Apple Spinach White Bean Salad

Name: Apple Spinach White Bean Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 5oz Baby Spinach (bag, prewashed ); 4 whole Brussels sprouts (shredded (about 1 cup)); 2 whole apples (Fuji, Gala or Honeycrisp); 1/2 cup walnuts (toasted); 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (large shreds or shavings ); 1 15oz Cannellini or white beans (rinsed and drained well); 1 recipe White Balsamic Honey Mustard Vinaigrette (or store bought Balsamic Vinaigrette or Raspberry Vinaigrette); sea salt; pepper (fresh ground ); 1 tbsp shallot (minced); 2 tbsp White Balsamic Vinegar; 6 tbsp neutral oil; 1 tbsp Dijon mustard; 2 tsp honey (or agave); salt and pepper (to taste )

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My Apple Spinach White Bean Salad is perfectly cruciferous, sweet, tart and nutritious. A perfect, vegetarian salad for all year around with easy to find ingredients and simple to make. I’ve topped this salad with my White Balsamic Honey Mustard Vinaigrette that is perfection and rounds out all the flavors and textures but you can use store bought Balsamic dressing or any fruity or sweeter profile type dressing.

apple spinach white bean salad on plate with napkin and fork

At first glance you would think that the Cannellini beans are out of place, but they lend a creamy texture and of course a filling ingredient to this salad making it a little more hearty. Also, toasted walnuts give it crunch but again, rounds out the textures in this salad.

Health benefits of this Fall Salad

This cruciferous salad is nutrient dense. It’s filling and the mix of ingredients balance each other out beautifully. This salad has iron rich Spinach along side Brussels sprouts that are extremely nutrient rich. Add fiber with beans and antioxidants with walnuts. It’s a super salad. And don’t forget an apple a day keeps the doctor away.

Spinach and apples are in their peak September and October with Brussels sprouts in November and December. For the most part, we have a lot of overlap in California and most of these can be found year around, but for their peak, the best tasting are in their season.

How to make Apple Spinach White Bean Salad

For easy prep, you can purchase prepackaged baby spinach that is washed and ready to eat. You can also buy pre-shredded Brussels sprouts also ready to toss.

Baby spinach, rinsed and dried
Shredded brussels sprouts
Thinly sliced apple
Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Toasted walnuts-place walnuts in preheated nonstick pan (medium heat) and sauté until toasted. About 3-5 minutes. Allow to cool before tossing into salad.
Large shreds of Parmesan cheese
Sea salt
White Balsamic Honey Mustard Vinaigrette or store bought Balsamic Vinaigrette, Raspberry Vinaigrette or similar.

Place the Spinach in a large bowl, add shredded Brussels sprouts, toasted walnuts, thinly sliced apple, a pinch of sea salt. Add some of the White Balsamic Honey Mustard Vinaigrette and toss. Gently add the beans, give it a gentle toss and top with large shreds or shavings of Parmesan Cheese.

If you are planning on serving this later in the day, cut the apple last and they tend to oxidize.

If you love salads and want to see more absolutely delicious, mouthwatering ideas, click here to our Salads and Sides page.

Enjoy!

apple spinach white bean salad plated with fork

What can I substitute the spinach with?

You can use baby greens, baby kale, kale or romaine. The flavors work well with all of these greens.

Can I omit the walnuts?

Yes. Feel to add pecans, pine nuts or croutons if you have a nut allergy. You can also add cooked bulgur wheat or cooked quinoa.

Can I use other types of apples?

You can use green apples for this salad or any other type of tart, sweet apple. Also pears work well. Just make sure the pears are not overripe.

Can I omit the beans?

Yes, you can eliminate the beans or substitute with chickpeas which also work well.

Do you have questions that have not been answered? Please reach us in the comments section of this blog post.

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