Spinach Salad with Apple, Cheddar and Smoked Almonds
This Spinach Salad is a delicious explosion of flavors. And so easy – just 10 minutes! Simple enough for busy weeknights, but it also effortlessly dresses up for entertaining!
• Ready in 30 Minutes or Less • Includes Make-Ahead Steps • Vegetarian • Gluten Free •
Ingredients
- 1 (5-ounce) bag baby spinach (or 9-ounce bag hearts of romaine, see note)
- 1 cup chopped Honeycrisp apple (about 1/2" pieces), or other similarly crisp, juicy, sweet-tart apple variety
- 3 ounces (about 1/2 cup) smoked almonds, coarsely chopped if desired (see note)
- 3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese (preferably reduced-fat), cut into 1/2" cubes to yield about 2/3 cup
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Pile spinach in a large serving bowl, layering in a little bit of the apple, almonds, and cheese as you build the salad. Sprinkle the remaining apple, almonds, and cheese on top.
- For the dressing, whisk vinegar, honey, oil, mustard, salt, and paprika in a small bowl until thoroughly combined.
- Dress salad right before serving, or pass dressing separately.
Notes
Spinach or romaine: We've tested this recipe with both types of greens. Although the weights of the bags differ (5 ounces of spinach vs. 9 ounces of romaine hearts), the yield is roughly the same: approximately 9-10 cups. I typically remove the largest spinach stems or the biggest chunks of romaine stems, though, so I actually make my salad with slightly less – and once the toppings and dressing have been added, they actually compact the leaves a bit so that the yield on the final salad is only about 8 or 8 1/2 cups total.
Chopping almonds: If you choose to "chop" your nuts, you'll still want them in relatively big pieces, not finely chopped. My favorite way to do this is to place the whole nuts into a zipper bag and use my rolling pin to gently break the nuts into big pieces.
Make-ahead steps: You can make the dressing, cube the cheese, and chop the nuts a few days ahead. Store the dressing and the cheese in the fridge until finishing the salad.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8 servingsServing Size:
1 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 127Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 241mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 2gSugar: 7gProtein: 5g
Nutrition information should be considered an estimate only, and may vary depending on your choice of ingredients or preparation. No guarantees are made regarding allergies or dietary needs. Always consult a physician or dietician for specific advice and questions.