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Pasta Chicken

Apple Cranberry Spinach Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Published: Nov 08, 2015 | 11 Comments

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Apple Cranberry Spinach Salad with Cashews and Balsamic Vinaigrette – healthy, delicious, easy-to-make salad! With lots of good for you ingredients, this recipe is packed with fiber, and it’s gluten free! It’s a great salad to make whenever you have spinach and apples, any time of the year. But this salad is definitely a great choice for the holidays, too, especially for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s Eve.

Apple Cranberry Spinach Salad with Cashews and Balsamic Vinaigrette

I love using nuts in fresh salads, and cashews are often my favorite choice, as in this Cranberry Spinach Salad with Cashews and Goat Cheese and Lemon-Honey Poppy Seed Dressing or in this Strawberry Spinach Salad, with Blueberries, Mango, Avocado, and Cashew nuts.   Cashews add so much flavor and a nice crunch to any salad.

Apple Cranberry Spinach Salad with Cashews and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Tips

  • Grind half of cashews into smaller bits, and keep the other half of cashews whole. This adds more texture to the salad and make a pretty presentation.
  • Use 1 green apple and 1 red apple, for color. In this recipe I use 1 sliced Granny Smith apple and 1 sliced Gala apple.
  • Use store-bought or homemade balsamic dressing.  Creamy balsamic dressing will work as well as balsamic vinaigrette dressing.  Here is a good recipe for homemade balsamic vinaigrette.

Apple Cranberry Spinach Salad with Cashews and Balsamic Vinaigrette

How to make apple cranberry spinach salad

Just slice up the apples (one Gala apple and one Granny Smith apple). Then combine with other salad ingredients, such as spinach, cashew nuts, and cranberries. Do not add the salad dressing yet.

combine apples, cranberries, spinach, cashews together (step-by-step photos)

Next, add the Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing (the creamy kind) right before serving:

add balsamic dressing to the salad (step-by-step photos)

5 from 5 votes
apple cranberry spinach cashew salad with balsamic dressing
Print
Apple Cranberry Spinach Cashew Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

Apple Cranberry Spinach Salad with Cashews and Balsamic Vinaigrette - healthy, delicious, gluten free, easy-to-make salad! Great choice for the holidays, too, especially for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year's Eve.

Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 281 kcal
Author: Julia
Ingredients
  • 6 oz baby spinach
  • 1 Granny Smith apple sliced
  • 1 Gala apple sliced
  • 1 cup cashew nuts
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette , store-bought or homemade
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, combine all salad ingredients, except for the salad dressing.
  2. Drizzle the salad with the dressing and toss. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
Apple Cranberry Spinach Cashew Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Amount Per Serving
Calories 281 Calories from Fat 180
% Daily Value*
Fat 20g31%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Sodium 26mg1%
Potassium 365mg10%
Carbohydrates 24g8%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 14g16%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 2690IU54%
Vitamin C 10.7mg13%
Calcium 40mg4%
Iron 2.3mg13%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Filed Under: Appetizer, Apples, Christmas, Cranberries, Fruit, Gluten Free, Healthy, Nuts, Recipe, Salads, Spinach, Vegetables, Vegetarian Published: Nov 08, 2015 11 Comments

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Comments

  1. MaryAnn Coy

    Nov 30, 2020 at 2:46 am

    There are many new “healthy nut and seed mixes on sale for Christmas 2020. Perhaps 1 of those would work. Was buying stocking stuffers for Hubs on Amazon, when I came across pages of them, by entering nut mixes. I agree on the cranberry issue too. A serving of a lightly sweetened Cranberry Orange Relish, or Cran-Raspberry Relish would provide a flavor contrast to the sweet fruit and earthy nuts and seeds. A Vinaigrette from a Cranberry Juice of choice, or Cranberry Wine, would work. Or leave the Cranberries out and use Pomegranates instead. Then you could use the fruit Vinaigrette or a Cranberry Wine. You could also serve it with a Sweet Riesling, or even a Sweeter Champagne. Mandarin sections, skinned or un skinned would work, or pineapple. Blueberries, or Raspberries as a colorful garnish, Citrus Zest Curls. These salads have infinite possibilities. Merry Christmas.

    Reply
    • Julia

      Nov 30, 2020 at 12:14 pm

      MaryAnn, I just love your feedback! So many great ideas! I myself like to use nut and seed mixes in salads. I think many of those flavored nuts and seeds go really well in salads. My recent favorites are caramelized pecans. Love the idea of using cranberry relish, as well. Pomegranates are a great addition, too!

      Reply
  2. jane Hahn

    Dec 20, 2019 at 5:03 pm

    How do you keep the apples from turning brown?

    Reply
    • Julia

      Feb 20, 2020 at 5:29 pm

      I would slice and add the apples right before serving the salad.

      Reply
      • Sally

        Jul 30, 2020 at 9:33 pm

        Apples, pears, peaches stay fresh using FruitFresh. Find it in the grocery near canning supplies.

        Reply
    • Janet

      Nov 22, 2020 at 10:02 am

      You can also dip them in orange juice and they will not turn brown!

      Reply
      • Julia

        Nov 22, 2020 at 2:40 pm

        Janet, excellent advice! Thank you!

        Reply
  3. S

    Dec 07, 2019 at 11:07 pm

    I like to make this salad in the winter.

    Reply
    • Julia

      Feb 20, 2020 at 7:26 pm

      Perfect salad for the cold season!

      Reply
  4. Man

    Mar 27, 2018 at 1:54 pm

    Perfecto!

    Reply
  5. cheri

    Nov 09, 2015 at 4:17 pm

    Hi Julia, this is the perfect salad for the holidays, everyone loves spinach and this combination of add-ons sounds delicious.

    Reply

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