This simple Spinach Avocado Salad is fresh, flavorful, and far from boring! With tender baby spinach, creamy avocado, tart cranberries, and crunchy almonds, every bite is a perfect mix of textures and tastes. Drizzle it with a quick 3-minute white balsamic dressing, and you've got a side dish you'll want to make again and again!
It's so easy to eat more leafy greens when they're packed with flavor and layered with tasty toppings! This collection of salad recipes will keep things fresh and exciting all year long!
We’re on a mission to make sure our salads are anything but boring. They have to have bold flavors and fun textures in every bite! This one totally delivers. It’s a year-round chameleon that works with just about any meal, and it’s super simple thanks to a quick 3-minute dressing.
While this simple, fresh salad is great any night of the week, even for Sunday dinner, it also makes a super easy addition to your Easter recipes or Thanksgiving recipes.
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Why this recipe is great
- Very little chopping: Just mince the onion and you’re done. The rest is just tossing stuff together—gotta love a low-effort, high-reward kind of recipe.
- 3 minute dressing: Toss a few ingredients in a jar and shake! That's it!
- All the textures: Creamy avocado, crunchy almonds, tangy dressing, and chewy cranberries. Every bite’s got something going on
Avocado spinach salad ingredients
This recipe only needs a few ingredients! All the quantities are in the recipe card below, but here are a few noteworthy tips.
- Fresh baby spinach leaves: Mild and tender spinach soaks up all the flavor around it. Basically the perfect base for everything else to shine.
- Avocado: Rich, creamy, and super mellow. Total texture powerhouse.
- Almonds: Adds some crunch and earthy flavor.
- Cranberries: Dried cranberries are pretty, a little bit sweet and a little bit tart.
- Dressing: Quick, simple, and crazy good: light olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, poppy seeds, mustard powder, red onion, sugar, and kosher salt (sea salt also works). That’s it. So easy, so tasty.
Helpful kitchen tools
How to make spinach avocado salad recipe
Preheat oven to 325ºF. Spread almonds out evenly on a sheet pan. Bake in the oven for 5-8 minutes. Keep an eye on them - you want that perfect golden brown color and a toasty, nutty aroma.
Combine the olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, minced onion, poppy seeds, ground mustard, salt, and sugar in a small bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined.
Alternatively, toss the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously until the sugar is dissolved.
Before serving, wash the fresh spinach in cold water. We love this salad spinner. Dry thoroughly.
Place the spinach leaves in a large bowl. Scatter the toasted nuts, cranberries, and ripe avocado slices across the top.
Once the ingredients are in the bowl, toss with the dressing and serve. Be sure to dress just before serving. The dressing will cause the spinach to wilt if it sits too long.
Hint: Since avocado tends to brown quickly, it’s best to wait and cut it right at the last minute. That way, it stays fresh, creamy, and pretty for serving
Variations and Substitutions
- In place of cranberries, try dried blueberries or cherries. If they are a little large you might want to run your knife through them a time or two to get them bite size.
- Instead of almonds, try these pecans with maple syrup. A bit more work, but so delicious! Or try roasted pistachios or pine nuts for a fun spin.
- Try adding in some fresh herbs like cilantro, chives, or basil.
What to serve with
This salad is versatile enough to be served with almost anything, but would be especially delicious with:
FAQs
Yes! Most of this simple spinach salad can be prepped ahead. The dressing can be made and stored in the refrigerator up to two weeks in advance. The nuts can be toasted and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. The only part that must be done at the last minute is the buttery xavocado.
While typically dark balsamic vinegar is great in many salad dressing recipes, in this case, the mellow flavor of white is necessary. A flavored white balsamic would be quite delicious if you have some on hand.
Tips & Tricks
- Since avocado tends to brown quickly, it’s best to wait and cut it right at the last minute.
- Don't skip toasting the nuts! It really does bring out the flavor and texture in the almonds.
- Feel free to make the dressing up to two weeks ahead. Store in an airtight container or a jar in the refrigerator.
More side salad recipes
Looking for more salad inspiration? Try these:
- Autumn Chopped Salad (crispy bacon, juicy pears, maple nuts, creamy balsamic vinaigrette)
- Italian Chopped Salad (meats, cheese, pepperoncini, olives)
- Lemon Quinoa Salad (greens, herbs, lemons, feta cheese)
- Apple Slaw Salad (sliced apple, nuts, cabbage mix)
- Strawberry Arugula Salad Recipe (fresh berries, tender greens, delicious dressing)
Recipe
Spinach Avocado Salad (with 3 Minute Dressing!)
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup light olive oil
- ½ cup white balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 tablespoon red onion finely minced
- 2 teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Salad Ingredients
- 10 ounces baby spinach
- 2 large avocados
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup slivered almonds toasted
Instructions
Dressing
- Combine dressing ingredients in a jar. Cover with a tight lid and shake vigorously. Or alternatively whisk until sugar is dissolved.⅔ cup light olive oil, ½ cup white balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoon sugar, 2 tablespoon poppy seeds, 1 tablespoon red onion, 2 teaspoon mustard powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper
Salad
- To toast nuts: Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Spread almonds in a n even layer across the cookie sheet. Place in the oven for 5-8 minutes or until fragrant and lightly golden brown.½ cup slivered almonds
- Layer salad ingredients in a large serving bowl. Just before serving, toss with dressing to taste.10 ounces baby spinach, 2 large avocados, ½ cup dried cranberries
Notes
- Since avocado tends to brown quickly, it’s best to wait and cut it right at the last minute.
- Don't skip toasting the nuts! It really does bring out the flavor and texture in the almonds.
- Feel free to make the dressing up to two weeks ahead. Store in an airtight container or a jar in the refrigerator.
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Danielle says
This salad is so easy to put together and so flavorful!