This easy to make Winter 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.

Winter Apple Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

This easy to make Winter 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.

INGREDIENTS:

Salad

  • 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

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. 
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