Easy Spinach Salad

By Maria Lichty

Published on November 22, 2021

View RecipePin Recipe4.5323

Whenever I want a GOOD salad but don’t have a lot of time, I turn to this Easy Spinach Salad recipe. It is a family favorite, I probably make it at least once a week.

The salad starts with fresh spinach leaves and then gets lots of goodies: apple slices, candied pecans, avocado, red onion, feta cheese, and a homemade balsamic dressing. All of the flavors come together to create one amazing salad!

This salad recipe is easy to toss together and goes great with any meal. It is perfect for easy weeknights or taking to a potluck or dinner party. Everyone loves the simple and delicious flavors!

Spinach Salad Ingredients

• Spinach– fresh spinach leaves are packed with vitamins and minerals! The perfect base to the salad!  
• Apples– I love adding in thinly sliced apples for sweetness and a slight crunch. Honeycrisp are my favorite, but any variety will work.
• Avocado– avocado makes everything better, including this salad!
• Red onion– thinly sliced!
• Pecans– you can use candied pecans or regular pecans.
• Cheese– crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese! If you need the salad to be vegan or dairy-free, you can omit the cheese.

Salad Dressing Ingredients

• Olive oil– the base of the dressing!
• Balsamic vinegar– dark, sweet, tangy, and delicious!
• Maple syrup– use pure maple syrup to slightly sweeten the dressing. If you don’t have maple syrup, honey will work too!
• Dijon mustard– adding a little mustard helps all of the ingredients come together!
• Garlic– I always say yes to garlic!
• Kosher salt and black pepper– to taste!

How to Make Spinach Salad

• First, make the dressing. You can whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl or you can put all the ingredients in a jar, put the lid on tightly, and shake it up.
• FYI, the dressing can be made in advance. Keep in the refrigerator for up to one week. Whisk or shake before using.
• To assemble the salad, place the spinach, apple slices, avocado, red onion, pecans, and cheese in a large bowl. When ready to serve, drizzle with dressing and toss.
• Alternatively, you can plate the salads and serve the dressing on the side.

Salad Variations

This salad recipe is very flexible. If you want to mix things up, here are a few ideas!

• Add grilled or shredded rotisserie chicken.
• Instead of pecans, use walnuts, almonds, pistachios, sunflower seeds, or pepitas!
• Bulk things up by adding cooked farro, quinoa, or orzo.
• Use pear slices, instead of apple slices.
• Toss in a handful of dried cranberries, currants, or golden raisins.
• Leave out the apples and add in vegetables! Cucumber, red peppers, tomatoes, and artichokes are all great options.
• Top the salad with homemade croutons for an extra crunch!
• Use Parmesan cheese or white cheddar instead of feta or goat cheese.

More Salad Recipes

• Easy Green Salad
• Easy Orzo Salad
• Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
• Strawberry Spinach Salad

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Salads

Easy Spinach Salad

This simple spinach salad goes great with any meal!

4.53 from 80 votes

PrintSave RecipeReview

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Cuisine American

Servings 8

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  

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For the dressing:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Dash of salt and ground black pepper

For the salad:

• 10 ounces fresh spinach
• 2 large Honey crisp apples, cored and thinly sliced
• 1 large avocado, sliced
• 1/4 red onion thinly sliced
• 1 cup roughly chopped candied pecans or pecans, can use walnuts or almonds
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese

Instructions

 

• To make the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
• To assemble the salad, place the spinach, apple slices, avocado, red onion, pecans, and cheese in a large bowl. When ready to serve, drizzle with dressing and toss. Alternatively, you can plate the salads and serve the dressing on the side.

Notes

This salad is very flexible. See the post for different ideas.

The dressing can be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Whisk or shake before drizzling over the salad.

Nutrition

Calories: 223kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 13mg, Sodium: 251mg, Potassium: 395mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 3444IU, Vitamin C: 15mg, Calcium: 126mg, Iron: 2mg

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