Cranberry Walnut Salad is a seasonal salad perfect for your holiday menus. A homemade balsamic vinaigrette lightly coats assorted lettuces, cranberries, goat cheese and glazed walnuts.
Cranberry Walnut Salad
There’s something about a salad with walnuts and cranberries that evokes thoughts of the holidays. A beautiful salad with deep red and bright white pops of color is all dressed up for the season.
Bursts of dried cranberries and candied walnuts bring sweetness and crunch to every bite.
Goat cheese lends a creaminess and red onion adds savory notes to this festive salad.
The simple homemade balsamic vinaigrette is the crowning glory of our seasonal salad as it lightly coats the tender lettuce leaves.
For the lettuces in this salad, I used a combination of arugula, red leaf lettuce and some baby greens. You can use this same combination, a combination of your own favorite greens or just one green lettuce type. It would taste delicious made with just arugula leaves too.
Be sure to add this salad with cranberries and walnuts to your holiday menus this season. You’ll be happy you did!
Cranberry Walnut Salad FAQ’s
What dressing goes with cranberry walnut salad?
Balsamic salad dressing goes well with a cranberry walnut salad.
Honey Mustard Salad Dressing also makes a delicious addition to this salad.
Our Cranberry Maple Vinaigrette will also taste delicious with this salad.
How to make cranberry walnut salad
- Combine lettuces, dried cranberries, walnuts, goat cheese and red onion
- Toss with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette or your favorite salad dressing
Swirls of Flavor Recipe Tips
- Substitute your favorite nut for the walnuts
- Add sliced apples for added crunch and flavor
- Use feta cheese in place of goat cheese
- Make with chopped fresh garlic in place of the garlic powder
- Short on time? Use a store bought balsamic salad dressing
- Make it a main dish and top with sliced cooked chicken
Ingredients you will need to make this recipe
- olive oil
- balsamic vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- sugar
- garlic powder
- kosher salt
- pepper
- assorted lettuces
- dried cranberries
- goat cheese
- candied walnuts
- red onion
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- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- ¼ tsp. pepper
- 8 cups assorted lettuces , such as arugula, baby greens and red leaf lettuce
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese , 2 ounces
- ½ cup candied walnuts
- ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
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Combine olive oil, vinegar, Dijon, sugar, garlic powder, kosher salt and pepper until blended;.
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Place lettuces in serving bowl. Top with cranberries, cheese, walnuts and red onion.
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Toss with 6 Tablespoons vinaigrette and serve remaining vinaigrette on the side.
Makes 7 cups tossed salad/6 servings
Swirls of Flavor Recipe Tips
• Make with your favorite nuts
• Add sliced apples
• Substitute chopped fresh garlic for the garlic powder
• Make with a bottled balsamic salad dressing
• Turn into a main dish and top with sliced cooked chicken
I get excited about everything walnuts these days. Fantastic salad that looks absolutely amazing, too!
This looks so delicious and yummy! I can’t wait to make this!
What a great fall salad! We have a bumper crop of pecans this year, so I’ll probably make it with those.
This is such a delicious yet simple salad. It’s perfect for Thanksgiving. I can’t wait to make it again in a few weeks for the big day!
I love love LOVE the cranberries, walnuts, and feta together. So good!
And they’re especially delicious when they’re glazed walnuts!
Thank you Beth! Enjoy!
It will be delicious with pecans too!
Delicious salad for Thanksgiving!