Apple Spinach Salad
Light, bright, and includes bacon—a perfect new summer side.
Apple Spinach Salad
This exciting salad includes apples, spinach, bacon, and pecans with a tangy balsamic vinaigrette. If you want something new for your summer sides, this is it. It is light, bright, and includes BACON.
Time
- Prep: about 20 minutes
- Cook: bacon 8–12 minutes; pecans 3–5 minutes
- Cool: let bacon and fat cool at least 10 minutes before adding to dressing
Nutrition Facts
Serving size: about 1 cup · 1 of about 6 servings
- Calories ~240
- Protein 4 g
- Fat 21 g
- Carbohydrates 10 g
- Fiber 2 g
- Sodium ~360 mg
All nutrition facts are AI generated and approximate.
Ingredients
- 1 large Granny Smith apple (peeled and chopped)
- ½ red onion (chopped)
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 5 oz baby spinach
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 4 slices bacon (chopped)
Balsamic vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1½ Tbs balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
Directions
- In a small skillet over medium heat, roast pecans, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and slightly darker (3 to 5 minutes). Immediately remove from skillet.
- Cook chopped bacon over medium heat until crisp (8 to 12 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool at least 10 minutes.
- Whisk balsamic vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.
- Add apple and onion to a large bowl and toss with lemon juice.
- After the bacon has cooled at least 10 minutes, pour the entire contents of the skillet (bacon and fat) into the vinaigrette dressing.
Caution: Make sure the bacon and bacon grease have cooled for at least 10 minutes before adding to the dressing.
- Keep dressing and vegetables in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Tear baby spinach into bite-size pieces and add to the other vegetables.
- Stir in the vinaigrette.
- Serve with pecans sprinkled on top.