Winter Spinach Salad

This is the winter salad you’ve been waiting for. Crisp and refreshing apple slices pair with creamy brie and toasted nuts for a balanced and comforting meal. Don’t forget the special addition of simple homemade croutons.

Sometimes the best recipes come from when you think you have nothing in the kitchen. This recipe came together from an evening when I was planning on making a complex meal but ran out of the time and energy to pull it together. Instead of defaulting to pasta like I normally do, this time I chose a salad.

Say Goodbye to Store-Bought Croutons

Making homemade croutons is quick, easy, and a great way to use up old bread. All you do is cut bread, any kind, into bite-sized pieces and toast them until crispy with fat and herbs. This recipe uses butter and herbes de Provence for a French countryside palette, but you can also use olive oil and Italian seasonings.

When I say any kind, I mean it. I’ve used fresh fancy loaves, a-few-days-past-its-prime baguettes, and sliced white loaves and they all turn out wonderful.

The Perfect Dressing

The punch of acid from lemon juice or vinegar in a salad dressing can help balance some of the most flavorful toppings. The classic ratio is 1 part acid to 3 parts oil, but I prefer a 50/50 mix. Experiment and find what tastes best to you.

I like to make my salad dressings in a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid, so I can just shake the jar until the dressing is emulsified. I prefer this method to slowly streaming in the olive oil while whisking – that always feels like far too much work!

More winter favorites:

• Homemade pasta
• Baked barley and mushroom risotto
• Crispy chicken with lemon sage cream sauce
• Slow cooker butternut squash soup

Print Recipe

Winter Spinach Salad

Crisp and refreshing apple slices pair with creamy Brie and toasted nuts for a balanced and comforting meal with the special addition of simple homemade croutons.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time5 mins

Course: Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: salad, winter

Servings: 4 people

Author: Sarah

Ingredients

Dressing

• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice from 1 large lemon
• 3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked pepper

Croutons

• 4 tablespoons salted butter
• 2 cups cubed whole-wheat bread
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• ¼ teaspoon herbes de Provence
• ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked sea salt

Salad

• 10 ounces baby spinach
• 2 large tart apples cored and thinly sliced (I used Honeycrisp)
• 6 ounces Brie cold, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup walnuts or pecans toasted

Instructions

• Make the dressing: In a small mason jar or container with a tight-fitting lid, add all dressing ingredients. Close tightly and shake vigorously until smooth and emulsified.
• Make the croutons: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter and heat until melted. Add the bread, the 1 tablespoon thyme leaves, herbes de Provence. Toast until crispy and season with ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked sea salt.
• Assemble the salad by placing the salad ingredients in a large serving bowl. Add dressing and croutons and toss until combined.

Notes

This salad is great as a meal on its own, or can be paired with a simple meat protein like chicken.