Description
This vibrant Apple Walnut Spinach Salad combines the crisp sweetness of apples with the nutty crunch of walnuts, tender baby spinach, and a delightful tang from dried cranberries, all brought together with a smooth, creamy homemade avocado dressing. It’s fresh, satisfying, and incredibly easy to make.
Ingredients
6 cups (150g) fresh baby spinach
2 apples (Honeycrisp or Gala), thinly sliced
1/2 cup (60g) walnuts, roughly chopped
1/3 cup (50g) dried cranberries
1 ripe avocado
2 tbsp (30ml) olive oil
1 tbsp (15ml) apple cider vinegar
1 tsp (5g) honey
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Instructions
Place spinach, thinly sliced apple, chopped walnuts, and dried cranberries in a large salad bowl.
In a blender, combine the ripe avocado, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, a pinch of salt, and a dash of pepper.
Blend the dressing ingredients until completely smooth and creamy. If the dressing appears too thick, add a small amount of water (1-2 tablespoons) to reach your desired consistency.
Just before serving, pour the freshly blended avocado dressing generously over the prepared salad mixture.
Toss the salad gently to ensure all the leaves, apples, walnuts, and cranberries are evenly coated with the creamy dressing. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
To prevent apple slices from browning, toss them lightly in a squeeze of lemon juice immediately after slicing.
For an intensified nutty flavor, lightly toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, until fragrant, before adding them to the salad.
Adjust the amount of honey in the dressing to suit your sweetness preference.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sodium: 100mg
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: apple salad, spinach salad, avocado dressing, walnut salad, healthy lunch, easy recipe, vegetarian, no-cook, fresh salad, fruit and nut salad
