Healthy Never Tasted So Good: Try This Spinach-Apple Classic

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Crisp baby spinach, spring mix lettuces, tart apples, sweet raisins, crunchy almonds, and the ultimate honey cider salad dressing create a fantastic Spinach Apple Salad. Tangy, crunchy, and irresistible, this salad can be pulled together in just 15 minutes.

I made this for the first time for Thanksgiving dinner a number of years ago and within a month of that meal, I’d made the salad again three more times. In the years since then, this salad has made frequent appearances. And, it often competes with my Peach Mozzarella Salad when I’m craving a savory sweet salad with fruit.

Spinach Apple Salad

I’ve played with several different ways to make the salad in advance and still keep the apples fresh. (Like most people I know, making as many of the Thanksgiving dishes as possible in advance keeps me the happiest!)

Everything I tried initially wound up changing the flavor of the salad too much. Fortunately, apple cider vinegar did the trick, and after 36 hours in the fridge the salad still had apples that were crisp, white, and tasting like fresh apples.

So, if you’re like me, and you like prepping your salads in advance, add this one to the salad prepping list as a winner.

Ingredients and Substitutions

The Leafy Greens – The base for this salad comes from crisp fresh baby spinach leaves and a spring mix blend baby lettuces.

Apples – Granny Smith apples are best for this salad, for their crispness and for their tart flavor. And I like to mix them with a honeycrisp for contrasting color in the salad. Because these apples tend to be slightly less sweet, this allows the dressing to bring its own sweetness without becoming overpowering.

Almonds – Sliced almonds or slivered almonds will work nicely here. I typically have sliced on hand for baking recipes, so their my go-to in most salads.

Raisins – Raisins add a great chewy bite and a burst of sweetness to this salad.

Fresh Parsley – Parsley is one of the easiest ways to brighten a salad and add a freshness that you just can’t find with anything else.

Apple Cider Vinegar – Apple cider vinegar provides the tart, mildly sour baseline for this dressing.

Honey – Honey gives the dressing a touch of sweetness, without being overpowering.

Mayo – The mayo acts as the emulsifier and helps thicken the dressing. It’s going to help create a lovely creamy dreaming here.

Mustard – For a very slight kick, you’re going to add just a bit of dijon mustard.

Onion – I like to add yellow onion to this dressing, for its mild, sweet flavor.

Olive Oil – Extra virgin olive oil is my go-to for salad dressings. It doesn’t need to be fancy or top tier for salad dressings, but the flavor should be good.

Salt – I add a pinch of kosher to almost all of my salads and dressings. It brings out more flavor than you might think!

How to Make Spinach Apple Salad

Building the Dressing Base – To start, you’ll want to warm the honey and the vinegar in a small bowl in the microwave, stirring periodically until the honey dissolves.

Mixing the Base – Add the mayonnaise, mustard, onion, parsley, salt, and the honey mixture to a wide mouth glass jar. Pulse a few times with an immersion blender until fully combined.

Completing the Dressing: Begin to drizzle in the oil while blending with the immersion blender until fully combined. I like to taste the dressing at this point and add salt, as desired. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Preheating the Skillet – I warm a skillet to medium heat on the stovetop.

Toasting the Almonds – I toast the almonds in the pan until they are fragrant and browned. Then, I remove them from the heat and set aside to cool until needed.

Slicing the Apples – At this stage, I cut the apples into very thin slices.

Combining the Salad Ingredients – In a large bowl or on individual plates, combine the spinach, lettuce, raisins, almonds, and apple slices. I sprinkle the salad with parsley now too.

Dressing the Salad – Just before serving, I lightly drizzle about half the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.

Serving – Serve immediately with additional dressing available if any guests would like to add more to their salads.

Expert Tip

The trick with this apple spinach salad recipe is to keep the apples from turning brown. All you have to do is to immediately place the slices in a vinegar mixture when you slice them. Prepare a small bowl with 2 cups of cold water and 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar. Soak the sliced apples for about 5 minutes and then drain. Blot them dry with a paper towel and say goodbye to sad browned slices.

Blending Gradually – The key to a smooth and creamy dressing is blending it slowly and adding the olive oil gradually. This will let the dressing emulsify, which will help keep it from separating.

Chilling the Dressing – When possible, I make the dressing ahead of time and just pop it in the fridge to chill until I am ready to serve the meal. This allows a little extra time for the flavors to meld and develop before dressing the salad.

Keeping the Vegetables Cool – For the best result, I keep the lettuce and spinach leaves in the refrigerator until needed. This helps keep the produce crisp and fresh, which will provide a more satisfying bite.

Serving Suggestions

This salad pairs nicely with an Easy Chicken Pot Pie or these Shepherd’s Pie Baked Potatoes. The crisp freshness of the salad plays well off of a hearty, rich meal. So, naturally, it’s perfect with this Creamy Shrimp and Broccoli Pasta too.

Want to keep the whole meal a little lighter? Serve this salad with Roasted Chicken Thighs and Red Potatoes and you’ll have the whole dinner made with a minimum of effort too.

Make Ahead & Storage

Make Ahead: Yes! This salad can be made 1-2 days in advance.

How to Store: I typically store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You’ll want to set paper towels underneath and above the salad, to catch any excess moisture as it evaporates. I store the dressing in a jar in the refrigerator.

More Salads Recipes with Fruit

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I chop the apples, rather than thinly slicing them?

You can, but I don’t recommend it. Chopping the apples will prevent them from absorbing as much dressing, and they’ll begin to soften and brown more quickly if cut smaller.

Can I whisk the dressing by hand if I don’t have an immersion blender?

Yes. You can do that. You can also use a countertop blender. Whisking the dressing by hand means that your dressing wont be fully emulsified and you’ll need to shake it together again as you’re pouring it. It also won’t cling to each bite of salad quite the same way. Still tasty, but not quite the same.

Do I need to peel the apples first?

I don’t peel apples when I use them in my salads. The peel adds a crisp texture that contrasts well with the softer flesh of the fruit.