Description
A vibrant and festive Christmas Cranberry Spinach Salad combining fresh baby spinach, dried cranberries, crisp apples, toasted nuts, and crumbled feta cheese, all tossed in a tangy and slightly sweet apple cider vinaigrette. Perfect as a holiday side dish to complement roast turkey or ham.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 6 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds or chopped pecans, toasted
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 apple (such as Honeycrisp), thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Dressing Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large salad bowl, add the fresh baby spinach, dried cranberries, crumbled feta cheese, toasted nuts, thinly sliced red onion, apple slices, and poppy seeds. Gently toss them together to mix the ingredients evenly.
- Prepare the Dressing: In a small jar or bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey (or maple syrup), Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until the mixture is well combined and emulsified.
- Dress the Salad: Just before serving, drizzle the dressing over the salad. Toss gently to coat all the ingredients evenly with the dressing to maintain the crisp texture of the salad components.
- Serve Immediately: Serve the salad right away to enjoy the fresh textures and flavors at their best.
Notes
- To prevent apples from browning, toss the apple slices in a small amount of lemon juice before adding them to the salad.
- This salad pairs wonderfully with roast turkey or ham, making it a perfect holiday meal addition.
- You can prep all the ingredients ahead of time and assemble the salad just before serving to maintain freshness.
