Autumn Apple Salad (with a Maple Vinaigrette) Recipe – This easy to make Autumn Apple Salad is loaded up with crispy bacon, crunchy pecan halves, crumbled feta, and sweet dried cranberries. All drizzled with a homemade Maple Dijon Vinaigrette. This salad comes together in less than 15 minutes and is a perfect side dish or light lunch.
Servings: 2
Ingredients
2 cups baby spinach raw
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup pecans halved
2 tbsp feta cheese
½ granny smith apple sliced
½ fuji apple sliced
2 slices bacon cooked and chopped
Maple Dijon Vinaigrette:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp maple syrup
1½ tsp dijon mustard
salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
Make Dressing: Add all the ingredients for the maple dijon vinaigrette to a small mason jar. Shake to mix.
Layer Salad: Add the spinach to a medium size bowl or plate.
Top with dried cranberries, halved pecans, feta cheese, sliced apples, and cooked bacon.
Dress and Toss: Drizzle the salad dressing over the top of the salad, toss and serve.
Notes
Apples: using two kinds of apples (Granny Smith and Fuji) gives more color to the salad it also gives a nice balanced sweet and tart flavoring.
Maple Syrup: use a Grade A maple syrup in this recipe.
Pecans: use halved pecans. Can be substituted with walnuts or left out if needed.
Make Ahead Instructions: If you need to slice and prepare the apples hours before serving use a water bath made of 1 cup of water mixed with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. After you slice the apples soak them in the lemon water for 3-5 minutes then remove and rinse them.
Storage: when preparing the salad ahead of time store the dressing separate from the salad to prevent the spinach from getting soggy. Dress the salad just before serving.
Source: houseofyumm.com