I always look forward to a beautiful Thanksgiving table. Tender, juicy turkey surrounded by cheesy potatoes, stuffing and gravy, roasted carrots and beets, and a bevy of beautiful salads. While it might sound like a lot of work, the salads in particular are show stoppers that really shine without a lot of work. Continuing with another great salad for your Thanksgiving entertaining, I bring you an apple spinach salad bursting with the colors and flavors of autumn. No lie, I'd make this the meal for myself if there weren't a plate of excellent turkey on the table too!
If you don't have spinach, a mix of greens that includes a hearty option like kale would also work. Avoid fine and fragile greens - they are more likely to wilt on the table and have trouble standing up to apples and nuts on top of them. If you don't have a ripe avocado, aren't a fan of them, or are unable to serve this salad right after assembling it, skip the avocado entirely. I like the creamy element and pretty color it brings to the salad bowl, but who wants browning avocado on a salad? If you do not have maple syrup for the dressing, you can substitute honey. Normally I would say you could avoid fresh herbs too, but if you are putting it out for Thanksgiving, splurge a little!
In addition to a festive Thanksgiving spread, this salad plays well with all manner of roasted meats - beef, pork, chicken, and lamb all come to mind. I have also been known to add shredded rotisserie chicken to it for a quick main dish salad during the week. And, of course, when I made this salad for photographing earlier, I nestled it alongside breaded pork chops. Yeah - kitchen adventures during autumn can be downright glorious. Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!
Autumn Apple Spinach Salad
- 6 cups spinach (I used red tabby spinach from my CSA share, but any fresh, tender spinach will do)
- 1-2 crisp, sweet apples, thinly sliced
- 1 avocado, chopped
- ½ cup crumbled blue cheese
- ½ cup mix of candied pecans, pumpkin seeds, and dried cranberries (I used a mix from Costco)
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon grainy mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
In a large salad bowl, arrange the spinach on the bottom and top with the apple(s), avocado, blue cheese, and candied pecan mix.
To make the vinaigrette, combine the remaining ingredients (extra virgin olive oil through salt and black pepper) in a jar with a lid and shake.
Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and serve immediately.
- Yields: 6 servings
- Preparation Time: 10 minutes