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Apple Walnut Spinach Salad

Apple walnut spinach salad with crisp apples, toasted walnuts, and creamy feta tossed in a maple Dijon dressing. Quick assembly keeps the apples crunchy and the nuts crisp for an easy lunch or seasonal side.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 minutes
Total Time 19 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Lunch, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 360
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the salad
  • 6 cup baby spinach
  • 1 Honeycrisp apple thinly sliced
  • 0.5 cup walnuts roughly chopped
  • 0.5 cup feta cheese crumbled
  • 0.333 cup dried cranberries
  • 0.25 red onion thinly sliced
For the maple Dijon dressing
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1.5 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.125 tsp black pepper

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Toast the walnuts
  1. Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently until lightly golden and fragrant; the coating should look dry and lightly toasted.
  2. Remove the toasted walnuts from the skillet and cool for a few minutes until no longer hot and crisp to the touch.
Assemble the salad
  1. In a large salad bowl, combine baby spinach, thinly sliced Honeycrisp apple, toasted walnuts, crumbled feta cheese, dried cranberries, and thinly sliced red onion.
Make the maple Dijon dressing
  1. Whisk extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, pure maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper for 30–45 seconds until emulsified and slightly thickened.
Dress and serve
  1. Drizzle the maple Dijon dressing over the salad just before serving.
  2. Toss gently for 20–30 seconds until the baby spinach is lightly coated, with dressing clinging rather than pooling.
  3. Serve immediately while the apples remain crisp and the walnuts stay crunchy.

Notes

For the crunchiest texture, toast the walnuts and slice the apple right before assembling, then dress at the last moment. Store leftover salad (undressed) in the fridge up to 2 days; add dressing and toss when ready. Freezing is not recommended because the spinach and apples soften. For a lighter option, use part-skim feta or swap in a reduced-fat feta.