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    Home » Salads and Sandwiches

    Simple Spinach Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

    July 4, 2022 by Emily Cooper 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
    Simple Spinach Salad Collage with Text Overlay
    Simple Spinach Salad Image with Text Overlay
    Simple Spinach Salad Collage with Text

    This quick and easy simple spinach salad recipe takes minutes to make, and is made with baby spinach, thinly sliced red onion and cucumber, chopped walnuts, grated parmesan cheese, and a tangy lemon vinaigrette.

    I love pulling this salad together to go with most any meal, but there is something about its simplicity and flavor that pairs well with summer. Anything that is bright, fresh, and quick to pull together is a win for a summertime dish.

    Simple Spinach Salad Overhead Bowl with Utensils

    Listen, I'm a salad gal, so anytime is a good time for a loaded up salad. But summer and salad just YES. A little pop of freshness goes a long way with an al fresco meal, something on the grill, or just when you need a little something green.

    I paired this salad with this quick Lemon Vinaigrette, but you can use your favorite dressing if preferred. I just love that pop of fresh and tang from lemon juice. You can also find some other summer-inspired salads like this Balsamic Pasta Salad with Tofu or this German-Style Cauliflower Potato Salad, or my favorite last bite of the summer at the end of the season with this Summer Corn and Tomato Salad.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients You'll Need to Make This
    • Instructions for this Spinach Salad
    • Substitutions
    • Pro Tips
    • FAQs
    • Simple Spinach Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

    Ingredients You'll Need to Make This

    • honey lemon vinaigrette dressing
    • baby spinach
    • thinly sliced red onion
    • thinly sliced English cucumber
    • grated parmesan cheese
    • chopped walnuts

    Instructions for this Spinach Salad

    Start by prepping the dressing using this Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing recipe. Alternatively, you can put aside 4 tablespoons of your preferred dressing.

    Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing in Glass Bowl

    Hint: You can make in a small mixing bowl, measuring cup, or my favorite, directly in a large mixing bowl you'll use to toss the salad if enjoying immediately
    Next add 5-6 cups of baby spinach, ½ cup thinly sliced red onion, 1 cup thinly sliced English cucumber, ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, and ¼ cup of chopped walnuts. Toss the salad until coated with dressing, and serve immediately.

    Substitutions

    • Lettuce - instead of baby spinach, you can also use mixed greens, or even kale. Just let the salad sit a little longer after tossing with the dressing if using kale.
    • Nuts - Swap out the chopped walnuts for roasted sunflower seeds, or just omit for a nut-free option.
    • Vegan- Leave out the parmesan cheese, or replace with a dairy-free parmesan cheese, and use agave or maple in the dressing to make vegan-friendly.

    Pro Tips

    • Only toss the salad with the dressing when you are ready to serve to avoid it from getting too soggy. You can prep the dressing and salad separately ahead of time, or simply let guests add their own dressing instead.
    • For extra flavor, toast the chopped walnuts in a dry pan for a couple minutes, or until fragrant before adding.
    • Instead of parmesan, you can also use crumbled feta, goat cheese, or a cubed sharp cheddar cheese.
    Simple Spinach Salad Overhead Bowl

    FAQs

    How long does this spinach salad keep?

    If tossed with the dressing, only a few hours before it gets too soggy and wilted. If planning on storing, keep salad and dressing stored separately, and enjoy within 4 days.

    Is this vegan-friendly?

    As-is, no since it contains parmesan cheese and honey in the dressing. Replace the honey with maple syrup or agave in the dressing, and leave out the parmesan cheese, or use a dairy alternative to make vegan-friendly.

    Simple Spinach Salad Close Up

    more spinach recipes

    Lightened Up Creamed Spinach
    Easy Spinach and Feta Chickpea Burgers
    Sweet Potato Peanut Stew

    Print
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    Simple Spinach Salad Overhead Bowl with Utensils

    Simple Spinach Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette


    • Author: Emily Cooper, RDN
    • Total Time: 15 minutes
    • Yield: 4 servings 1x
    • Diet: Vegetarian
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    This quick and easy simple spinach salad recipe takes minutes to make, and is made with baby spinach, thinly sliced red onion and cucumber, chopped walnuts, grated parmesan cheese, and a tangy lemon vinaigrette. 


    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 1 batch Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing
    • 6-8 cups baby spinach
    • 1 cup thinly sliced English cucumbers (about ½ cucumber)
    • ½ cup thinly sliced red onion (about ½ small onion)
    • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
    • ¼ cup chopped walnuts

    Instructions

    1. Prepare dressing in a large mixing bowl if preparing salad immediately, or in a small bowl if preparing later.
    2. When ready to serve, pour dressing into a large mixing bowl, and add baby spinach, sliced cucumber, sliced red onion, parmesan cheese, and walnuts.
    3. Toss salad until well coated with dressing, and serve immediately.
    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Category: Salads
    • Method: No-Cook
    • Cuisine: American

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: ¼ recipe
    • Calories: 170
    • Sugar: 5
    • Sodium: 279
    • Fat: 14
    • Saturated Fat: 3
    • Unsaturated Fat: 11
    • Trans Fat: 0
    • Carbohydrates: 9
    • Fiber: 2
    • Protein: 5
    • Cholesterol: 6

    Keywords: salad, baby spinach, summer, lemon, dressing

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @sinfulnutrition on Instagram and hashtag it #sinfulnutrition

    « Simple Honey Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Monica Russ

      July 15, 2022 at 3:28 pm

      How many servings does this recipe make?

      Reply
      • Emily Cooper

        July 24, 2022 at 10:21 am

        Hi Monica! Sorry, had some issue with the recipe card, but should be fixed now. The recipe serves about 4 adult as a side salad.

        Reply

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