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.

If you want pans that heat evenly and clean easily, this is the newer Ninja set I recommend.

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

1. In a small skillet over medium heat, roast pecans, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and slightly darker (3 to 5 minutes). Immediately remove from skillet.
2. Cook chopped bacon over medium heat until crisp (8 to 12 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool at least 10 minutes.
3. Whisk balsamic vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.
4. Add apple and onion to a large bowl and toss with lemon juice.
5. After the bacon has cooled at least 10 minutes, pour the entire contents of the skillet (bacon and fat) into the vinaigrette dressing.

6. Keep dressing and vegetables in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
7. Tear baby spinach into bite-size pieces and add to the other vegetables.
8. Stir in the vinaigrette.
9. Serve with pecans sprinkled on top.

Notes

• Safety first: Let the bacon and its fat cool at least 10 minutes before adding to the vinaigrette—hot fat can cause splattering and dangerous burns.
• Tart apple: Granny Smith holds its crunch and balances the sweet dressing; the lemon-juice toss keeps the chopped apple from browning.
• Watch the pecans: They go from fragrant to burnt in seconds, so pull them off the heat the moment they darken.
• Make ahead: Keep the dressing and vegetables chilled separately and toss just before serving so the spinach stays perky.
• Spinach last: Tear and add the baby spinach at the end so it doesn’t wilt down before it reaches the table.

Why This Works

• Warm-bacon vinaigrette: Pouring the rendered bacon fat into the dressing carries smoky flavor throughout and lightly softens the spinach when tossed.
• Acid keeps it bright: Lemon juice on the apple and balsamic in the dressing add tartness and stop the fruit from oxidizing.
• Emulsified dressing: Whisking honey and Dijon into the oil and vinegar holds it together so every leaf gets evenly coated.
• Toasted pecans: A quick dry toast deepens the nuts’ flavor and adds crunch against the tender spinach.