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Apple, White Cheddar, and Spinach Salad with Honey-Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Posted By Averie Sunshine On In 30-Minute Meals,All Recipes,Entrees,Gluten-Free,Sides, Salads & Vegetables,Vegetarian | 60 Comments

Spinach Apple Salad with Cheddar & Cranberries — The flavors just POP in this fast, easy, and healthy spinach salad! There are so many wonderful textures and flavors in every bite you can’t help but like it! 



Table of Contents

Easy Spinach Apple Salad Recipe

There are so many wonderful textures and flavors in every bite of this spinach apple salad, you can’t help but like it. It’s filling, satisfying, and healthy.

Hearty spinach, crisp juicy apples, salty cheese, chewy orange-flavored dried cranberries, and Fisher Natural Sliced Almonds for extra crunch.

I made a simple shake-it-together vinaigrette that’s tangy-yet-sweet from the apple cider vinegar, honey, and mustard. It coats each and every bite perfectly. Dressings can make or break salads and this one is a keeper. 

Honestly though, this is the food I crave day in, day out. I loved this healthy spinach salad and so did my family.

If this salad looks like a good to you, also check out its cousin, which is made with chicken. Namely, this Apple, White Cheddar, & Grilled Chicken Salad.

Spinach Apple Salad Ingredients

To make this spinach and apple side salad, you’ll need: 

Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.

How to Make Spinach Apple Salad

This easy spinach side salad with apples couldn’t be quicker to prepare! Here are the basic recipe steps:

  1. Prep the salad ingredients and add to a large bowl.
  2. Add the dressing ingredients to a small container with a lid and shake vigorously to combine. 
  3. Taste the vinaigrette and tweak as necessary to taste before pouring it over the spinach apple salad.

How Many Servings Does This Recipe Make?

This recipe serves two generously or four more modestly. 

Recipe FAQs

Can I Prep the Dressing in Advance? 

Yes! You can shake up the dressing and store it in the fridge for up to 1 week. If the oil hardens somewhat in the fridge, let the dressing sit on your counter for 15 minutes before shaking it up and drizzling over your salads. 

Can I Use Another Leafy Green? 

Of course! I love eating this as an apple spinach salad, but kale, lettuce, or another leafy green will also work. 

What’s the best Type of apple for salads?

You’re welcome to use any variety of apple you’d like in this spinach apple salad. Just be sure to slice it very thinly so it’s easy to eat. 

What Type of dried cranberries should I Use?

I found the orange-flavored cranberries at Trader Joe’s. If you can’t find them at your local grocery store, feel free to use regular dried cranberries.  

How Long does homemade vinaigrette last?

If you wind up with extra spinach salad dressing, it’ll keep airtight in the fridge for a week.

Other Dressings to Pair with Spinach and Apple Salad

I love the apple cider vinaigrette in this fall spinach salad, but you can toss the salad with pretty much any dressing you like. Try one of these homemade salad dressings instead of the apple cider vinaigrette:

What to Serve with Spinach Apple Salad

Pair this apple spinach salad with grilled chicken for a more filling main course salad, or serve it as a simple side salad with one of the following entrees:

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Review Print
4.65 from 28 votes

Apple, White Cheddar, and Spinach Salad with Honey-Apple Cider Vinaigrette

By Averie Sunshine
The flavors just POP in this fast, easy, and healthy spinach salad! There are so many wonderful textures and flavors in every bite you can’t help but like it!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 2
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Ingredients  

Salad

  • about 6 cups fresh spinach
  • 1 large apple, cored and sliced very thin (try Envy, Gala, Fuji, or similar)
  • 1 cup grated aged white cheddar
  • ½ cup dried orange-flavored cranberries, I use Trader Joe’s; plain dried cranberries may be substituted
  • ½ cup Fisher Natural Sliced Almonds

Honey-Apple Cider Vinaigrette 

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons mustard, I like either dijon or honey mustard
  • ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • ¾ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

Instructions 

For the Salad:

  • To a large bowl or platter, add all ingredients in the order listed; set aside.

For the Vinaigrette:

  • In a small glass jar or container with a lid, add all ingredients, put the lid on and shake vigorously until combined; taste vinaigrette and tweak as necessary to taste.
  • Drizzle over salad, toss to combine, and serve immediately.

Notes

  • If you don’t use all the vinaigrette, extra will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 750kcal, Carbohydrates: 68g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 48g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 30g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 61mg, Sodium: 1327mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 53g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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More Easy Side Salads:

Apple, White Cheddar, & Grilled Chicken Salad — All the flavors just POP in this fast, easy, and healthy salad!! The Honey-Apple Cider Vinaigrette doubles as marinade + salad dressing to save time!!

Spinach Blueberry Superfoods Salad — This Whole Foods Copycat salad is incredibly flexible based on what you have on hand and enjoy. There are so many wonderful textures and flavors in every bite of this hearty salad filled with superfoods! 

Spinach and Artichoke Quinoa Salad – All the flavors of classic spinach and artichoke dip are in this HEALTHY salad!! The only thing that’s missing is tons of fat and calories! FAST, EASY, naturally gluten-free, vegetarian, and tastes DELISH!!

Kale Caesar Salad with Fried Chickpeas — This isn’t a traditional Caesar salad and that’s what I love about it. I used kale rather than romaine and fried chickpeas instead of croutons! 

Kale Strawberry Avocado Salad — Make a kale lover out of anyone with this kale strawberry salad! It’s topped with creamy avocado, juicy berries, and homemade strawberry vinaigrette! 

Twelve Superfoods Salad — This superfood salad is packed with 12 superfoods! This is a great clean out the fridge meal and is easily customized to suit whatever you need to use up.

Strawberry Chicken Salad — The grilled chicken is so JUICY and moist thanks to a homemade pecan butter marinade!! Sweet strawberries and crunchy pecans add extra texture and FLAVOR!!

Post is brought to you by Fisher. The recipe, images, text, and opinions expressed are my own. #thinkfisher

Originally posted February 2, 2015 and reposted September 9, 2020 with updated text.