Easy Spinach Salad- this fresh and simple spinach salad goes great with any meal! It is also easy to customize! A great way to get your greens!
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
- 10 ounces Spinach– fresh spinach leaves are packed with vitamins and minerals! The perfect base to the salad!
- 2 large Honey Crisp Apples– I love adding in thinly sliced apples for sweetness and a slight crunch. Honeycrisp are my favorite, but any variety will work.
- 1 large sliced Avocado– avocado makes everything better, including this salad!
- 1/4 cup Red onion– thinly sliced!
- 1 cup roughly chopped Pecans– you can use candied pecans or regular pecans.
- 3/4 cup 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
- 1/4 cup Olive oil– the base of the dressing!
- 2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar– dark, sweet, tangy, and delicious!
- 1 tablespoon Maple syrup– use pure maple syrup to slightly sweeten the dressing. If you don’t have maple syrup, honey will work too!
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard– adding a little mustard helps all of the ingredients come together!
- 1 clove minced Garlic– I always say yes to garlic!
- Dash 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.
This recipe is courtesy of Two Peas & Their Pod
