Seasonal Cranberry Walnut Salad (Printable)

A bright salad of mixed greens, cranberries, walnuts, and tangy orange dressing, ideal for festive gatherings.

# What You Need:

→ Salad

01 - 6 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, romaine)
02 - 1 cup fresh or dried cranberries
03 - 1 cup toasted walnut halves
04 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 1 large apple, cored and thinly sliced
06 - 3.5 oz crumbled goat cheese or feta

→ Orange Vinaigrette

07 - 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
08 - 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
09 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
10 - 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
11 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - In a large salad bowl, mix the greens, cranberries, toasted walnuts, red onion, and apple slices evenly.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together orange juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey. Gradually whisk in olive oil until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.
03 - Pour the orange vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to coat the ingredients evenly.
04 - Sprinkle crumbled goat cheese or feta over the salad and serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in minutes but tastes like you planned it for days, which makes it ideal when youre hosting and already juggling three other things.
  • The textures keep every bite interesting—crisp greens, chewy cranberries, toasted walnuts that crack between your teeth, soft tangy cheese.
  • You can swap almost anything based on what you have, and it still works beautifully.
02 -
  • Do not dress the salad until the last possible moment or it will turn soggy and sad within minutes.
  • Toast the walnuts even if you are in a hurry—raw walnuts taste flat and slightly bitter, toasted ones transform the whole dish.
  • If the dressing breaks and looks oily, add a tiny splash of cold water and whisk hard until it comes back together.
03 -
  • Taste a piece of apple before you add it—if it is too sweet, squeeze a little lemon juice over the slices to balance it out.
  • Use your hands to toss the salad instead of tongs so you can feel when everything is evenly coated without bruising the greens.
  • If you are serving this at a party, bring the dressing on the side and let people dress their own portions so nothing gets soggy while it sits out.
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