Packed with spinach, this Apple Spinach Salad with Toasted Cashews is dressed with a tangy apple cider vinaigrette and mixed with creamy cashews and sweet apple slices and raisins. For a more substantial salad, add a handful of shredded chicken.
Cashews have made a surprising comeback over the years.
When I was young, cashews were the only one that I avoided with great effort when rummaging through the bowl of salty mixed nuts at gatherings. If I remember correctly, we left the cashew eating to my great Aunt Anna.
They have finally realized their full potential as an alternative way to get a creamy consistency in all things vegan.
There’s cashew milk, cashew butter, cashew cheese. Apparently this nut thinks that it belong to the dairy section of the food pyramid. They actually do a fantastic job on many accounts serving these purposes like in this creamy tomato sauce, this creamy cashew noodle salad and this amazing Creamy Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup.
In this recipe, the cashew will remain true to itself.
Lightly toasted with a buttery texture, drizzled with a sweetly acidic dressing over fresh spinach and crisp apples.
How to make this Apple Spinach Salad
Nothing says fall like a fresh apple salad. This salad is just about as simple as they come, but doesn’t lack flavor. Spinach, crisp apples, rich and buttery cashews plus sweet raisins make a perfect fall salad.
Step 1: Blend salad dressing ingredients.
This dressing is super tangy with a touch of sweetness from the sugar. Feel free to substitute honey for the sugar – this recipe is vintage which tend to use granulated sugar more often than not.
Step 2: Toast Cashews in oven.
Toasting the cashews creates an extra rich nutty flavor + crunch.
Step 3: Slice apples and combine with spinach, cashews + raisins.
This recipe calls for Granny Smith apples, but you can use any apple variety. I went apple picking, so I used what I picked! Tart apples are preferred here to complement the sweetness of the raisins and salad dressing.
What is the best apple for salad?
The best apples for salad are varieties that have a nice crunch, don’t brown quickly and complement the flavor of your salad dressing. I have found that the best apples for adding to salads are: Honeycrisp or Pink Lady for sweet and bright flavor, and Granny Smith for tartness.
For the holidays, there is nothing like a fresh apple salad. Don’t miss this festive wild rice + apple salad recipe.
A simply delicious salad with sliced apples, fresh spinach, cashews and an apple cider vinaigrette.
- 1 10 oz package fresh baby spinach
- 2 apples chopped Granny Smith or preferred apple variety
- 1/2 cup cashews toasted
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tbs sugar
- 1/4 tsp garlic salt
- 1/4 tsp celery seed
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Combine salad dressing ingredients and mix until emulsified. Putting it all in a mason jar and shaking it is an easy way.
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Toast the cashews in the oven at 350 degrees for 5 minutes or until lightly toasted.
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In a serving bowl combine spinach, apples, cashews and raisins.
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Drizzle dressing over the top and mix to incorporate.
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Season with salt and pepper.
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This salad is so refreshingly light and crunchy! The cashews are my favorite part. Goes great with a heavy entree.
I agree!