Spinach Bacon Salad with Apples and Walnuts

Spinach bacon salad delivers BIG on flavors with simple ingredients. Crisp granny smith apples, spicy maple walnuts, salty feta cheese and a tangy apple cider vinaigrette come together to make magic!

No boring salads allowed here! When it comes to salad, I'm all about the add-ins: cheese, nuts, something sweet, and something salty. This formula never fails me: this spinach pear salad with gouda and hazelnuts and autumn apple farro salad are proof!

Spinach bacon salad takes things up to a whole new level thanks to bacon and spicy maple walnuts! Whether you serve this at a holiday feast, or for a weeknight dinner, you're going to love the layers of flavors and textures in this salad.

Recipe video

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Ingredient notes

• spinach- can be swapped for kale (massage first) or chopped romaine lettuce
• apple- I love granny smith apples for their crisp and slightly tart flavors, but you can swap for other apples. Look for a crisp and firm apple (avoid red delicious or macintosh). Honey crisp apples would work well!
• walnuts- add texture and a nutty flavor that works well with the apple. Pecans would be a good substitute.
• bacon- I don't recommend skipping the bacon as it really adds so much umami. If you are vegetarian, consider making some vegan bacon!

Four easy steps

This recipe has a four step process: (1) start by shaking up the vinaigrette, then (2) move on to cooking the bacon. You could bake bacon in the oven or cook it in an air fryer! Next, (3) prepare the spicy maple walnuts, and finally, (4) put it all together in for a seriously show-stopping side salad.

Recipe tips

Prepare fresh

This spinach bacon salad is all about the textures: crunchy walnuts, crisp apples, and fresh bacon. Unfortunately, it is just not the same prepared ahead, though you can prep certain components ahead:

• shake up the vinaigrette (2 weeks)
• crumble feta cheese (1 week)
• slice onions (2-3 days)

Toast walnuts

Taking the time to toast the walnuts before adding the spices and maple syrup gives them a more robust and 'nutty' flavor. Keep a close eye on them as they can burn quickly!

Once they start toasting, you'll want to flip and move them around in the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula for several minutes. Make sure you have your spices and maple syrup handy and measured out if possible so that you do not burn your walnuts.

Make it a meal

This is a great side salad, but you could increase the portion size and add extra protein to make it a meal! Add 4 oz of the following to turn this into a meal:

• Salmon
• Baked Chicken Breast
• Pork Tenderloin

Making it low carb

With a few simple swaps, you can make this bacon spinach salad fit into a keto or low carb diet.

1. use sugar-free bacon
2. swap the apple for a lower carb fruit such as strawberries
3. skip the maple syrup or use your favorite low carb liquid sweetener for the maple walnuts and vinaigrette

Serve it with

Top the spinach bacon salad with protein and make it a meal, or serve it as a side dish with other sides and a main course protein. Here are some ideas:

• 3 Ingredient Maple Glazed Salmon
• Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs or Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
• Amazing Pork Tenderloin Marinade
• Baked Sweet Potato
• Rosemary Roasted Root Vegetables

More salad recipes

• Classic Cobb Salad
• Healthy Taco Salad
• Kale Barley Salad with Feta + Avocado
• Southwestern Wild Rice Sweet Potato Salad
• Chopped Chickpea Salad

Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!

Spinach Bacon Salad with Apples and Walnuts

4.84 from 6 votes

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 10 minutes mins

Total Time: 25 minutes mins

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Spinach bacon salad delivers BIG on flavors with simple ingredients. Crisp granny smith apples, spicy maple walnuts, salty feta cheese and a tangy apple cider vinaigrette come together to make magic!

4

Ingredients

Salad

• ▢ 6 cups spinach loosely packed
• ▢ 1 Granny Smith apple sliced thinly
• ▢ 4 pieces bacon
• ▢ 2 tablespoons red onion finely sliced
• ▢ 2 tablespoons feta cheese crumbled

Spicy Maple Walnuts

• ▢ ½ cup walnuts
• ▢ 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon cayenne see note 1
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon salt

Maple-Apple Vinaigrette

• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon Dijon
• ▢ 1 teaspoon maple syrup

Instructions 

Salad

• Cook the bacon in a frying pan over medium heat. Using a paper towel, wipe excess bacon grease from pan, but leave a thin coating.
• Add the walnuts and cook over medium-low heat. If the bacon grease starts smoking, remove from heat immediately and reduce heat to prevent walnuts from burning. Cook for 5 or so minutes until lightly golden.
• While cooking walnuts, combine the maple syrup, cayenne, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Once walnuts are toasted, transfer them to the bowl and toss until thoroughly coated. Allow to cool before adding to salad.
• To a large bowl, add the spinach, apple, bacon, red onion, feta cheese and walnuts.
• Shake together vinaigrette in a jar, then drizzle onto the salad and toss to combine.
• Serve immediately.

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Tips:

1- For the spicy maple walnuts, start with ¼ tsp cayenne, then add more to taste. I used ½ tsp cayenne for mine, and they had a slight bite.

 

Swaps

• apples- swap for any firm, crisp apple
• spinach- swap for kale (massaged) or romaine lettuce
• walnuts- swap for pecans

Make it a meal

Add 4 oz of the following to make it a meal:

• salmon
• chicken breast
• pork tenderloin

Make it low carb

• use sugar-free bacon
• swap apple for a low carb fruit like berries
• swap maple syrup for your favorite low card liquid sweetener

Storage

Leftovers of this salad do not keep well; I recommend serving within 30 minutes of dressing the salad.

 

Video

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1/4 batch, Calories: 213kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 15mg, Sodium: 236mg, Potassium: 272mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 2888IU, Vitamin C: 10mg, Calcium: 69mg, Iron: 1mg

Author: Denise Bustard

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

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