Apple Cranberry Pecan Salad

This healthy Apple Cranberry Pecan Salad features the best of Fall flavors and is a perfect light salad to serve at any holiday dinner. 

It’s the final day of #HolidaySideDishes week and I’m wrapping it up with a delicious salad that is a blend of sweet and savory flavors to highlight best Fall foods.  This salad is a welcome dish to all of the heavy foods you may eat during the holidays.  Somehow when we eat salad, it makes us feel better about eating all the other yummy foods.  

Since this is the last day for all of the holiday side dishes week, let me know in the comments what your favorites are!  Don’t forget that below the recipe for this yummy salad you will find today’s links for the recipes.  If you missed my slow cooker cheesy green bean casserole on Monday, check it out here and this recipe for southern succotash recipe from Wednesday!

You may also enjoy these easy smashed roasted potatoes with rosemary or another green bean recipe that you can quickly roast in the oven.  Roasted green beans with fried onions come together in the oven in about 15 minutes.  Easy!

Apple Cranberry Pecan Salad

Salads are quick meals some nights in our house but also a perfect side dish for light dinners.  This apple, cranberry, and pecan salad is made with spring greens and spinach with some feta cheese thrown in the mix.  You most definitely can use all spinach or your salad greens of choice.  I know that typically recipes like these include a recipe for a dressing to drizzle over the salad; however, my family is super picky over dressings.  By that I mean we each like a totally different one so it’s hard to make just one for any particular salad.  

I love to use a Parmesan garlic dressing with herbs on any salad, hubby loves Thousand Island, and the girls each have a favorite as well.  For this salad, I usually make this Lemon Vinaigrette dressing for myself.  It’s amazing!

What kinds of apples do you use for this salad?

I like to use Golden Delicious and Honeycrisp apples for this recipe. It’s also delicious with a Granny Smith, too.  That being said, you can use your favorite apple or whatever you have on hand. The sweet apples with the tart give the salad a definite extra punch of flavor.

Can you make this apple cranberry pecan salad in advance?

Yes, you can make the salad in the morning. For best results, don’t cut up and add the apples until right before serving, so they won’t turn brown.  I also wouldn’t add the salad dressing (if you’re using only one salad dressing) until right before serving.  

It even may be easier to let your guests add their own amount of dressing to their portions. 

What types of nuts can I use?

While the recipe calls for crunchy pecans, you can use walnuts, cashews, and even almonds.

I don’t like spinach, what else can I use? 

You can omit the spinach if you aren’t a fan and add extra of the spring mix. Alternatively, you can replace the spinach with fresh kale or even arugula. Truth be told, any leafy greens taste wonderful in this salad.

Ingredients

• 3 cups of baby spinach leaves
• 3 cups spring salad mix
• 1 Honeycrisp apple
• 1 Golden Delicious apple
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries

How to Make this Healthy Apple Cranberry Pecan Salad

Step 1

Core and chop apples into one-inch chunks.

Step 2

Toss greens, apples, pecans, feta cheese crumbles, and cranberries together in a large bowl.

Step 3

Serve with whatever dressing you prefer – this Lemon Vinaigrette dressing is a personal favorite for this salad. It’s the perfect dressing, in my opinion.

More tips to customize this salad

Add some diced red onion.

Substitute the feta cheese for blue cheese.

Add cooked crumbled bacon to the salad.

A simple olive oil based vinaigrette is delicious on this apple pecan salad.

This can be a main meal salad by adding cooked diced chicken breast.

Holiday Side Dish Recipes for Friday:

• 5 Ingredient Corn Casserole from Cheese Curd in Paradise
• Apple Cranberry Pecan Salad from Blogghetti
• Bacon Wrapped String Beans from Family Around the Table
• Cranberry, Apple, & Pecan Wild Rice Pilaf from Sweet Beginnings
• Creamy Potato and Apple Gratin from Palatable Pastime
• Disney’s Pumpkin Soup from Simply Inspired Meals
• Dudhi Kofta (Bottle Gourd Fritters) from Cook with Renu
• Orange Cranberry Sauce from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Pancetta Brussels Sprouts from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Porcini Pancetta Dressing from The Complete Savorist
• Pumpkin Rolls with Herbs and Sea Salt from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Apples, and Onions from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Roasted Carrots with Fresh Herbs from Our Good Life
• Skillet Sausage Stuffing from Dutch Oven Daddy

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Enjoy!