Name: Cranberry and Walnut Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil; 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar; ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon pepper; 5-ounce container of prewashed spring mix salad greens; ½ cup dried cranberries (craisins); ½ cup walnut pieces (buy them pre-cut)

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This cranberry walnut green salad is a great choice for holiday gatherings, but it’s also quick enough for lunch or a weeknight dinner.

A bowl of salad greens with dried cranberries, walnuts, and balsamic vinaigrette sitting on a table.

About

I developed this as an easy option for a healthy Thanksgiving and Christmas salad. It gives a holiday host a healthy, simple, festive, elegant, and crowd-pleasing green salad. It’s low prep, requires no chopping, and is fast and easy. And, it pairs well with Christmas and Thanksgiving meals.

But, honestly, it’s been my go-to salad for the past couple of months. It’s so simple and versatile that it reminds me of one of those bagged salad kits. Only it’s better for you because you get to shake and make a 5-ingredient dressing and completely control the ingredients!

Why You’ll Love it

It’s perfect for holidays, but it’s also great for fast lunches and busy weeknights.
It’s wholesome, delicious, and requires absolutely no chopping. Easy peasy!
There’s no need to make ahead because it’s so quick, easy, and simple.
It happens to be vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and complements all the holiday meals.
When you need to offer a light house-style salad as a starter or as a not-so-heavy green addition, this one is sure to please.

Ingredients

Fresh organic salad greens, dried cranberries, walnut pieces, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper prepped for making a salad.

Prewashed spring mix salad greens, the kind that come in clamshell containers.
Dried cranberries, aka craisins. I like Ocean Spray Original Craisins.
Walnut pieces. Buy a bag of already broken-up walnuts.
Homemade dressing made with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Choose high-quality oil and vinegar and grind your own pepper to ensure this simple dressing tastes awesome.

Variations

You can try it with candied pecans or pecan-crusted goat cheese in place of walnuts.
Customize it with additional toppings to make it a meal. It’s delicious with grilled chicken, goat cheese, and sliced honeycrisp apples.

Nutrition Highlights & Special Diets

You’ll love serving this antioxidant-rich, healthy salad with heavier meals. Fill half your plate with veggies to balance out rich comfort food!

This cranberry walnut salad is made with real-food ingredients. It happens to be gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan, making it perfect for entertaining.

Each serving (¼ of the recipe) contains about 2.6 grams of fiber. It’s also a good source of vitamin K and healthy fats.

How to Make it

Here is an overview of how to make this easy salad. Check out the recipe card for ingredient amounts and complete instructions.

You’ll need a jar with a tight-fitting lid. I’m never without my stash of mason jars!

First, make the dressing. All you need to do is add the extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper to a jar. Then, close the lid tightly and shake it until an emulsified dressing forms.

Shaking a jar of homemade balsamic vinaigrette.

If you aren’t planning to dress the salad immediately, you’ll need to shake it again right before adding the dressing.

When you’re ready to serve, arrange the salad greens in a bowl. Then, pour all of the dressing over them.

Toss to combine. Then, sprinkle with the dried cranberries and walnut pieces.

Serve right away.

A bowl of salad greens with dried cranberries, walnuts, and balsamic vinaigrette with salad serving tongs.

Feed a Crowd

You can double or triple this recipe to feed a crowd. Use the 2x or 3x button in the recipe card for easy ingredient conversions.

Serving Tips

This is a lovely holiday salad. It pairs well with Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners to add a light, bitter component without overpowering the dinner. And, it looks festive with the greens and cranberries.
It’s a perfect fall or winter salad. You can serve it as a starter, a side, or make it a large dinner salad.
It’s a great option for an easy and healthy lunch with minimal prep.

A bowl of salad greens with dried cranberries, walnuts, and balsamic vinaigrette.

Make it a Meal

This salad is a perfect way to add a green vegetable to your plate at Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. It pairs well with ham, turkey, smashed red potatoes, sweet potato casserole, and all the hearty, heavy sides.
It’s elegant enough to serve with a beef tenderloin, beef wellington, or rib roast.
If you’re making it for a quick lunch, try pairing it with grilled chicken or chopped deli turkey to add a source of protein.
If you want to serve it as a dinner salad, you can top it with chicken, honeycrisp apples, and feta or chevre cheese.

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