Description
A vibrant and refreshing Cranberry Pecan Salad featuring a mix of spring greens, crunchy pecans, sweet dried cranberries, tangy feta cheese, and a homemade raspberry vinaigrette. Perfect as a light lunch or a colorful side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 5 ounces spring mix or spinach
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries (craisins)
- 6 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
- 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup vinegar
- 1/3 cup light olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons chopped pecans
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prepare the greens: Add the spring mix or spinach to a large serving bowl or divide it evenly among six plates to form the base of your salad.
- Add toppings: Sprinkle the chopped pecans, dried cranberries, and crumbled feta cheese over the greens to add texture, sweetness, and savory flavor.
- Make the vinaigrette: Place the raspberries, vinegar, light olive oil, honey, chopped pecans, and salt into a blender. Blend until smooth to create a rich and flavorful raspberry pecan vinaigrette, yielding about 1 1/2 cups.
- Serve: Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad just before serving to keep the greens fresh and crisp. Toss gently if desired to evenly coat the ingredients.
Notes
- For added crunch, lightly toast the pecans before adding to the salad and vinaigrette.
- Use fresh raspberries if possible for optimal flavor, but frozen also works well.
- The vinaigrette can be stored separately in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Adjust honey in the vinaigrette to taste for more or less sweetness.
- This salad is best served immediately after dressing to maintain freshness of the greens.
