Apple Pear Cucumber Spinach Salad is a light salad that packs a punch of flavor from sweet apples and pears. Tossed with a balsamic mustard dressing and and served over arugula, this salad is simple yet flavorful.

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Switch up your salad with some unique ingredients and fresh flavors! I love this salad because it's got a few ingredients that I wouldn't normally put in a salad.

My 'typical' salad is just lettuce and whatever vegetables I have around - carrots, bell peppers, cabbage, etc. I love that salad. It's easy, uncomplicated, and super nutritious. But this Apple Pear Cucumber Spinach Salad is fun and flavorful and a great switch up to your salad routine.

Plus, it's super simple.

Start by mixing a quick dressing of stone ground mustard (hello texture!), balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, rice vinegar, and salt.

Then toss the dressing with your sliced apples, pears, and cucumbers. If you have the time, refrigerate to let the flavors blend.

Serve over a bed of arugula.

And that's it!

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It's unique. Yet entirely un-complicated.

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Why I love this Apple Pear Cucumber Salad

• Dietary needs — this salad is dairy-free, plant-based, oil-free, gluten-free, and sugar-free. It’s also very high in fiber.

• Quick and easy — this pear cucumber salad is super quick! Just a couple minutes of prep for a tasty salad

• Bold and colorful — the apples and pears create a beautiful color

• Fruit forward — I love including fruit in salad, and this apple and pear salad is a delicious example!

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Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

• English Cucumber: An English cucumber is a more salad friendly cucumber - it has less seeds and is less tough. But a regular cucumber will also work. If you use a regular cucumber, you may want to peel off some of the skin to make it less tough.

• Red Apples: I used gala apples, but any sweet apple will work.

• Pear: I used Bartlett pears, which are green and turn yellow as they ripen. But any pear variety will work - ideally your pear should still be slightly firm so it doesn't completely disintegrate in the salad

• Arugula: I like the peppery flavor of arugula. Spinach is also delicious as the base for this salad.

• Stone Ground Mustard: stone ground mustard adds a beautiful texture to the salad. If you don't have stone ground, you can use dijon instead

• Balsamic Vinegar: balsamic adds a sweet smokiness to the dressing.

• Maple Syrup: maple syrup adds sweetness. For a completely fruit sweetened dressing, use date syrup instead.

• Rice Vinegar: rice vinegar is a lighter vinegar that adds a subtle asian flair to the salad

• Salt

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How to make Apple Pear Cucumber Salad

Step 1. In a medium bowl, mix the mustard, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, rice vinegar, and salt.

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Step 2. Pour over the sliced cucumber and pear. Recommended: cover and refrigerate 20-30 minutes, to allow the flavors to blend.

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Step 3. Arrange the cucumber mixture on a bed of arugula. Serve and enjoy!

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FAQ & Expert Tips

Prep ahead of time

The pear apple cucumber mixture can be prepared 24-48 hours in advance. Simply mix it up and place in the fridge. Then toss with the arugula when you'r ready to serve.

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Add protein

This salad would be delicious with some tofu or tempeh served on top.

• Air Fried Tempeh
• Crispy Baked Tempeh
• Easy Baked Tofu
• Smoky Tofu

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How long will this salad last?

This salad will last up to 5 days in the fridge.

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Storage

Store the apple pear cucumber mixture separate from the greens. When serving, simply toss them together.

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Recipe Prayer

Thank you God for salad that nourishes our bodies and tastes good too! We are grateful for the abundance of food and flavors you have blessed us with. Amen.

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Related Recipes

No more boring salad! Check out some of my other unique salad recipes:

• Kiwi Apple Spinach Salad
• Balsamic Beet Orange Salad
• Raspberry Kale Salad
• Arugula Citrus Salad

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Tried this recipe?

Please leave a review in the comments section below and post on Instagram tagging me @elizabeths_table. You can also stay in touch with me on social media by following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok or by subscribing to my newsletter.