Spinach Salad with Apples, Walnuts and Goat Cheese is an ideal fall salad combining crisp apples and crunchy walnuts on a bed of tender spinach, finished with a bright lemon vinaigrette.
Salads appear at nearly every dinner in my house, which means variety is essential to keep meals interesting. I like to change things up depending on my mood and what pairs best with the rest of the menu. With fall apples abundant at farmers markets and grocery stores, I created this Spinach Salad with Apples, Walnuts and Goat Cheese to showcase seasonal flavor and texture.
When possible I make my own dressing. Homemade dressings taste fresher and let you control the ingredients. For this salad I used a simple lemon vinaigrette made with extra virgin olive oil to highlight the other components without overpowering them. I recently tested a bottle of Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil; a light yet robust oil works especially well in vinaigrettes, letting the citrus and greens shine.
The olive oil I tried had a pleasant, balanced profile that complemented the lemon in the dressing. Learning a bit about the brand, I found that Pompeian has roots in Tuscany and grew into an early national brand of imported extra virgin olive oil in the United States. The flavor reminded me of olive oils I’ve tasted in Italy—fresh, bright, and harmonious with simple salad ingredients.
Pompeian participates in USDA Quality Monitoring for olive oil, which involves testing and review of production processes. Participating companies are subject to unannounced USDA visits, sample testing and label verification. That oversight can provide extra confidence in the product’s quality and labeling.
This emphasis on quality is reassuring, and it made the vinaigrette a highlight of the salad. The combination of crisp apple slices, crunchy toasted walnuts, creamy goat cheese and tender baby spinach comes together with the lemon vinaigrette to create a balanced mix of textures and flavors—sweet, tart, creamy, and nutty.
Below is a simple approach to assemble this salad:
- Start with a base of fresh baby spinach, rinsed and dried.
- Add thinly sliced fall apples for sweetness and crunch.
- Toss in toasted walnuts for a toasty, earthy element.
- Crumble goat cheese over the salad for creamy tang.
- Whisk together a lemon vinaigrette using extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, a touch of honey or Dijon mustard if desired, salt and pepper. Drizzle over the salad and gently toss to combine.
This salad works well as a side for roasted meats, grilled fish, or as a light main when paired with crusty bread or a grain. It’s flexible—swap the walnuts for pecans or substitute feta for goat cheese if preferred. The dressing can be adjusted to taste: more lemon for brightness, a little honey for balance, or a pinch of herbs for extra aroma.
The recipe is adapted from a classic combination and makes for an inviting autumn dish that celebrates seasonal apples and simple, high-quality ingredients.
Disclosure: I received product to evaluate, and all opinions are my own.
Julia