I’ll be honest: I don’t often get creative with my salads. If you come over for a weeknight dinner, I’ll likely be serving a big bowl of greens tossed with a basic vinaigrette. You could either call me a purist or boring; I like to think it’s the former. When I want to glam it up without really trying, I make this spinach salad. This is the kind of salad you make once and never have to look at the recipe again after that. It’s infinitely adaptable and is always welcome on the table, no matter the day or season. Here’s how to make it.

Why you’ll love it

Key Ingredients in spinach salad

Helpful swaps

Make-ahead tip

The vinaigrette can be made up to a week ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

What to serve with spinach salad

Spinach Salad

Serves 4 to 6

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon honey

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 (5-ounce) bag baby spinach (about 5 packed cups)

1 large tart apple, such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp, cored and thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)

4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

1. Whisk together 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon honey, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper in a large bowl.

2. Add 1 (5-ounce) bag baby spinach and toss gently to coat in the vinaigrette. Add 1 thinly sliced Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apple, 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese, and 1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts and toss gently again to combine. Serve immediately.

(Sheela Prakash is a senior contributing food editor and Jan Valdez is an associate recipe producer for TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. Submit any comments or questions to editorial@thekitchn.com.)

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