Seasonal Cranberry and Walnut Celebration (Printable Version)

A vibrant, festive salad featuring fresh greens, tart cranberries, crunchy walnuts, and zesty orange vinaigrette.

# What You'll Need:

→ Salad

01 - 6 cups mixed salad greens (such as arugula, spinach, and romaine)
02 - 1 cup fresh or dried cranberries
03 - 1 cup walnut halves, toasted
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

# How to Make It:

01 - In a large salad bowl, combine the mixed greens, cranberries, toasted walnuts, red onion, and apple slices.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the orange juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey until well combined. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking, until the dressing is emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
03 - Drizzle the orange vinaigrette over the salad just before serving. Toss gently to combine.
04 - Top with crumbled goat cheese or feta. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The orange vinaigrette has this magical way of bringing all the ingredients together while keeping your taste buds dancing between sweet, tart, and savory notes.
  • You can prepare all components ahead of time and assemble just before serving, which has saved me countless times when hosting larger gatherings.
02 -
  • Dressing the salad too far in advance will cause the greens to wilt dramatically, a mistake I made during a dinner party that left me frantically refreshing limp greens in ice water.
  • Slicing the apple last and tossing it with a splash of the orange juice prevents that unappetizing browning that happens so quickly.
03 -
  • Massage thinly sliced red onions in ice water for about 10 minutes, then pat dry before adding to the salad to remove their harsh bite while keeping their beautiful color and crunch.
  • Toast extra walnuts while youre at it and store them in the freezer for future salads or baking projects, saving yourself precious time on busy cooking days.
Go Back