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Cozy Harvest Fall Salad with Candied Pecans

cozy harvest fall salad - featured image
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A quick and easy 10-minute fall salad featuring crisp spinach, sweet apples, tangy goat cheese, and warm, buttery candied pecans. It’s a perfect balance of sweet, salty, and crunchy flavors.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 cups fresh baby spinach
  • 1 cup raw pecan halves
  • 2 firm apples (Honeycrisp or Gala), cored and sliced into thin wedges
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese or feta
  • 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Wash and thoroughly dry the spinach. Slice apples into thin wedges and thinly slice the red onion. If sensitive to raw onion, soak slices in ice water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add butter and melt until foaming. Stir in brown sugar and maple syrup until dissolved and bubbling.
  3. Add pecans to the skillet and stir constantly for 5-7 minutes until coated and syrup thickens. Remove from heat immediately and spread onto parchment paper to cool and harden (about 5 minutes). Break into clusters once cool.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
  5. In a large mixing bowl, toss spinach, apple slices, and red onion with half of the dressing.
  6. Top with crumbled goat cheese and candied pecan clusters. Drizzle with remaining dressing just before serving.
  7. Serve immediately while the nuts are still warm and crunchy.

Notes

Ensure spinach is completely dry to prevent sogginess. Stir pecans constantly while candying to prevent burning. Store leftovers separately: greens/fruit/cheese in one container, nuts in another, and dressing in a jar. Candied pecans can be made up to a week in advance and stored at room temperature.

Nutrition

Keywords: fall salad, candied pecans, harvest salad, quick dinner, healthy salad, spinach salad, apple salad, gluten-free

Find it online: https://emmastirs.com/cozy-harvest-fall-salad-10-min-easy-best-recipe/