. For a different twist, try dried cherries.
• Crumbled Feta Cheese: The creamy, salty, and tangy notes of crumbled feta cheese are indispensable in this recipe. Feta adds a Mediterranean flair and a luxurious texture that makes the salad incredibly satisfying. If you’re looking for alternatives, a mild goat cheese or a soft blue cheese could also work, though feta is my top recommendation.
• Crispy Bacon: The savory, smoky, and salty crunch of bacon is what truly makes this salad irresistible. Whether you prefer to pan-fry it until perfectly crisp or bake it for less mess, ensure it’s diced into small, bite-sized pieces. For a quick option, pre-cooked microwave bacon can be used in a pinch.

Crafting the Irresistible Apple-Dijon Dressing

The dressing is truly the soul of this Spinach Salad, tying all the diverse flavors together with its sweet, tangy, and zesty profile. It’s incredibly simple to whip up, requiring just a few staple ingredients. The secret to its amazing taste lies in using high-quality components.

• Apple Cider Vinegar: This star ingredient delivers a bright, tangy, and subtly fruity base to the dressing. Its crisp acidity complements the apples in the salad beautifully. Always remember to shake the bottle well before measuring, as the “mother” can settle at the bottom.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: The choice of oil significantly impacts the dressing’s flavor. Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil for its robust, fruity notes and smooth texture. It emulsifies with the vinegar to create a rich, cohesive dressing.
• Pure Maple Syrup: For a natural and nuanced sweetness, pure maple syrup is my preferred choice. It adds a warmth that refined sugars can’t match. If maple syrup isn’t available, honey is an excellent alternative that will provide a similar depth of sweetness.
• Dijon Mustard: A critical emulsifier, Dijon mustard doesn’t just add a fantastic tangy kick; it also helps bind the oil and vinegar together, preventing separation. Its subtle spice enhances the overall complexity of the dressing without overpowering it.
• Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper: These seasonings are vital for bringing out and balancing all the flavors in the dressing and, ultimately, the salad. Always adjust to your personal taste.

Step-by-Step: How To Make This Showstopping Spinach Salad

Preparing this exquisite Spinach Salad is straightforward. Follow these simple steps for a perfectly balanced and flavorful dish:

1. Prepare the Bacon: Start by cooking your bacon until it’s wonderfully crisp. You can pan-fry it for extra flavor or bake it on a sheet pan for easier clean-up. Once cooked, transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess grease, then crumble or dice it into small pieces. Set aside.
2. Whisk the Dressing: In a wide-mouth mason jar or a small bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients: apple cider vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Secure the lid on the jar and shake vigorously until all ingredients are well combined and emulsified. If using a bowl, whisk thoroughly. Refrigerate the dressing until you’re ready to serve the salad; a chilled dressing is always refreshing. Remember to give it another good shake or whisk just before using.
3. Chop the Fresh Ingredients: Wash and thoroughly dry your spinach. Thinly slice the apples and the red onion. For the apples, cutting them into consistent, thin slices ensures even distribution and prevents large, unwieldy bites. If you’re sensitive to strong onion flavor, soak the sliced red onion in ice water for a few minutes as described in the ingredient notes.
4. Assemble the Salad: In a large mixing bowl, gently combine the baby spinach, crispy bacon pieces, sliced apples, thinly sliced red onion, candied pecans, and dried sweetened cranberries. The order of ingredients isn’t crucial, but adding the spinach first often makes it easier to toss.
5. Dress and Serve Immediately: This salad is at its absolute best when dressed just before serving. Waiting to add the dressing prevents the spinach from becoming soggy and the apples from browning excessively. Drizzle some of the prepared apple-Dijon dressing over the assembled salad. Add the crumbled feta cheese, then gently toss to coat all the ingredients evenly. Start with a conservative amount of dressing and add more to taste, if desired. Serve this magnificent Spinach Salad right away and savor every bite!

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5 from 1 vote

Spinach Salad with Apple-Dijon Dressing

By Chelsea Lords

This fresh Spinach Salad recipe has it all! Crisp apples, sweet cranberries, zesty red onion, creamy feta, savory bacon, and delightful candied pecans, all tossed with a vibrant apple-Dijon vinaigrette. It’s the perfect dish for any occasion!

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Video Tutorial

Watch how to prepare this delicious Spinach Salad recipe step-by-step!

Equipment Needed

• Wide-mouth Mason Jar or other sealable container for dressing
• Large Bowl for mixing and serving the salad

Ingredients

For the Salad

• 6 slices bacon (cooked until crisp and crumbled)
• 2 large apples (see note 1 for variety recommendations)
• 1/2 of 1 small red onion (thinly sliced; see note 2 for mellowing)
• 6 cups (5.5-ounces) baby spinach
• 1 cup candied pecans (see note 3 for options)
• 2/3 cup dried sweetened cranberries
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

For the Apple-Dijon Dressing

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil (extra virgin recommended)
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

• Cook and Dice Bacon: Begin by cooking your bacon until it reaches a perfect crispness. Once cooked, transfer it to paper towels to drain excess fat. When cool enough to handle, dice the bacon into small, bite-sized pieces. Thinly slice the apples and red onion, preparing them for assembly.

• Prepare the Dressing: In a mason jar or a small bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients: apple cider vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Securely close the jar and shake vigorously until the dressing is well emulsified. Alternatively, whisk thoroughly in a bowl. Refrigerate the dressing until you are ready to serve the salad, ensuring it’s chilled and ready to impart its vibrant flavor. Remember to shake it once more just before drizzling over the salad.

• Assemble the Salad: In a large, spacious bowl, combine the baby spinach, crispy bacon pieces, thinly sliced apples, red onion slices, candied pecans, and dried sweetened cranberries. Arrange them beautifully, ensuring an even distribution of colors and textures.

• Dress and Serve Immediately: For optimal freshness and to prevent wilting, it is highly recommended to dress this salad just before serving. Drizzle a generous amount of the chilled apple-Dijon dressing over the assembled ingredients. Gently toss to ensure every leaf and piece is lightly coated. You can add additional dressing to taste, if desired. Serve immediately and delight in this refreshing and flavorful Spinach Salad!

Recipe Notes

Note 1 (Apple Selection): For an ideal balance of sweetness and tartness, use one sweet apple variety like Fuji or Honeycrisp and one tart apple like Granny Smith. This combination adds depth to the salad’s flavor profile.

Note 2 (Mellowing Red Onion): If you find the raw red onion flavor too strong, simply soak the sliced onion in a bowl of ice water for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally, then drain thoroughly. This technique significantly mellows the onion’s sharpness.

Note 3 (Pecan Options): Store-bought honey-roasted pecans offer convenient sweetness and crunch. For a homemade touch, you can candy your own pecans. Plain toasted pecans are also a delicious option if you prefer less sweetness.

Note 4 (Make-Ahead/Storage Tips): To preserve the salad’s crispness and vibrancy, prepare and store all ingredients separately until just before serving. Apples should be sliced no more than an hour before serving to prevent browning; for more advanced tips on preventing fruit oxidation, refer to a dedicated guide. The apple-Dijon dressing can be made 2-3 days in advance and stored in a sealed Mason jar in the refrigerator. If the oil separates or thickens, allow it to come to room temperature for about 20 minutes and shake well before use.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 753 kcal | Carbohydrates: 87g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 651mg | Potassium: 2105mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 61g | Vitamin A: 33366IU | Vitamin C: 104mg | Calcium: 454mg | Iron: 11mg

Please note: Nutrition information provided is an approximation, automatically calculated and may vary based on specific ingredients and preparation methods.