Crisp baby spinach, spring mix lettuces, tart apples, sweet raisins, crunchy almonds, and the ultimate honey cider salad dressing create a fantastic Spinach Apple Salad.
I made this salad three times within a month the first time I made it. And in the years since then, this salad has made frequent appearances in my home.
The apple cider and honey dressing is wonderfully tangy and sweet. The combination of those flavors with the rest of this spinach and apple salad immediately made this one of my all-time favorite salads.
And that says something because this parsley salad with oranges and the apple walnut salad with blueberries are big favorites too. There’s just something unforgettable about a fresh salad filled with fruits and tossed in a tangy sweet dressing.
I was determined to serve this with my Thanksgiving dinner a few years ago. So, I played with several different ways to make the salad in advance and still keep the apples fresh.
(Like most people I know, making as many of the Thanksgiving dishes as possible in advance keeps me the happiest!)
Everything I tried initially, changed the flavor of the salad too much. Fortunately, apple cider vinegar did the trick and after 36 hours in the fridge, the salad still had apples that were crisp, white, and tasting like fresh apples.
In a small glass bowl, warm the honey and the vinegar in the microwave. Stir together until the honey dissolves.
Combine the mayonnaise, mustard, onion, parsley, and oil in the pitcher of an electric blender. Add the honey mixture and blend until thoroughly combined.
Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
In a skillet over medium heat, toast the almonds (or caramelize them if you’re feeling fancy!) until they are fragrant and browned. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
In a large bowl or on a platter, combine the spinach, lettuces, raisins, almonds, and apple slices. Sprinkle with parsley.
Lightly drizzle the salad with approximately half of the prepared dressing just before serving. Store the remaining dressing in the refrigerator.
To prepare this in advance: I recommend treating the apples to avoid browning. As you are slicing them, place them directly into a small bowl filled with 2 cups of cold water and ¼ cup apple cider vinegar.
Soak the sliced apples for about 5 minutes and then drain. Blot dry with a cloth or paper towels and then store in an airtight container until ready to assemble the salad.
{originally published 11/15/11 – recipe notes and photos updated 10/23/24}
Recipe adapted from and with thanks to Apron Appeal.
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